The Chinese Society of Environmental Sciences (CSES) held its Annual Conference on Environmental Science and Technology in Xiamen Municipality of Fuzhou Province in East China recently. Vice Minister of Environmental Protection and President of CSES Huang Runqiu attended the meeting and delivered remarks. Huang stressed that the majority of the environmental science and technology professionals should firmly embrace the “four awareness”, earnestly learn and understand the socialism theories with Chinese characteristics in a new era, further advance the environmental science and technology innovation, and strengthen green development.

The report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC clearly proposes that “the development of ecological civilization is a policy designed for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation in a thousand years” and requires “introducing the most strict ecological conservation and environmental protection systems and adopting green development patterns and lifestyles”, said Huang. As an integral part of Xi Jinping thought on socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a new era, green development reflects the responsibilities for promoting the transformation of economic development patterns, complying with the people’s pursuit of a better life, and achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The innovation in environmental science and technology plays an important role in promoting the transformation of development patterns and the economic restructuring, and addressing the difficulties in pollution control, emphasized Huang. The environmental protection industry building on the outputs of the science and technology innovation provides an important impetus for the replacement of old economic growth engines for new ones. In the future, the innovation will not only be tailored to China’s environmental problems but also echo the world trends; not only tackle pressing environmental problems, but also support the environmental management decision-making, the establishment of sound laws, regulations, and standards, and the modernization of ecological governance system and capacity.

To this end, first, we will adhere to the problem-oriented principle, and with the improvement of environmental quality at the core, consolidate basic research and applied research. The emphasis is to provide solutions to fundamental scientific issues such as the causes and mechanisms of the water, air, and soil pollution. Second, we will highlight the major scientific research programs and strengthen the innovation, research and development, and integration and demonstration of key technologies. We will press ahead with the key projects on the causes of heavy air pollution and key control technologies, as well as the integrated environmental management in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Third, we will provide technical support for the decision-making on environmental management and catalyze the modernization of ecological and environmental governance systems and capacity. We will put in place national environmental criteria system, and provide scientific and technological support for the institutional reform on ecological civilization including the ecological conservation red lines and pollution permitting system, as well as the development of eco-environmental monitoring network. Fourth, we will take multiple measures to improve the innovation capacity and translate the scientific outputs into practical uses. We will design an innovation framework that is market-oriented, that integrates the industry, higher educational institutions, and research institutions, and in which the industry plays the major role. We will improve the innovation mechanism, establish the chain of innovation, and translate the science and technological outputs into policies, technologies and market opportunities in a timely fashion.

This year’s annual conference was themed on “innovation-driven green development”. Nearly 30 academic and science forums were held on the sidelines, with an attendance of more than 2,000 participants.

On the sidelines of the conference, Huang presented at the inauguration ceremony of Xiamen as a green logistics city, and side events on environmental management innovation and green development.