China’s modernization and ecological governance

AFP
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The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Beijing in October proposed to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts via a Chinese path to modernization.

The Chinese modernization has provided a new choice for human beings and developing countries to realize modernization, and produced new opportunities for the development of all countries in the world.

Chinese modernization is the modernization for a huge population of over 1.4 billion people, a number larger than the combined population of all developed countries. Through modernization, China is working to bridge the gap between regions, urban and rural areas and income distribution, and to distribute fairer-development results to benefit all people.

It is the modernization for material and cultural-ethical advancement. While continuing to consolidate the material foundation for modernization and improve the material conditions for people’s well-being, we will strive to develop advanced-socialist culture and thus promote all-around material abundance as well as people’s well-rounded development.

It is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. China is committed to sustainable development, pursuing a model of sound development featuring improved production, higher living standards and healthy ecosystems.

It is the modernization of peaceful development. Dedicated to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, we will strive to safeguard world peace and development as we pursue our own development, and we will make greater contributions to world peace and development through our own development.

Harmony between humanity and nature is a basic requirement of Chinese modernization. The report of the national congress has emphasized that respecting, adapting to and protecting nature is essential for building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. It is necessary to firmly establish and practice the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets and maintain harmony between humanity and nature when planning our development.

In the first decade of the new era, under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s thought on ecological civilization, China has ensured stronger ecological conservation and environmental protection across the board, in all regions and at all times.

In the land of China today, the harmony of all things is turning from a blueprint into a reality. The “endangered” giant panda has been downgraded to “vulnerable”. Crested ibis, the auspicious bird, has initially escaped the urgent risk of extinction. And there has appeared again the shocking scene of Tibetan-antelope migration on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

China will continue to advance the Beautiful China Initiative. We will persist with a holistic and systematic approach to conserving and improving mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland and desert ecosystems. We will accelerate the transition to a model of green development; intensify pollution prevention and control; enhance diversity, stability and sustainability in our ecosystems; and work actively and prudently toward the goals of achieving peak-carbon emissions and carbon neutrality.

The grand blueprint of Chinese modernization also creates new opportunities for global ecological governance.

On Dec. 20, Part II of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to The Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), under the leadership and promotion of China, the president of the conference, a new 10-year blueprint for biodiversity conservation was launched, and the highly anticipated Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted.

President Xi addressed an important speech, proposing China’s plan to advance global-biodiversity conservation and to continuously strengthen the construction of ecological civilization.

Over the years, China’s green development has made important contributions to global-ecological governance. China has taken a series of practical actions to work actively and prudently toward the goals of reaching peak-carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, which has achieved important results.

China has kept increasing investment in the field of clean energy. It has expanded our vegetation coverage to about 25 percent of the world’s total in the recent 20 years, ranking first in the world. And China has also carried out extensive cooperation with many countries on green development.

Indonesia, too, regards the green-economy index as one of its development goals, and incorporates it into its medium and long-term planning. Indonesia has also set the targets for emission reduction and net-zero emission by 2060 or sooner. The Group of 20 Bali Leaders’ Declaration adopted in November also proposes to realize the vision of living in harmony with nature.

Balinese traditional philosophy also attaches great importance to the harmony between humanity and the environment. The World Heritage Site Bali Subak Irrigation System, which practices Tri Hita Karana philosophy, embodies harmony between the realm of spirit, the human world and nature.

As an old Chinese saying goes, “All living things should flourish without harming each other; all ways of life should thrive without hindering each other.” It is expected that China and Indonesia will continue to strengthen cooperation and work together to open a new chapter in building a community of all life on Earth and create a bright future of harmonious co-existence between man and Nature.

Source : The Jakarta Post