The Six Guiding Principles for Furthering Reform in Ecological Conservation

The six guiding principles for furthering comprehensive reform, set forth at the 20th CPC Central Committee’s third plenary session, represent a major achievement of the CPC in deepening its understanding of the laws governing reform. Furthermore, they are also important guidelines for furthering reform in ecological conservation.

Upholding the CPC’s overall leadership and ensuring the fulfillment of political responsibilities for ecological conservation

The CPC’s leadership is the defining feature of Chinese socialism and constitutes the greatest strength of this system. Its leadership is also the fundamental guarantee for furthering comprehensive reform to advance Chinese modernization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, China has made tremendous achievements in ecological conservation. We owe these achievements to President Xi’s leadership, and to the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially as it relates to ecological conservation. On the new journey in the new era, we must resolutely shoulder our political responsibility for carrying out the Beautiful China Initiative (BCI), tackle ecological conservation reform with a high degree of political commitment, and guarantee that the CPC’s leadership is exercised throughout all aspects and the entire process of reform. 

Following a people-centered approach and enhancing people’s ecological wellbeing

The people-centered approach defines the fundamental stance and values of comprehensive reform. Since 2012, reform in ecological conservation has been guided by prominent environmental issues related to people's daily lives. With a sustained focus on the battle against pollution, we have brought about striking improvements in the quality of the environment by addressing problems of major public concern affecting people’s wellbeing. This has led to a notable heightening in people’s sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. On the new journey in the new era, we must ensure that reforms in ecological conservation benefit the people and advance their interests. Actively responding to the public's new expectations for a high-quality ecological environment, we must focus on continuous, comprehensive, and fundamental environmental improvements and strive to create a positive atmosphere in which everyone participates in and shares the benefits of the BCI.

Remaining committed to upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground to promote steady progress in environmental protection over the long term

The notion of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground is an important framework for thinking about governance by the CPC in the new era. Since 2012, our Party has used sound theories to guide reform in ecological conservation, ensuring it always advances in the right direction. At the same time, it has also carried out genuine and practical reforms targeting key areas and prominent issues. For example, it has introduced and effectively enforced the central environmental protection inspection system and exercised vertical management for the monitoring, supervision, and enforcement activities of environmental and ecological agencies at the sub-provincial level. Such moves have helped generate a continuous stream of momentum and vitality for reform and innovation. On the new journey in the new era, no matter what type of reforms we pursue or what stage they reach, we must always firmly follow Xi Jinping thought on ecological conservation, keep advancing in step with the times, adapt to practical developments, and make sure that all essential and feasible reforms are carried out in full. Environmental protection work must be planned and advanced from a higher vantage point, with a broader perspective, and with stronger resolve. 

Focusing on the main task of institution building to continue improving the institutional framework for ecological conservation

Institutions are of fundamental, overarching, and lasting importance to the cause of our Party and our country with major implications for stability. Since 2012, the CPC has pursued a comprehensive, systematic, and multi-tiered approach in order to gradually establish a series of basic systems such as the property rights system for natural resources, the system for the development and protection of territorial space, the environmental governance system, a market system for environmental governance and ecological conservation, and a performance evaluation and accountability system for ecological conservation. As a result, we have systematically reshaped our institutional framework for ecological conservation. On the new journey in the new era, we must regard institution building as the top priority in ecological conservation reform, making ongoing efforts to develop and improve relevant institutions based on the practical implementation of the BCI. 

Exercising law-based governance to bolster the legal guarantees for the BCI

Reform must be advanced under the rule of law, and the rule of law must be strengthened through reform. Since 2012, China has entered a key period for law-based ecological conservation, featuring the most intensive legislative push, strictest level of regulatory enforcement, and most significant achievements in implementing legal institutions in its history. Ecological conservation has been enshrined in both our Party Constitution and national Constitution, while over 30 environmental laws and regulations have been either enacted or amended. These efforts have effectively ensured the deepening of reform in ecological conservation and supported key initiatives such as the battle against pollution. On the new journey in the new era, we must deepen reform to advance law-based ecological conservation, using legal instruments and the rule of law to guarantee the implementation of the BCI. 

Applying systems thinking to modernize environmental governance

Systems thinking is both an intrinsic requirement for furthering comprehensive reform and an important approach for understanding and carrying out the work of reform. Since 2012, the CPC has, with a focus on the areas of thinking, law, systems, organization, and work style, made an all-out push to integrate ecological conservation into all aspects and the entire process of economic, political, cultural, and social development. It has coordinated efforts to cut emissions, reduce pollution, go green, and promote growth while making a concerted push to keep our skies blue, waters clear, and lands clean. In doing so, it has continued to enhance the systematic, holistic, and coordinated nature of ecological conservation endeavors. On the new journey in the new era, we must become even more systems-based to ensure that reform in ecological conservation is efficiently aligned with reforms across all sectors and works in synergy with them. We must practice systematic, holistic, and source-oriented management, ensure coordination between local and comprehensive initiatives, address both symptoms and root causes, and pay attention to both current and long-term priorities to keep improving the effectiveness of ecological governance. 

Editor: Li Xiaoqiong