The founding meeting of Chinese Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association was held in the Great Hall of the People on November 11. A member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC Jia Qinglin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice President of the State, and Vice Chairman of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee Li Yuanchao, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC and Unified Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee Du Qinglin sent congratulation letters or written instructions. A former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, former Vice Premier, the Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the ninth NPC, and the Chief Consultant of Chinese Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association Jiang Chunyun, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of CPPCC, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Chinese Peasants' and Workers' Democratic Party, and President of the Chinese Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association Chen Zongxing, and MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian spoke at the meeting.
In their congratulation letters and written instructions, the Central leaders noted that to develop ecological civilization is a task of strategic significance to advancing the socialism cause with Chinese characteristics, and a definite requirement and major move to achieve science-based development; it is of relevance to the improvement of people’s living standards, the sustainable development, and the development of the Chinese nation in a long run. The CPC has made a raft of policies and arrangements on development of ecological civilization since the 17th National Congress of the CPC, and with unremitting efforts, China has made major achievements in environmental governance and ecological conservation and taken a firm step towards ecological civilization. The outline of the 12th Five-Year Plan identifies the need to foster the idea of green and low-carbon development, enhance the capacity for sustainable development, and uplift the ecological civilization level. The Chinese Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association takes the task of studying and developing ecological civilization and meets the demand of the State for developing ecological civilization. Its establishment is of great significance to advancing the ecological civilization in China and helpful for stepping up the ecological conservation efforts, addressing climate change, and realizing sustainable development. They hope that the Association would mobilize resources from all sectors of the society, focus on the general picture, take the distinctive advantage of pooled wisdom, fully play the role as a bridge between the government and the society, and in accordance with the decisions and arrangements of the Central authorities, thoroughly practice the philosophy of science-based development, conduct in-depth research on the objective rules of developing ecological civilization and grasping them, conduct thorough researches on the theories of ecological civilization and relevant matters, make great efforts in promoting the idea of ecological civilization, contribute opinions and suggestions to the CPC and the government on advancing the efforts in this regard, and play its role and make greater contributions to advancing the green development and science-based development, building the resource-saving and environment-friendly society, and promoting the social harmony.
Chinese Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association is a national social organization approved by the State Council and the first non-profitable social organization specialized in and named after the ecological civilization. Its purpose is to pool the high-quality human resources throughout the country, assist the CPC and the government in advancing the development of ecological civilization, and offer consultancy services for the decision-making by leading CPC and government officials at all levels.
In his speech, Jiang Chunyun noted that China has made great achievements in economic and social development that arouse the world attention, and its overall national strength and people’s living standards have seen substantial improvement, but these achievements resulted in excessive resources and environment costs, and China is facing environmental situation that environmental quality is improved in part of the country, the general pollution is not yet curbed, the environmental situation remains daunting, and the pressure is still growing. To address the global survival crisis, eradicate the chronic illness of environmental degradation has become an imminent and extremely important political task for the entire mankind including the Chinese people.
Jiang stressed that the CPC and government leaders have always attached great importance to the environmental protection and development of ecological civilization. The “sustainability” was identified as one of the national development strategies since 1990s, the 16th National Congress of the CPC proposed to take a new road towards industrialization, build a well-off society featured with “developed production force, affluent life, and sound ecological conditions”. The 17th National Congress of the CPC proposed a raft of strategies and policies including “developing ecological civilization”, “building a resource-saving and environment-friendly society”, “achieving sound and yet fast development”, and “gaining the win-win of economic development and environmental protection”, which demonstrated the will and resolve of the Chinese people to take a road of science-based development with ecological civilization.
Jiang also noted that the Association is a valuable platform, which needs to be valued and availed of, and that it should do its job and produce quality research findings, so as to offer consultancy and policy recommendations to the leading CPC and government officials at all levels, and contribute more to the development of ecological civilization.
In his speech, Chen Zongxing noted that from the perspective of the development course of the mankind civilization and the perspective of the immediate need of changing the economic development mode in China, a new development mode needs to be explored and a different development road is to be taken. The core of this new road is, on the basis of the industrial civilization, promote a new development idea, development mode, and consumption mode, achieve the harmony between man and nature as well as the science-based development with win-win of economic development and environmental protection, and usher in the new era of ecological civilization.
Chen also stressed that the Association would mobilize all the resources dedicated to the development of ecological civilization, conduct in-depth researches on important matters in this front, try to act as the bridge between the government and society, shape a new framework for developing ecological civilization with participation by all and sharing by all, and make substantial efforts in advancing the ecological civilization progress.
In his speech, MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian noted that this Association provides a platform and carrier for deepening the theoretical studies on ecological civilization and for advancing the development of it. He encouraged the Association to produce a plethora of high-quality research findings, provide the leading CPC and government officials with reliable basis for making science-based decisions, and play its supporting role. He said that all the MEP departments and institutions need to give more supports to the Association in terms of research on major subjects, model projects and publicity and education, and international cooperation.
Zhu Guangyao, Executive Vice President of the Association, chaired the meeting. More than 500 delegates from the Environment and Resources Conservation Committee of the NPC and the CPPCC Committee of Population, Resources, and Environment, relevant departments under the Central Government, leading officials from some provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government, as well as international delegates attended the founding meeting.
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