Zhang Yongsheng: Ecological Civilization Leads a New Paradigm for Global Green Development
Ecological civilization construction is the fundamental path for resolving the global crisis of unsustainability and represents the developmental direction of humanity. Currently, the global green transition stands at a critical crossroads. Certain major powers have moved backward [1] in handling the relationship between the environment and development, while factors such as trade protectionism and geopolitical conflict hinder the processes of global environmental governance and green development.
To recognize the correct historical direction amidst the complex global developmental landscape, respond to various challenges in ecological civilization construction, and accelerate China’s own ecological civilization construction, one must grasp the essence of ecological civilization completely, accurately, and comprehensively. This requires seeking answers from the original texts and works of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. At this historical juncture, the publication of the first volume of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization (hereafter referred to as the Selected Works) is timely. It is not only vital for understanding and accelerating China’s ecological civilization construction but has also become an important ideological and action guide for China to lead a new paradigm of global green development.
Ecological Civilization Represents the Direction of Human Development
The Selected Works first answers why ecological civilization is necessary. Since the founding of New China, and particularly since the reform and opening up, China has achieved a developmental miracle unprecedented in human history. Why did China not continue with its past developmental model, but instead take the world lead in proposing ecological civilization and the New Development Philosophy [2], while unswervingly promoting a green transition? The reason lies in the fact that the traditional developmental model established by humanity since the Industrial Revolution is unsustainable, and ecological civilization now faces new historical opportunities. The Selected Works points out that ecological civilization is a necessity for achieving sustainable development. "The construction of an ecological civilization bears upon the well-being of the people and the future of the nation."
Behind this global crisis of unsustainability lies a crisis of the traditional developmental paradigm and traditional industrial civilization established after the Industrial Revolution; it must be resolved through a shift in the developmental paradigm and a new form of civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Humanity has experienced primitive civilization, agricultural civilization, and industrial civilization. Ecological civilization is the product of industrial civilization reaching a certain stage and a new requirement for achieving the harmonious development of man and nature." This implies that, viewed from the perspective of historical stages, ecological civilization is a more advanced form of civilization than industrial civilization.
The problem of unsustainability in China’s traditional developmental model is a universal problem faced by the entire world. Just as we cannot use the logic of traditional agricultural civilization to understand and promote industrial civilization, we cannot use the logic of traditional industrial civilization to understand and promote the construction of an ecological civilization. Only by stepping outside the logic of traditional industrial civilization and looking from the height of a transition in civilizational forms can we understand the great significance, historic achievements, implementation mechanisms, and domestic and international challenges of ecological civilization construction since the 18th CPC National Congress [3], thereby promoting Chinese-path modernization characterized by the harmony between man and nature.
The essence of Chinese-path modernization is a redefinition of the concept of modernization established after the Industrial Revolution; it is a vital representative of a new form of human civilization. From the beginning, China's ecological civilization construction has been aimed at solving the global conundrum of the unsustainability of the post-Industrial Revolution development model, shoulder the historical mission of promoting global sustainable development. The success of China’s ecological civilization construction and green development also brings new developmental opportunities to the world.
An Ideological Guide for Promoting a Shift in the Developmental Paradigm
Ecological civilization construction is a new endeavor for all countries; there is no ready-made experience to draw upon. If, in the past process of learning from Western modernization, late-developing countries largely targeted achieving the kind of modernization found in developed nations, the current construction of a modernization involving harmony between man and nature means that both the goals of modernization and the means of achieving them have undergone profound changes. Ideological guidance is the key to success. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Communist Party of China’s century-long exploration and is the ideological guide for "modernization characterized by harmony between man and nature."
Currently, China’s ecological civilization construction has achieved historic successes, but it also faces various difficulties. Among these, the primary difficulty is how to deepen the understanding of ecological civilization construction. For example, some people view environmental protection and emission reductions as a burden on economic development, failing to recognize the underlying economic opportunities; some see certain major powers reversing course on climate change and believe that international pressure on China to reduce emissions has lessened, allowing for a slowdown in action; some see the pressure of energy conservation and emission reduction during the "14th Five-Year Plan" [4] and take for granted that the targets for the "15th Five-Year Plan" should be lowered. Some localities treat the goal of reaching a carbon peak before 2030 as a final "window of time" to accelerate high-carbon investment to promote short-term economic growth; some departments often lose their strategic focus on green transition during economic downturns, attempting to stimulate the economy through non-green investments while ignoring the costs for future transition.
The various phenomena mentioned above are all the result of failing to truly understand Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. In fact, correct answers to many of the blurred perceptions currently held by people regarding ecological civilization construction can be found in the Selected Works. Studying the original texts of the Selected Works is not only an intrinsic requirement for a complete, accurate, and comprehensive understanding of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, but also an intrinsic requirement for ensuring the correct direction of ecological civilization construction and establishing new relations of production. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Protecting the ecological environment is protecting the productive forces; improving the ecological environment is developing the productive forces." "Addressing climate change is not something others want us to do, but something we must do ourselves." "We must maintain strategic focus in strengthening the construction of an ecological civilization." "No matter how the international situation changes, China’s actions to actively respond to climate change will not slow down."
Major breakthroughs in thought bring about major breakthroughs in practice. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has undergone a profound transformation in its outlook on development and has adopted environmental protection measures of unprecedented intensity. The relationship between environmental protection and development has undergone a transformative change. Ecological environmental protection has achieved historic, transformative, and comprehensive successes, while the economy has ascended to a new level. In particular, the emerging green economy, represented by new energy and related sectors, has not only become an important source of growth but also a decisive force in resolving the global environmental crisis and leading the global green transition.
From this, it can be seen that a simple standard for testing whether an action meets the internal requirements of ecological civilization is how it treats the relationship between environmental protection and development. Those that view the relationship between the two as mutually coordinated and mutually reinforcing belong to ecological civilization; conversely, those that do not belong to the traditional developmental mode. If one does not step out of the traditional framework of logic, deviations will occur in the understanding and implementation of ecological civilization. Currently, some actions carried out in the name of ecological civilization are actually variants of the traditional "pollute first, treat later" model; some practices even run counter to the internal requirements of ecological civilization. The publication of the Selected Works, which compiles General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on ecological civilization construction, serves as the fundamental compliance for guiding the practice of ecological civilization construction.
A Breakthrough Point for Constructing China's Independent Knowledge System
Ecological civilization construction requires a new knowledge system. The Selected Works' reflections on and answers to the basic questions of development reconstruct the underlying logic of development and its philosophical foundations, thereby reconstructing the relationship between man and nature as well as between the environment and development. It thus serves as the ideological guidance for constructing China’s independent knowledge system of ecological civilization using a new scientific paradigm. Modern knowledge systems are largely the products of the traditional industrial era and serve it; much modern knowledge cannot satisfy the internal needs of ecological civilization construction. For example, the foundation of green development lies in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and ecological agriculture; the knowledge system these require is different from that of fossil fuels, internal combustion vehicles, and chemical-based agriculture.
More importantly, the theoretical and philosophical foundations behind these applied knowledge systems are also different. Constructing China’s independent knowledge system of ecological civilization is not a simple application of traditional industrial-era theories to solve environmental crises, but rather a rethinking of the basic questions of development and its philosophical foundations starting from the environmental crisis itself. Once basic questions of development—such as why develop, what to develop, and how to develop—as well as their underlying philosophical foundations are reconsidered, a new system of original knowledge will take shape. Therefore, ecological civilization is an important breakthrough point for constructing China’s independent knowledge system.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the series of important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on philosophy and the social sciences has provided the 21st-century Marxist worldview and methodology for constructing an independent knowledge system of ecological civilization. On May 17, 2016, at the Symposium on Philosophy and Social Sciences, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed the construction of a system of disciplines, academic systems, and discourse systems with our own characteristics. On April 25, 2022, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "accelerating the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics is, in the final analysis, about constructing China's independent knowledge system."
In short, ecological civilization is the foundation for building a modernization characterized by harmony between man and nature; it must rely on the guidance of new thought. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Communist Party of China’s century-long exploration and is a theoretical guide tested by practice. Through studying the original texts of the Selected Works, one can completely, accurately, and comprehensively understand Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, better promote the shift in the green development paradigm, and allow China's development to become an opportunity for the world. The publication of the Selected Works is of great significance for deeply understanding and accelerating the promotion of China’s ecological civilization construction and for achieving green prosperity and development for both China and the rest of the world.