推动我国生态文明建设迈上新台阶文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
Pushing China’s Development of an Ecological Civilization to a New Stage文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
习近平文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
Xi Jinping文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
一、深刻认识加强生态文明建设的重大意义文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
I. Recognizing the importance of stepping up development of an ecological civilization文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
生态文明建设是关系中华民族永续发展的根本大计。中华民族向来尊重自然、热爱自然，绵延5000多年的中华文明孕育着丰富的生态文化。《易经》中说，“观乎天文，以察时变；观乎人文，以化成天下”，“财成天地之道，辅相天地之宜”。《老子》中说：“人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然。”《孟子》中说：“不违农时，谷不可胜食也；数罟不入洿池，鱼鳖不可胜食也；斧斤以时入山林，材木不可胜用也。”《荀子》中说：“草木荣华滋硕之时，则斧斤不入山林，不夭其生，不绝其长也。”《齐民要术》中有“顺天时，量地利，则用力少而成功多”的记述。这些观念都强调要把天地人统一起来、把自然生态同人类文明联系起来，按照大自然规律活动，取之有时，用之有度，表达了我们的先人对处理人与自然关系的重要认识。文章源自英文巴士-https://www.en84.com/7817.html
Building an ecological civilization is vital for sustaining the development of the Chinese nation. The Chinese people have always revered and loved nature, and China’s 5000-year-long civilization embodies a rich ecological cultural component. The Book of Changes states, “We look at the ornamental figures of the sky, and thereby ascertain the changes of the seasons. We look at the ornamental observances of society, and understand how the processes of transformation are accomplished all under heaven,” and, “the ruler divides and completes the course of heaven and earth; he furthers and regulates the gifts of heaven and earth, and so aids the people.” The Dao De Jing states, “Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes its law from the Dao. The law of the Dao is its being what it is.” The Mencius states, “If the seasons of husbandry be not interfered with, the grain will be more than can be eaten. If close nets are not allowed to enter the pools and ponds, the fish and turtles will be more than can be consumed. If the axes and bills enter the hill-forests only at the proper times, the wood will be more than can be used.” The Xunzi states, “Axes must not enter the forest when the plants and trees are flourishing, lest their lives be cut short.” The Manual of Important Arts for the People, a sixth-century agricultural encyclopedia, states, “Act according to the seasons and the nature of the land, and you will enjoy great success through little effort.” These concepts all stress the importance of uniting heaven, earth, and man, following the rules of nature, and using what nature has to offer with patience and restraint, and show that our ancestors well understood the need to properly handle the relationship between man and nature.
同时，我国古代很早就把关于自然生态的观念上升为国家管理制度，专门设立掌管山林川泽的机构，制定政策法令，这就是虞衡制度。《周礼》记载，设立“山虞掌山林之政令，物为之厉而为之守禁”，“林衡掌巡林麓之禁令，而平其守”。秦汉时期，虞衡制度分为林官、湖官、陂官、苑官、畴官等。虞衡制度一直延续到清代。我国不少朝代都有保护自然的律令并对违令者重惩，比如，周文王颁布的《伐崇令》规定：“毋坏室，毋填井，毋伐树木，毋动六畜。有不如令者，死无赦。”
Environmental concepts were elevated to the level of state institutions in China at a very early time in history. A special organization overseeing the mountains, forests, rivers, and marshes was established, and it instituted relevant policies and decrees through the warden system. In the Rites of Zhou, it is recorded that wardens were responsible for protecting the natural environment by restricting access to certain areas and enforcing relevant prohibitions. During the Qin (221-206 BC) and Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties, there were separate officers responsible for forests, rivers, shorelines, gardens, and farmlands, and the warden system in fact carried on all the way to the Qing Dynasty. Many of China’s dynasties had laws for the protection of nature, and violators of these laws faced severe punishment. For example, the order issued by King Wen of Zhou (1152-1056 BC) on the attack of Chong said, “It is forbidden to destroy houses, close wells, cut trees, or disturb animals. Those who do not comply with this order shall be put to death.”
生态兴则文明兴，生态衰则文明衰。生态环境是人类生存和发展的根基，生态环境变化直接影响文明兴衰演替。古代埃及、古代巴比伦、古代印度、古代中国四大文明古国均发源于森林茂密、水量丰沛、田野肥沃的地区。奔腾不息的长江、黄河是中华民族的摇篮，哺育了灿烂的中华文明。而生态环境衰退特别是严重的土地荒漠化则导致古代埃及、古代巴比伦衰落。我国古代一些地区也有过惨痛教训。古代一度辉煌的楼兰文明已被埋藏在万顷流沙之下，那里当年曾经是一块水草丰美之地。河西走廊、黄土高原都曾经水丰草茂，由于毁林开荒、乱砍滥伐，致使生态环境遭到严重破坏，加剧了经济衰落。唐代中叶以来，我国经济中心逐步向东、向南转移，很大程度上同西部地区生态环境变迁有关。
A civilization may thrive if its natural surroundings thrive, and will suffer if its natural surroundings suffer. The natural environment is the basis of human survival and development, and changes to it directly impact the rise and fall of civilizations. The four great ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylon, India, and China all began in regions with thick forests, abundant water, and fertile soil. The surging Yangtze and Yellow rivers formed the cradle of the Chinese nation, and nurtured our country’s development into a magnificent civilization. Meanwhile, environmental degradation, particularly severe desertification, led to the decline of ancient Egypt and Babylon. Some areas of China also went through painful lessons in ancient times. For example, the desert sands swallowed up the once glorious and lush kingdom of Loulan. The Hexi Corridor and the Loess Plateau also once boasted adequate vegetation and water, but excessive deforestation to open up land for cultivation caused severe environmental damage, which in turn aggravated economic decline. The gradual shift of China’s economic centers to the east and south of the country since the middle of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) was largely a result of environmental changes in western China.
2018年5月4日，我们召开了纪念马克思诞辰200周年大会。我在会上特别强调，学习马克思，就要学习和实践马克思主义关于人与自然关系的思想。马克思、恩格斯认为，“人靠自然界生活”，人类在同自然的互动中生产、生活、发展，人类善待自然，自然也会馈赠人类，但“如果说人靠科学和创造性天才征服了自然力，那么自然力也对人进行报复”。恩格斯在《自然辩证法》中写到：美索不达米亚、希腊、小亚细亚以及其他各地的居民，为了得到耕地，毁灭了森林，但是他们做梦也想不到，这些地方今天竟因此而成为不毛之地，因为他们使这些地方失去了森林，也就失去了水分的积聚中心和贮藏库。阿尔卑斯山的意大利人，当他们在山南坡把那些在山北坡得到精心保护的枞树林砍光用尽时，没有预料到，这样一来，他们把本地区的高山畜牧业的根基毁掉了；他们更没有预料到，他们这样做，竟使山泉在一年中的大部分时间内枯竭了，同时在雨季又使更加凶猛的洪水倾泻到平原上。
On May 4, 2018, we held a ceremony marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx. During the ceremony, I made a point of saying that in studying Marx, we must study and practice Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature. Marx and Engels believed that “man lives on nature,” and that humans produce, live, and develop through their interactions with nature. If humans treat nature kindly, then nature will repay that kindness. However, “If man, by dint of his knowledge and inventive genius, has subdued the forces of nature, the latter avenge themselves upon him.” In Dialectics of Nature, Engels wrote, “The people who, in Mesopotamia, Greece, Asia Minor, and elsewhere, destroyed the forests to obtain cultivable land, never dreamed that they were laying the basis for the present devastated condition of these countries, by removing along with the forests the collecting centers and reservoirs of moisture. When, on the southern slopes of the mountains, the Italians of the Alps used up the pine forests so carefully cherished on the northern slopes, they had no inkling that by doing so they were cutting at the roots of the dairy industry in their region; they had still less inkling that they were thereby depriving their mountain springs of water for the greater part of the year, with the effect that these would be able to pour still more furious flood torrents on the plains during the rainy seasons.”
以史为鉴，可以知兴替。我之所以反复强调要高度重视和正确处理生态文明建设问题，就是因为我国环境容量有限，生态系统脆弱，污染重、损失大、风险高的生态环境状况还没有根本扭转，并且独特的地理环境加剧了地区间的不平衡。“胡焕庸线”东南方43%的国土，居住着全国94%左右的人口，以平原、水网、低山丘陵和喀斯特地貌为主，生态环境压力巨大；该线西北方57%的国土，供养大约全国6%的人口，以草原、戈壁沙漠、绿洲和雪域高原为主，生态系统非常脆弱。说基本国情，这就是其中很重要的内容。
With history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of a state. The reason why I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of taking environmental issues seriously and handling them properly is that China’s environmental capacity is limited, our ecosystems are vulnerable, and we have still not achieved a fundamental reversal of environmental conditions that cause heavy pollution, significant damage, and high risk. Meanwhile, our unique geographical surroundings have exacerbated interregional imbalances. The land to the southeast of the Heihe-Tengchong Line accounts for 43% of China’s total area, but is home to about 94% of its population. Dominated by plains, rivulets, low mountains, hills, and karst landforms, this part of China is under immense environmental pressure. The land to the northwest of the line accounts for 57% of China’s total area, but is home to only about 6% of our population. Dominated by grasslands, the Gobi Desert, oases, and snowy plateaus, the ecosystems in this part of the country are extremely fragile. This is a very important aspect to consider when we talk about China’s national conditions.
党的十八大以来，我们把生态文明建设作为统筹推进“五位一体”总体布局和协调推进“四个全面”战略布局的重要内容，开展一系列根本性、开创性、长远性工作，提出一系列新理念新思想新战略，生态文明理念日益深入人心，污染治理力度之大、制度出台频度之密、监管执法尺度之严、环境质量改善速度之快前所未有，推动生态环境保护发生历史性、转折性、全局性变化。
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC held in 2012, we have made building an ecological civilization a major component of coordinated implementation of the five-sphere integrated plan and the four-pronged comprehensive strategy. We have carried out a long list of creative, forward-thinking, and fundamentally important work and introduced a whole series of new concepts, ideas, and strategies, and thus the notion of an ecological civilization has increasingly taken root in the hearts of the people. As our efforts to control pollution have intensified, we have seen unprecedented progress in terms of the frequency with which new systems for environmental governance have emerged, the rigor with which oversight and enforcement has been carried out, and the rate at which the environment has improved. Therefore, our efforts to promote environmental protection have gone through a historic turnaround with wide-ranging implications.
我对生态环境工作历来看得很重。在正定、厦门、宁德、福建、浙江、上海等地工作期间，都把这项工作作为一项重大工作来抓。党的十八大以来，我分别就严重破坏生态环境事件以及长江经济带“共抓大保护、不搞大开发”作出指示批示，要求严肃查处，扭住不放，一抓到底，不彻底解决绝不松手，确保绿水青山常在、各类自然生态系统安全稳定。
I have always seen our environmental work as being extremely important. When working in places such as Zhengding, Xiamen, Ningde, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, I always made environmental work one of my prime areas of focus. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, I have delivered several comments and instructions on incidents that caused serious damage to the environment as well as on promoting well-coordinated environmental conservation and avoiding excessive development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. I have requested that competent authorities be rigorous in their investigation and handling of environmental issues and not let up until these issues have been completely resolved. By doing so, we will ensure that pristine environments are preserved for the enjoyment of future generations and that the security and stability of all types of natural ecosystems are maintained.
党的十八大以来，我们通过全面深化改革，加快推进生态文明顶层设计和制度体系建设，相继出台《关于加快推进生态文明建设的意见》、《生态文明体制改革总体方案》，制定了40多项涉及生态文明建设的改革方案，从总体目标、基本理念、主要原则、重点任务、制度保障等方面对生态文明建设进行全面系统部署安排。生态文明建设目标评价考核、自然资源资产离任审计、生态环境损害责任追究等制度出台实施，主体功能区制度逐步健全，省以下环保机构监测监察执法垂直管理、生态环境监测数据质量管理、排污许可、河（湖）长制、禁止洋垃圾入境等环境治理制度加快推进，绿色金融改革、自然资源资产负债表编制、环境保护税开征、生态保护补偿等环境经济政策制定和实施进展顺利。京津冀大气污染治理、长江经济带生态环境保护取得阶段性成效。我们还制定和修改环境保护法、环境保护税法以及大气、水污染防治法和核安全法等法律。全国人大常委会、最高人民法院、最高人民检察院对环境污染和生态破坏界定入罪标准，加大惩治力度，形成高压态势。
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have comprehensively boosted reform and accelerated the development of top-level design and a system of institutions for an ecological civilization. In this process, we have introduced the Guidelines on Accelerating Ecological Civilization and the Integrated Reform Plan for Promoting Ecological Civilization, and formulated more than 40 reform plans regarding ecological development. We have thus made comprehensive and systematic arrangements for building an ecological civilization covering areas such as overall objectives, basic concepts, main principles, key tasks, and institutional safeguards. We have launched and implemented systems with functions including the assessment of ecological development targets, the audit of natural resource assets under an official’s purview when officials leave their posts, and the enforcement of accountability for environmental damage. Meanwhile, the system of main functional zones has gradually improved. Faster progress has been made with environmental governance systems including those for vertical management of monitoring, supervision, and enforcement activities conducted by environmental protection agencies at the sub-provincial level, and for controlling the quality of environmental monitoring data. We have also made progress with regard to emission permits, the river and lake chief systems, and the prohibition on importing foreign refuse into China. Meanwhile, the formulation and implementation of economic policies on environmental issues such as green finance reform, the drafting of balance sheets for natural resource assets, the levy of environmental protection taxes, and compensation for environmental protection has progressed smoothly. Our efforts to control air pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and protect the environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt have gradually shown results. We have also drafted and revised laws including the Environmental Protection Law and the Environmental Protection Tax Law, as well as laws on nuclear safety and the prevention and control of air and water pollution. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate have defined the criteria for determining criminal liability with regard to environmental pollution and ecological destruction and made punishments more severe, thus forming a powerful deterrent against such crimes.
特别是中央环境保护督察制度建得好、用得好，敢于动真格，不怕得罪人，咬住问题不放松，成为推动地方党委和政府及其相关部门落实生态环境保护责任的硬招实招。
The central environmental protection inspection system is a particular example of an institution that is solid and put to good use. It is prepared to take real action and do what is necessary, and once it looks into a particular issue it will not let go until the issue is resolved. It has therefore become a practical and effective tool for pushing local CPC committees and governments as well as their relevant departments to fulfill their environmental protection obligations.
我们大力推动绿色发展，取得明显成效。国土空间布局得到优化，京津冀、长江经济带省区市和宁夏等15个省区市的生态保护红线已经划定。供给侧结构性改革深入推进，产业结构不断优化，一大批高污染企业有序退出，京津冀及周边地区“散乱污”企业整治力度空前。能源消费结构发生积极变化，我国成为世界利用新能源和可再生能源第一大国。全面节约资源有效推进，资源消耗强度大幅下降。
We have put great energy into promoting green development, and achieved marked results. We have optimized the layout of China’s territorial space, and set red lines for environmental protection in 15 provincial-level units including Ningxia and those in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Deeper progress has been made with supply-side structural reform, the industrial structure has constantly improved, a large number of highly polluting enterprises have withdrawn from operation in an orderly manner, and scattered, non-compliant, and polluting industries in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its surrounding areas have been put under unprecedented scrutiny. We have seen positive changes take place in energy consumption patterns, and China has become the world’s largest user of new and renewable sources of energy. We have made effective progress with our efforts to conserve resources across the board, and the intensity of resource consumption has fallen markedly.
我们深入实施大气、水、土壤污染防治三大行动计划，我国是世界上第一个大规模开展PM2.5治理的发展中大国，形成全世界最大的污水处理能力。同2013年相比，2017年全国338个地级及以上城市可吸入颗粒物（PM10）平均浓度下降22.7%，京津冀地区PM2.5平均浓度下降39.6%，北京PM2.5平均浓度从89.5微克/立方米降至58微克/立方米。地表水国控断面Ⅰ—Ⅲ类水体比例增加到67.9%，劣Ⅴ类水体比例下降到8.3%。森林覆盖率由本世纪初的16.6%提高到22%左右。
We have moved forward with implementation of three major action plans for preventing and controlling air, water, and soil pollution. China was the first major developing country in the world to launch a large-scale PM2.5 control program, and has also built the world’s largest wastewater treatment capacity. Average concentration of inhalable particulate matter (PM10) in 338 cities at or above the prefectural level throughout China fell by 22.7% between 2013 and 2017, average PM2.5 concentration in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region dropped by 39.6%, and that in Beijing decreased from 89.5 micrograms per cubic meter to 58 micrograms per cubic meter. The proportion of surface water body sections under the national monitoring program that met Grade I-III water quality standards rose to 67.9%, while the proportion of those failing to meet Grade V standard fell to 8.3%. Meanwhile, forest coverage rose from about 16.6% at the beginning of the century to about 22% today.
我国率先发布《中国落实2030年可持续发展议程国别方案》，实施《国家应对气候变化规划（2014—2020年）》，向联合国交存《巴黎协定》批准文书。我国消耗臭氧层物质的淘汰量占发展中国家总量的50%以上，成为对全球臭氧层保护贡献最大的国家。2017年，同联合国环境署等国际机构一道发起，建立“一带一路”绿色发展国际联盟。
China has shown great initiative through its release of China’s National Plan on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its implementation of China’s National Plan on Climate Change (2014-2020), and its submission of documents ratifying the Paris Agreement to the UN. China accounts for more than half of the elimination of ozone-depleting substances by developing countries, making it the world’s largest contributor to protection of the ozone layer. In 2017, the Belt and Road International Green Development Coalition was established with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and other international organizations.
经过不懈努力，我国生态环境质量持续改善。同时，必须清醒看到，我国生态文明建设挑战重重、压力巨大、矛盾突出，推进生态文明建设还有不少难关要过，还有不少硬骨头要啃，还有不少顽瘴痼疾要治，形势仍然十分严峻。
Through untiring effort, China has seen consistent improvement in environmental quality. However, we must be soberly aware that in our efforts to build an ecological civilization, we face grave challenges, immense pressure, and prominent contradictions. The situation remains extremely serious, since in order to make progress there are still many difficult obstacles that we must overcome, tough problems that we must face, and long-standing issues that we must resolve.
总体上看，我国生态环境质量持续好转，出现了稳中向好趋势，但成效并不稳固，稍有松懈就有可能出现反复，犹如逆水行舟，不进则退。生态文明建设正处于压力叠加、负重前行的关键期，已进入提供更多优质生态产品以满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要的攻坚期，也到了有条件有能力解决生态环境突出问题的窗口期。我国经济已由高速增长阶段转向高质量发展阶段，需要跨越一些常规性和非常规性关口。这是一个凤凰涅槃的过程。如果现在不抓紧，将来解决起来难度会更高、代价会更大、后果会更重。我们必须咬紧牙关，爬过这个坡，迈过这道坎。
Although environmental quality in China is continuing to take a turn for the better and showing trends of steady improvement, the results are still tenuous. The situation is much like rowing a boat against the current; if we let up even slightly then we risk undoing all of the progress we have made. Our efforts to build an ecological civilization are now in a crucial phase in which we must carry forward despite heavy strain and immense pressure, a decisive stage in which we will supply more high-quality ecological goods to meet the growing demands of the people for a pristine environment, and also a period of opportunity in which we have the conditions and abilities necessary to resolve prominent environmental issues. China’s economy has already begun shifting from a stage of rapid growth to one of high-quality growth, and there are thus a number of both conventional and unconventional hurdles that must be overcome. This is a process of rebirth, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. If we do not act now, these issues will bring about even graver consequences as they become more difficult and costly to resolve, so we must grit our teeth and conquer the challenges that lie ahead.
到2020年全面建成小康社会，是我们党向人民作出的庄严承诺。不能一边宣布全面建成小康社会，一边生态环境质量仍然很差，这样人民不会认可，也经不起历史检验。不管有多么艰难，都不可犹豫、不能退缩，要以壮士断腕的决心、背水一战的勇气、攻城拔寨的拼劲，坚决打好污染防治攻坚战。各级党委和政府要自觉把经济社会发展同生态文明建设统筹起来，坚持党委领导、政府主导、企业主体、公众参与，坚决摒弃“先污染、后治理”的老路，坚决摒弃损害甚至破坏生态环境的增长模式。要充分发挥党的领导和我国社会主义制度能够集中力量办大事的政治优势，充分利用改革开放40年来积累的坚实物质基础，加大力度推进生态文明建设、解决生态环境问题。
Achieving moderate prosperity throughout society by 2020 is our Party’s solemn commitment to the people. We cannot say that moderate prosperity has been achieved while environmental quality remains poor, otherwise this statement would not win the people’s approval or stand up to the test of time. No matter the difficulty, we must not flinch or hesitate. In the battle to prevent and control pollution, we must have the determination to make painful changes, the courage to stand and fight, and the will to commit every last ounce of our effort. Party committees and governments at all levels must take the initiative to incorporate construction of an ecological civilization into plans for economic and social development. We must ensure that Party committees provide leadership, governments give direction, enterprises bear responsibility, and members of the public can participate, and firmly reject the old path of polluting first and fixing it later or any growth model that would damage or destroy the environment. To resolve environmental issues, we must fully exert the political strength of CPC leadership and China’s socialist system which can bring together the resources necessary to take on great tasks, take full advantage of the solid material foundations built up over 40 years of reform and opening up, and step up our efforts to build an ecological civilization.
二、加强生态文明建设必须坚持的原则
II. Principles that must be upheld in strengthening development of an ecological civilization
生态环境是关系党的使命宗旨的重大政治问题，也是关系民生的重大社会问题。我们党历来高度重视生态环境保护，把节约资源和保护环境确立为基本国策，把可持续发展确立为国家战略。随着经济社会发展和实践深入，我们对中国特色社会主义总体布局的认识不断深化，从当年的“两个文明”到“三位一体”、“四位一体”，再到今天的“五位一体”，这是重大理论和实践创新，更带来了发展理念和发展方式的深刻转变。
The environment is a major political issue which bears upon the mission and purpose of the CPC as well as a major social issue which bears upon public wellbeing. The CPC has always attached great importance to ecological conservation, establishing resource conservation and environmental protection as fundamental state policies and making sustainable development a national strategy. As we have made further progress and gained socioeconomic development, our understanding of the overall plan for building Chinese socialism has grown. It started from the distinction between material and non-material culture before transforming into the “Three-Pronged” overall plan, which covered economic, political, and cultural development. This grew to four prongs with the addition of social development, and finally five prongs with the addition of ecological development. This was a process of great theoretical and practical innovation, which profoundly transformed how we think about and how we go about development.
现在，随着我国社会主要矛盾转化为人民日益增长的美好生活需要和不平衡不充分的发展之间的矛盾，人民群众对优美生态环境需要已经成为这一矛盾的重要方面，广大人民群众热切期盼加快提高生态环境质量。人民对美好生活的向往是我们党的奋斗目标，解决人民最关心最直接最现实的利益问题是执政党使命所在。人心是最大的政治。我们要积极回应人民群众所想、所盼、所急，大力推进生态文明建设，提供更多优质生态产品，不断满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要。
The primary contradiction in Chinese society has transformed into that between imbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s growing needs for a better life, and now the people’s demands for a beautiful environment have already become an important aspect of this challenge, with the public eagerly awaiting faster improvements in environmental quality. The goal of the CPC is to help the people reach the better lives for which they are yearning, and its mission as the governing party is to resolve problems that are of the greatest, most direct, and most practical concern to the people. Public sentiment is the greatest test of political efficacy. We must actively respond to the people’s desires, hopes, and anxieties, vigorously advance development of an ecological civilization, provide more high-quality ecological goods, and consistently meet the people’s growing demands for a beautiful environment.
人类是命运共同体，保护生态环境是全球面临的共同挑战和共同责任。生态文明建设做好了，对中国特色社会主义是加分项，反之就会成为别有用心的势力攻击我们的借口。人类进入工业文明时代以来，传统工业化迅猛发展，在创造巨大物质财富的同时也加速了对自然资源的攫取，打破了地球生态系统原有的循环和平衡，造成人与自然关系紧张。从上世纪30年代开始，一些西方国家相继发生多起环境公害事件，损失巨大，震惊世界，引发了人们对资本主义发展模式的深刻反思。在人类200多年的现代化进程中，实现工业化的国家不超过30个、人口不超过10亿。在我们这个13亿多人口的最大发展中国家推进生态文明建设，建成富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国，其影响将是世界性的。
Humanity is a community with a shared future, and thus protecting the environment is a challenge and a duty which all of us around the globe must face together. If development of an ecological civilization goes smoothly, it will be an achievement of Chinese socialism, otherwise the reverse will be used as an excuse by forces with hidden agendas to attack us. After humanity entered the industrial age, traditional industrialization unfolded at an incredible pace. This created immense material wealth, but also accelerated the scramble for natural resources and disrupted the original balance and cycles within the earth’s ecosystems, and thereby caused the relationship between man and nature to become strained. Beginning in the 1930s, a number of Western countries experienced multiple environmental disasters. Shocking the world with the massive losses that they caused, these events led people to reflect deeply on the capitalist model of development. In over two centuries of modernization, no more than 30 countries have industrialized, with a combined population of less than a billion. China is the world’s largest developing country with a population of more than 1.3 billion, and therefore our efforts to build an ecological civilization and turn China into a strong and modern socialist country that is prosperous, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful will be global in their impact.
党的十八大以来，我们党深刻回答了为什么建设生态文明、建设什么样的生态文明、怎样建设生态文明的重大理论和实践问题，提出了一系列新理念新思想新战略。新时代推进生态文明建设，必须坚持好以下原则。
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, our Party has thoroughly answered important theoretical and practical questions concerning the how, what, and why of ecological civilization, and introduced a whole series of new concepts, ideas, and strategies. To develop an ecological civilization in the new era, the following principles must be upheld.
一是坚持人与自然和谐共生。人与自然是生命共同体。生态环境没有替代品，用之不觉，失之难存。“天地与我并生，而万物与我为一。”“天不言而四时行，地不语而百物生。”当人类合理利用、友好保护自然时，自然的回报常常是慷慨的；当人类无序开发、粗暴掠夺自然时，自然的惩罚必然是无情的。人类对大自然的伤害最终会伤及人类自身，这是无法抗拒的规律。“万物各得其和以生，各得其养以成”。这方面有很多鲜活生动的事例。始建于战国时期的都江堰，距今已有2000多年历史，就是根据岷江的洪涝规律和成都平原悬江的地势特点，因势利导建设的大型生态水利工程，不仅造福当时，而且泽被后世。
The first principle is that harmonious coexistence between humans and nature must be upheld.
Man and nature form a biotic community with a shared future. The environment has no substitute, and we may not realize how truly precious it is until it is damaged to the point of being unsalvageable. To borrow the words of ancient masters, “Heaven, Earth, and I were produced together, and all things and I are one.” “Heaven does not speak, yet the four seasons move in order. Earth does not speak, yet the myriad beings come to life.” When humans use nature in a reasonable manner and protect it with care, then nature will typically reward them generously. However, when humans exploit nature indiscriminately and aggressively plunder its resources, then nature will be ruthless in its punishment. By harming nature, humans are ultimately harming themselves – this is an irrefutable truth. As Xunzi said, “Each of the myriad things must be in a harmonious relation with Heaven in order to grow, and each must obtain from Heaven the proper nurture in order to become complete.” There are numerous vivid examples of this, such as the Dujiang Weirs. This great water conservancy project was built more than 2000 years ago during the Warring States Period according to the flooding patterns of the Minjiang River and the topographical characteristics of Chengdu with its flat plains and rivers prone to overflow. It was beneficial not only at the time, but also for countless generations that have followed.
在整个发展过程中，我们都要坚持节约优先、保护优先、自然恢复为主的方针，不能只讲索取不讲投入，不能只讲发展不讲保护，不能只讲利用不讲修复，要像保护眼睛一样保护生态环境，像对待生命一样对待生态环境，多谋打基础、利长远的善事，多干保护自然、修复生态的实事，多做治山理水、显山露水的好事，让群众望得见山、看得见水、记得住乡愁，让自然生态美景永驻人间，还自然以宁静、和谐、美丽。
Throughout the process of development, we must prioritize environmental conservation and protection and put the restoration of nature first. We cannot think about what we can take from nature without considering how we can give back to it; we cannot think about development while ignoring our responsibility to protect the environment; and we cannot think about how we can use nature without looking at how he can restore it. We should protect our natural environment in the same way we would protect our own wellbeing, focusing on taking more positive measures that will provide solid foundations and long-term benefits, concrete steps that will help protect and restore the environment, and effective actions that will clean up our surroundings and reveal their natural beauty. This will allow the people to be close to mountains and waters and recall their rural roots with fond memories, ensure that pristine natural vistas are never too far away, and preserve the serenity, harmony, and beauty of nature.
二是绿水青山就是金山银山。这是重要的发展理念，也是推进现代化建设的重大原则。绿水青山就是金山银山，阐述了经济发展和生态环境保护的关系，揭示了保护生态环境就是保护生产力、改善生态环境就是发展生产力的道理，指明了实现发展和保护协同共生的新路径。绿水青山既是自然财富、生态财富，又是社会财富、经济财富。保护生态环境就是保护自然价值和增值自然资本，就是保护经济社会发展潜力和后劲，使绿水青山持续发挥生态效益和经济社会效益。
The second principle is that our natural environment is precious.
This is an important concept for development, and a major principle for advancing modernization. The phrase “green is gold” has expounded the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and shown us the truth that by protecting the environment we are protecting productive forces, and that by improving the environment we are developing productive forces. It has therefore pointed out a new path for achieving coordination between development and conservation. Lucid waters and lush mountains are not only examples of natural and ecological wealth, but they are also social and economic assets. By protecting nature, we are safeguarding the value of the environment and increasing environmental capital, while also safeguarding the potential for future economic and social development, ensuring that our natural assets have lasting ecological and socioeconomic effects.
生态环境问题归根结底是发展方式和生活方式问题，要从根本上解决生态环境问题，必须贯彻创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的发展理念，加快形成节约资源和保护环境的空间格局、产业结构、生产方式、生活方式，把经济活动、人的行为限制在自然资源和生态环境能够承受的限度内，给自然生态留下休养生息的时间和空间。要加快划定并严守生态保护红线、环境质量底线、资源利用上线三条红线。对突破三条红线、仍然沿用粗放增长模式、吃祖宗饭砸子孙碗的事，绝对不能再干，绝对不允许再干。在生态保护红线方面，要建立严格的管控体系，实现一条红线管控重要生态空间，确保生态功能不降低、面积不减少、性质不改变。在环境质量底线方面，将生态环境质量只能更好、不能变坏作为底线，并在此基础上不断改善，对生态破坏严重、环境质量恶化的区域必须严肃问责。在资源利用上线方面，不仅要考虑人类和当代的需要，也要考虑大自然和后人的需要，把握好自然资源开发利用的度，不要突破自然资源承载能力。
At their roots, environmental problems are problems with the ways in which we live and develop. In order to resolve them at the fundamental level, we must implement principled development that is innovative, coordinated, green, open, and shared, and accelerate the formation of spatial patterns, industrial structures, modes of production, and lifestyles conducive to resource conservation and environmental protection. We must also keep economic activities and human activity in general within the limits of what our environment and natural resources can bear, giving the environment the time and space that it needs to rest and recuperate. We must move faster to define and enforce strict controls including red lines for environmental protection, minimum standards for environmental quality, and ceilings on resource utilization. We will absolutely not allow people to continue to engage in activities that violate these controls, follow old extensive models of growth, or seek short-term gain at the expense of future generations. In terms of red lines for environmental protection, we should establish a strict system of controls that covers important ecological spaces so that these spaces do not change in character, become smaller, or lose ecological functions. In terms of minimum standards for environmental quality, we should make it the basic requirement that environmental quality must not worsen and may only get better. We should strive for constant improvements on this basis, and strictly enforce accountability in areas with serious ecological degradation or where environmental quality has worsened. In terms of ceilings on resource utilization, we must consider not only the needs of people and the world today, but also those of the environment and future generations. We must keep a firm handle on the intensity with which we exploit and utilize natural resources, ensuring that we do not exceed the carrying capacity of these resources.
三是良好生态环境是最普惠的民生福祉。民之所好好之，民之所恶恶之。环境就是民生，青山就是美丽，蓝天也是幸福。发展经济是为了民生，保护生态环境同样也是为了民生。既要创造更多的物质财富和精神财富以满足人民日益增长的美好生活需要，也要提供更多优质生态产品以满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要。要坚持生态惠民、生态利民、生态为民，重点解决损害群众健康的突出环境问题，加快改善生态环境质量，提供更多优质生态产品，努力实现社会公平正义，不断满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要。
The third principle is that there is no welfare more universally beneficial than a sound natural environment.
In all things, we must act according to the will of the public. The environment is crucial to the wellbeing of the public, since blue skies and verdant surroundings allow us to feel the beauty and joy of life. Just as economic development is for the wellbeing of the people, so is environmental protection. In addition to creating more material and cultural wealth to meet people’s growing needs for a better life, we need also to provide more quality ecological goods to meet people’s growing demands for a beautiful environment. We must ensure that the environment benefits the people, stressing the resolution of prominent environmental problems that impact public health, accelerating the improvement of environmental quality, and providing more high-quality ecological goods as we strive to achieve social equity and justice and consistently meet the people’s growing needs for a beautiful environment.
生态文明是人民群众共同参与共同建设共同享有的事业，要把建设美丽中国转化为全体人民自觉行动。每个人都是生态环境的保护者、建设者、受益者，没有哪个人是旁观者、局外人、批评家，谁也不能只说不做、置身事外。要增强全民节约意识、环保意识、生态意识，培育生态道德和行为准则，开展全民绿色行动，动员全社会都以实际行动减少能源资源消耗和污染排放，为生态环境保护作出贡献。
Since developing an ecological civilization is a cause in which the entire public participates and has a stake, we must translate the idea of building a beautiful China into the conscious actions of all people. Every person is a protector, contributor, and beneficiary of the environment. No one can remain aloof, choosing to critique from the sidelines rather than participate. We must boost all people’s awareness of the need to conserve resources, protect the environment, and maintain our ecosystems, foster standards for ecological ethics and conduct, launch public activities promoting sustainability, and encourage all members of society to contribute to protecting the environment by cutting down on the amount of pollution they produce and energy and resources they consume as much as possible.
四是山水林田湖草是生命共同体。生态是统一的自然系统，是相互依存、紧密联系的有机链条。人的命脉在田，田的命脉在水，水的命脉在山，山的命脉在土，土的命脉在林和草，这个生命共同体是人类生存发展的物质基础。一定要算大账、算长远账、算整体账、算综合账，如果因小失大、顾此失彼，最终必然对生态环境造成系统性、长期性破坏。
The fourth principle is that our mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasslands together form a biotic community.
An ecosystem is an integrated natural entity made up of organic chains that are tightly bound and dependent on each other. Just as humans need the fields for food, the fields need the rivers, the rivers need the mountains, the mountains need the soils, and the soils need the forests and grasslands. This biotic community is the material basis for humanity’s subsistence and development. We must take all of the ways that we impact nature into account from a broad and long-term perspective, and avoid being penny-wise and pound-foolish, biting off more than we can chew or emphasizing one thing while neglecting another, for this would ultimately cause long-term environmental damage on a system-wide scale.
要从系统工程和全局角度寻求新的治理之道，不能再是头痛医头、脚痛医脚，各管一摊、相互掣肘，而必须统筹兼顾、整体施策、多措并举，全方位、全地域、全过程开展生态文明建设。比如，治理好水污染、保护好水环境，就需要全面统筹左右岸、上下游、陆上水上、地表地下、河流海洋、水生态水资源、污染防治与生态保护，达到系统治理的最佳效果。要深入实施山水林田湖草一体化生态保护和修复，开展大规模国土绿化行动，加快水土流失和荒漠化石漠化综合治理。推动长江经济带发展，要共抓大保护，不搞大开发，坚持生态优先、绿色发展，涉及长江的一切经济活动都要以不破坏生态环境为前提。
We must seek out a new path for environmental governance by treating it as a systematic project and looking at it from an overall perspective. Rather than continuing to treat superficial symptoms through stopgap measures with government departments each looking out for their own immediate problems while holding each other back, we must make plans that take all factors into consideration and simultaneously implement multiple comprehensive measures to ensure that our efforts to build an ecological civilization permeate all fields, regions, and processes. For example, to effectively control water pollution and protect our aquatic environments, we must take everything into account, such as entire bodies of water and the lands that surround them, both surface and subsurface sources of water, both rivers and oceans, both aquatic ecosystems and aquatic resources, and both the prevention and control of pollution and the protection of ecosystems. By doing so, we will attain the optimal results of systematic environmental governance. We must thoroughly implement integrated ecological protection and restoration for mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, carry out large-scale national greening campaigns, and accelerate comprehensive control of soil erosion and desertification. In promoting growth of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, we must ensure well-coordinated environmental protection, avoid excessive development, put the environment first, remain committed to green development, and make it a precondition that all related economic activities do not damage the environment.
五是用最严格制度最严密法治保护生态环境。保护生态环境必须依靠制度、依靠法治。我国生态环境保护中存在的突出问题大多同体制不健全、制度不严格、法治不严密、执行不到位、惩处不得力有关。要加快制度创新，增加制度供给，完善制度配套，强化制度执行，让制度成为刚性的约束和不可触碰的高压线。要严格用制度管权治吏、护蓝增绿，有权必有责、有责必担当、失责必追究，保证党中央关于生态文明建设决策部署落地生根见效。
The fifth principle is that the strictest regulations and laws must be applied in protecting the environment.
Environmental protection must have legal and regulatory backing. Most of China’s outstanding problems in environmental protection are related to inadequate systems, lax regulations, imperfect laws, lacking enforcement, and ineffectual punishment. We must accelerate innovation of regulations, ensuring that they offer more, have adequate peripheral support, and that they are rigorously enforced. By doing so, we will turn our regulations into rigid and inviolable constraints. We must use our regulations to check the use of power, protect blue skies and increase green coverage, and ensure accountability, thus guaranteeing that the CPC Central Committee’s decisions and arrangements on building an ecological civilization are firmly implemented and produce real results.
奉法者强则国强，奉法者弱则国弱。令在必信，法在必行。制度的生命力在于执行，关键在真抓，靠的是严管。我们已出台一系列改革举措和相关制度，要像抓中央环境保护督察一样抓好落实。制度的刚性和权威必须牢固树立起来，不得作选择、搞变通、打折扣。要落实领导干部生态文明建设责任制，严格考核问责。对那些不顾生态环境盲目决策、造成严重后果的人，必须追究其责任，而且应该终身追责。对破坏生态环境的行为不能手软，不能下不为例。要下大气力抓住破坏生态环境的反面典型，释放出严加惩处的强烈信号。对任何地方、任何时候、任何人，凡是需要追责的，必须一追到底，决不能让制度规定成为“没有牙齿的老虎”。
As Han Feizi said, “When those who uphold the law are strong, the state is strong; when they are weak, the state is weak.” Institutions depend on concrete enforcement and rigorous oversight. We have already introduced a series of reform measures and related institutions, and these must be implemented with the same intensity as central environmental protection inspections. The rigidity and authority of these institutions must be firmly established, leaving no room for choice, flexibility, or compromise. We must implement a system under which officials bear the responsibility for building an ecological civilization, and ensure that they are accountable through strict assessments. We must hold to account on a permanent basis those who cause serious consequences through blind decisions that disregard the environment. When dealing with actions that damage the environment, we must not be soft or make exceptions. Instead, we must keep a forceful grip on representative cases of environmental destruction and send out a signal that such behavior will be met with harsh punishment. Accountability must be ensured, no matter the person, place, or time frame being investigated. We must persist in getting to the bottom of these issues, and never let our institutions and regulations become “toothless tigers.”
六是共谋全球生态文明建设。生态文明建设关乎人类未来，建设绿色家园是人类的共同梦想，保护生态环境、应对气候变化需要世界各国同舟共济、共同努力，任何一国都无法置身事外、独善其身。我国已成为全球生态文明建设的重要参与者、贡献者、引领者，主张加快构筑尊崇自然、绿色发展的生态体系，共建清洁美丽的世界。要深度参与全球环境治理，增强我国在全球环境治理体系中的话语权和影响力，积极引导国际秩序变革方向，形成世界环境保护和可持续发展的解决方案。要坚持环境友好，引导应对气候变化国际合作。要推进“一带一路”建设，让生态文明的理念和实践造福沿线各国人民。
The sixth principle is that joint efforts must be made in building a global ecological civilization.
Development of an ecological civilization concerns the future of humanity, and building a green living environment is humanity’s common aspiration. The whole world must work together to protect the environment and respond to climate change. No country can ignore these issues, and no country will fare well by going it alone. China has already become a major participant, contributor, and champion in the movement to build a global ecological civilization, advocating the cultivation of ecosystems in which Mother Nature and green development come first, and promoting joint efforts toward making the world cleaner and more beautiful. We must be deeply involved in global environmental governance, build China’s say and influence in the global environmental governance system, actively guide the transformation of the international order, and create solutions for environmental protection and sustainable development around the world. We must remain committed to being environmentally-friendly, and take an active role in international cooperation on climate change. Finally, we must drive the Belt and Road Initiative forward, seeing that the principles and practices of ecological civilization benefit the peoples of all countries along the B&R route.
三、坚决打好污染防治攻坚战
III. Waging a determined battle to prevent and control pollution
在党的十九大报告中，我强调要突出抓重点、补短板、强弱项，特别是要坚决打好防范化解重大风险、精准脱贫、污染防治的攻坚战，使全面建成小康社会得到人民认可、经得起历史检验。现在，我们就要集中优势兵力，采取更有效的政策举措，打好这场攻坚战。
In the report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC in 2017, I said that we must focus on priorities, address inadequacies, and shore up points of weakness, and stressed that we must take tough steps to forestall and defuse major risks, carry out targeted poverty alleviation, and prevent and control pollution, so that the moderately prosperous society we build earns the people’s approval and stands the test of time. Now is the time for us to focus our strength and adopt more effective measures and policies to make sure that we are up to the fight in preventing and controlling pollution.
第一，加快构建生态文明体系。加快解决历史交汇期的生态环境问题，必须加快建立健全以生态价值观念为准则的生态文化体系，以产业生态化和生态产业化为主体的生态经济体系，以改善生态环境质量为核心的目标责任体系，以治理体系和治理能力现代化为保障的生态文明制度体系，以生态系统良性循环和环境风险有效防控为重点的生态安全体系。
First, we must move faster to build systems for an ecological civilization.
In order to expedite the resolution of environmental problems during the historic convergence of the Two Centenary Goals, we must act quickly to establish the following ecologically focused systems: a cultural system in which environmental concepts and values are norms, an economic system aimed at integrating industries and ecosystems, a system of responsibilities and objectives centered on improving environmental quality, a system of institutions backed by modernized governance systems and capacity, and a safety system that emphasizes the maintenance of well-functioning ecosystems and the effective prevention and control of environmental risks.
要通过加快构建生态文明体系，使我国经济发展质量和效益显著提升，确保到2035年节约资源和保护环境的空间格局、产业结构、生产方式、生活方式总体形成，生态环境质量实现根本好转，生态环境领域国家治理体系和治理能力现代化基本实现，美丽中国目标基本实现。到本世纪中叶，建成富强民主文明和谐美丽的社会主义现代化强国，物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明全面提升，绿色发展方式和生活方式全面形成，人与自然和谐共生，生态环境领域国家治理体系和治理能力现代化全面实现，建成美丽中国。
By moving faster to build systems for an ecological civilization, we will bring marked increases to the quality and effectiveness of China’s economic development, and guarantee that spatial patterns, industrial structures, modes of production, and lifestyles conducive to resource conservation and environmental protection have totally taken shape by 2035. We will also see that fundamental improvements are made in environmental quality, that modernization of our national governance systems and capacity in the environmental sphere is basically achieved, and that the goals of the Beautiful China Initiative are essentially met. By the middle of the century, we will reach our objective of building a strong and modern socialist country that is prosperous, democratic, civilized, harmonious, and beautiful, and complete all-round improvements in the material, political, intellectual, social, and ecological domains. At that time, environmentally friendly ways of living and developing will be fully formed, humans and nature will coexist in harmony, modernization of our national governance systems and capacity in the environmental field will be fully realized, and our efforts to build a beautiful China will be successful.
第二，全面推动绿色发展。绿色是生命的象征、大自然的底色，更是美好生活的基础、人民群众的期盼。绿色发展是新发展理念的重要组成部分，与创新发展、协调发展、开放发展、共享发展相辅相成、相互作用，是全方位变革，是构建高质量现代化经济体系的必然要求，目的是改变传统的“大量生产、大量消耗、大量排放”的生产模式和消费模式，使资源、生产、消费等要素相匹配相适应，实现经济社会发展和生态环境保护协调统一、人与自然和谐共处。
Second, we must promote green development across the board.
Green is the symbol of life and the color of nature, but it also represents the foundations of a better life and the expectations of the people. Green development is an integral component of the new development philosophy alongside innovation, coordination, openness, and sharing, and is essential for achieving comprehensive transformation and establishing a modern and high-quality economic system. The objective of green development is to transform traditional wasteful models of production and consumption and make factors such as resources, production, and consumption match up and adapt to each other so that we may achieve coordination and integration between socioeconomic development and environmental protection and ensure harmony between people and nature.
加快形成绿色发展方式，是解决污染问题的根本之策。只有从源头上使污染物排放大幅降下来，生态环境质量才能明显好上去。重点是调结构、优布局、强产业、全链条。调整经济结构和能源结构，既提升经济发展水平，又降低污染排放负荷。对重大经济政策和产业布局开展规划环评，优化国土空间开发布局，调整区域流域产业布局。培育壮大节能环保产业、清洁生产产业、清洁能源产业，发展高效农业、先进制造业、现代服务业。推进资源全面节约和循环利用，实现生产系统和生活系统循环链接。
Fostering green modes of development is the key to resolving our pollution problems. Environmental quality will only go up if emissions of pollutants at the source come down. We must adjust the economic and energy structures in order to both raise the level of economic development and reduce the amount of pollution released. We must carry out environmental assessments of major plans involving economic policies and the distribution of industries, optimize the distribution of territorial space available for development, and adjust the distribution of industries within regions and river basins. We must foster growing industries that promote energy conservation and environmental protection, clean production, and clean energy, and develop efficient agricultural industries, advanced manufacturing industries, and modern service industries. We must promote all-round conservation and recycling of resources, and ensure that the systems of production and everyday life overlap in their circular use of resources.
绿色生活方式涉及老百姓的衣食住行。要倡导简约适度、绿色低碳的生活方式，反对奢侈浪费和不合理消费。广泛开展节约型机关、绿色家庭、绿色学校、绿色社区创建活动，推广绿色出行，通过生活方式绿色革命，倒逼生产方式绿色转型。
Green ways of living relate to the basic needs of ordinary people, like food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. We must advocate a green and low-carbon lifestyle of moderation and frugality and oppose extravagance and unjustifiable consumption. We must carry out extensive campaigns to build conservation-minded public offices, engage in activities to promote green modes of transportation, and develop eco-friendly families, schools, and communities. By revolutionizing our lifestyles to become more environmentally friendly, we will set off a shift toward greener production.
第三，把解决突出生态环境问题作为民生优先领域。有利于百姓的事再小也要做，危害百姓的事再小也要除。打好污染防治攻坚战，就要打几场标志性的重大战役，集中力量攻克老百姓身边的突出生态环境问题。当前，重污染天气、黑臭水体、垃圾围城、农村环境已成为民心之痛、民生之患，严重影响人民群众生产生活，老百姓意见大、怨言多，甚至成为诱发社会不稳定的重要因素，必须下大气力解决好这些问题。要集中优势兵力，动员各方力量，群策群力，群防群治，一个战役一个战役打，打一场污染防治攻坚的人民战争。
Third, we must make the resolution of environmental issues a priority for improving public wellbeing.
No matter how small or insignificant they may seem, any action that will benefit the people must be taken, and any issue that may endanger the people must be dealt with. In order for us to prevail in the battle to prevent and control pollution, we must fight a number of major and symbolic campaigns, concentrating our energy on overcoming prominent environmental problems that impact the people directly. At present, heavy smog, dark and fetid water bodies, growing heaps of urban waste, and deterioration of the rural environment have become problems that generate great public anxiety due to their serious harm to the lives of the people. These problems have also invited large amounts of comments and complaints from the people and even become significant factors that may lead to social instability, and therefore we must put every effort into finding solutions to them. We must pool our strength and mobilize the support of all involved, making the fight to prevent and control pollution a popular struggle in which we work as a team to push forward from one battle to the next.
坚决打赢蓝天保卫战是重中之重。这既是国内民众的迫切期盼，也是我们就办好北京冬奥会向国际社会作出的承诺。要以京津冀及周边、长三角、汾渭平原等为主战场，以北京为重点，以空气质量明显改善为刚性要求，强化联防联控，基本消除重污染天气，还老百姓蓝天白云、繁星闪烁。要调整产业结构，减少过剩和落后产能，增加新的增长动能。要推进达标排放，降低重点行业污染物排放，实施火电、钢铁等重点行业超低排放改造。要在全国推开“散乱污”企业治理，坚决关停取缔一批，整改提升一批，搬迁入园一批。要调整能源结构，减少煤炭消费比重，加快清洁能源发展。要坚持因地制宜、多措并举，宜电则电、宜气则气，坚定不移推进北方地区冬季清洁取暖，加快天然气产供储销体系建设，优化天然气来源布局，加强管网互联互通，保障气源供应。要提供补贴政策和价格支持，确保“煤改气”、“煤改电”后老百姓用得上、用得起。要加大燃煤小锅炉淘汰力度，暂停一部分污染重的煤电机组，加快升级改造。要调整运输结构，减少公路运输量，增加铁路运输量。要抓紧治理柴油货车污染，推动货运经营整合升级、提质增效，加快规模化发展、连锁化经营。
We must make it a priority to win a decisive victory in the campaign to make our skies blue again. This is something that the people eagerly expect, as well as a commitment we have made to the international community as hosts of the 2022 Winter Olympics. We must strengthen joint efforts to prevent and control pollution, essentially eliminate heavy smog, and ensure that the people can once again see white clouds against a blue sky during the day and bright starts in a clear sky at night. In these efforts, we must focus on the main battlegrounds of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Fenwei Plain, putting particular emphasis on Beijing, and make it absolutely mandatory that we achieve marked improvements in air quality. We must adjust industrial structures, reduce excess and outdated production, and add new growth drivers. We must promote compliance with emission standards, reduce the amount of pollution discharged by key industries, and implement ultra-low emission upgrades in industries such as thermal power and steel. We must bring scattered, non-compliant, and polluting industries under control throughout the country, taking firm steps in which some are shut down, some are reformed and upgraded, and some are moved into industrial parks. We must adjust the energy mix, cutting the share of coal and speeding up the development of clean energy. As we resolutely advance clean winter heating in northern China, we must be responsive to local conditions and adopt multiple concurrent measures, using electricity or natural gas wherever appropriate. We must expedite the development of systems for the production, supply, storage, and sale of natural gas, improve the layout of natural gas sources, boost interconnectivity in the pipeline network, and guarantee adequate gas supply. At the same time, we should offer subsidies and pricing support to ensure that heating is still accessible and affordable to ordinary people after the switch from coal to gas or electricity. We must step up eliminating small coal-fired boilers, suspend operations of some heavily polluting coal power units, and speed up the retrofitting and upgrading of power plants. We must adjust the transportation structure, shifting freight volume from highways to railways. We must focus on managing pollution from diesel trucks and push forward the reorganization and improvement of freight transport operations, promoting higher quality and efficiency, franchising, and large-scale growth.
要深入实施水污染防治行动计划，打好水源地保护、城市黑臭水体治理、渤海综合治理、长江保护修复攻坚战，保障饮用水安全，基本消灭城市黑臭水体，还给老百姓清水绿岸、鱼翔浅底的景象。在治水上有不少问题要解决，其中有一个问题非常迫切，就是要加快补齐城镇污水收集和处理设施短板。这方面欠账太多。根据中央环境保护督察提供的情况，甚至一些直辖市、沿海发达省份、经济特区都有大量污水直排。要定个硬目标，全力攻克，尽快实现污水管网全覆盖、全收集、全处理。否则，一边治，一边排，效果就会事倍功半。
We must thoroughly implement our action plan for preventing and controlling water pollution. We must guarantee the safety of drinking water, and make progress on the key tasks of safeguarding water sources, dealing with dark and fetid bodies of water in urban areas, improving the overall environment of the Bohai region, and protecting and restoring Yangtze River ecosystems. We must eliminate essentially all of the unpleasant pollution in urban waterways, so that the people can once again sit on green banks and enjoy waters so clear that fish can be seen swimming around in them. There are many issues in water management that need to be resolved, but an extremely urgent one is the need to rectify deficiencies in the collection and treatment of urban sewage since there are far too many unfulfilled obligations in this regard. According to information gleaned through environmental inspections carried out by the Central Government, large amounts of untreated sewage are released directly into nearby bodies of water, even in municipalities directly under the Central Government, developed provinces along the coast, and special economic zones. We must set hard targets and put in every effort so that we can achieve complete coverage for wastewater pipe networks and make sure that all sewage is collected and treated as early as possible. If we instead try to deal with the problem while continuing to release sewage untreated, then we will be putting in twice the effort for half the result.
要全面落实土壤污染防治行动计划，推动制定和实施土壤污染防治法。突出重点区域、行业和污染物，强化土壤污染管控和修复，有效防范风险，让老百姓吃得放心、住得安心。要全面禁止洋垃圾入境，大幅减少进口固体废物种类和数量，严厉打击危险废物破坏环境违法行为，坚决遏制住危险废物非法转移、倾倒、利用和处理处置。
We must also see that our action plan for preventing and controlling soil pollution is comprehensively executed, and push forward the formulation and implementation of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution. We must prioritize key regions, industries, and pollutants, boost the management and restoration of areas affected by soil pollution, effectively forestall risks, and make sure that people have peace of mind about what they eat and where they live. We must enforce a comprehensive ban on importing foreign refuse, and significantly reduce the amount and variety of solid waste that we import. We must crack down illegal acts that damage the environment with dangerous waste, and firmly restrict the illicit transfer, dumping, use, or disposal of such waste.
农村环境直接影响米袋子、菜篮子、水缸子、城镇后花园。要调整农业投入结构，减少化肥农药使用量，增加有机肥使用比重，完善废旧地膜回收处理制度。要持续开展农村人居环境整治行动，实现全国行政村环境整治全覆盖，基本解决农村的垃圾、污水、厕所问题，打造美丽乡村，为老百姓留住鸟语花香田园风光。
Rural areas are like back gardens of cities, and the environment in these areas has a direct impact on the food on our plates and water in our cups. With this in mind, we must adjust the structure of agricultural input, cut down on the amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides used, apply more organic fertilizer, and improve systems for recycling and disposing of old and used plastic mulch. We must continue carrying out campaigns to improve rural living environments, see that environmental remediation covers all administrative villages in China, and fundamentally resolve the garbage, sewage, and lavatory problems of rural areas so that we may build a beautiful countryside and preserve pleasant rural landscapes for the people.
生态保护和污染防治密不可分、相互作用。其中，污染防治好比是分子，生态保护好比是分母，要对分子做好减法降低污染物排放量，对分母做好加法扩大环境容量，协同发力。要严格管控生态保护红线，实现山水林田湖草系统监管和事前事中事后的全过程监管。要推进城镇留白增绿，使老百姓享有惬意生活休闲空间。
Environmental protection and pollution prevention and control are inseparable issues due to how closely they interact with one another. They function like a fraction, with pollution prevention and control as the numerator and environmental protection as the denominator. Just like with any equation, we need to consider both sides: we must subtract from the numerator by reducing pollution levels, and add to the denominator by expanding the capacity of the environment. We must rigorously enforce red lines for environmental protection, keep watch over our ecosystems including mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands, and achieve oversight on environmental issues at every stage of their development. Rather than rushing to redevelop urban land made available after the removal of illegal structures, we should turn it into green space, thereby ensuring that the people have access to pleasant leisure spaces.
第四，有效防范生态环境风险。生态环境安全是国家安全的重要组成部分，是经济社会持续健康发展的重要保障。“图之于未萌，虑之于未有。”要始终保持高度警觉，防止各类生态环境风险积聚扩散，做好应对任何形式生态环境风险挑战的准备。
Fourth, we must effectively forestall environmental risks.
Environmental security is a key component of national security, and an important safeguard for the continuation of healthy socioeconomic development. It is imperative that we take precautions so that we are prepared for the worst before it happens. We must always maintain a high level of vigilance, prevent the accumulation and spread of all types of environmental risks, and ensure that we are well prepared to face environmental risks or challenges of any kind.
要把生态环境风险纳入常态化管理，系统构建全过程、多层级生态环境风险防范体系，严密防控垃圾焚烧、对二甲苯（PX）等重点领域生态环境风险，推进“邻避”问题防范化解，破解涉环保项目“邻避”问题，着力提升突发环境事件应急处置能力。要加强核与辐射安全监管，健全监管体系，完善监管机制，提升监管能力，确保万无一失。
We must make management of environmental risks a regular practice, carefully constructing a multi-leveled environmental risk prevention system that monitors these risks at every stage. We must conduct strict prevention and control of key environmental risks such as those stemming from garbage incineration and p-xylene, forestall and defuse problems related to the so-called “not in my back yard” effect, prevent this effect from cropping up in environmental protection projects, and focus on raising our capacity to deal with environmental emergencies. We must strengthen supervision over nuclear and radiation safety by improving oversight systems, refining oversight mechanisms, and upgrading oversight capacity, thus making sure that there are absolutely no missteps in this regard.
第五，加快推进生态文明体制改革落地见效。生态文明体制改革是全面深化改革的重要领域，要以解决生态环境领域突出问题为导向，抓好已出台改革举措的落地，及时制定新的改革方案。对涉及生态文明体制改革的一些重要举措要尽快到位、发挥作用。中央环境保护督察要强化权威，加强力量配备，向纵深发展。要探索政府主导、企业和社会各界参与、市场化运作、可持续的生态产品价值实现路径，开展试点，积累经验。要健全环保信用评价、信息强制性披露、严惩重罚等制度。
Fifth, we must move faster to ensure that structural reforms in the ecological domain are implemented and take effect.
Structural reform promoting ecological advancement is an important aspect of comprehensively furthering reform. With the resolution of prominent problems in the environmental domain as our goal, we must focus on implementing reform measures that have already been launched while also formulating new reform plans in a timely manner. We must see that measures related to ecological structural reform are put in place as soon as possible so that they may serve their intended functions. Central government inspections on environmental protection must be given greater resources so that they can push deeper and become more authoritative. We should explore sustainable and market-based ways to realize the value of ecological goods that feature government leadership and participation from enterprises and all social sectors, launching trials and accumulating experience in this regard. We need to improve our systems for credibility assessment based on environmental protection performance, for mandatory disclosure of environmental information, and for imposing severe punishment on violators of environmental regulations.
这次深化党和国家机构改革，党中央决定组建生态环境部。主要考虑有两点：一是在污染防治上改变九龙治水的状况，整合职能，为打好污染防治攻坚战提供支撑。二是在生态保护修复上强化统一监管，坚决守住生态保护红线。要打通地上和地下、岸上和水里、陆地和海洋、城市和农村、一氧化碳和二氧化碳，贯通污染防治和生态保护，加强生态环境保护统一监管。生态环境部门要履行好职责，统一政策规划标准制定，统一监测评估，统一监督执法，统一督察问责。要整合组建生态环境保护综合执法队伍，按照减少层次、整合队伍、提高效率的原则，优化职能配置，统一实行生态环境保护执法。要健全区域流域海域生态环境管理体制，推进跨地区环保机构试点，整合相关部门和地方政府大气环境管理职责；加快组建流域环境监管执法机构，增强流域环境监管和行政执法合力。要完善海域生态环境管理体制，按海域设置监管机构。
In the current campaign to bolster reform of Party and government institutions, the CPC Central Committee decided to establish the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. There were two main considerations in this decision. The first was the need to consolidate roles in pollution prevention and control in order to end the confusing division of responsibilities between different ministries and provide support for the fight to prevent and control pollution. The second was the need to strengthen integrated oversight and firmly enforce environmental protection red lines in order to promote ecological conservation and restoration. We must strengthen unified supervision over environmental protection and link together environmental conservation and pollution prevention and control, integrating our efforts across the spectrum from the surface to the underground, from the banks and shores to the rivers and lakes, from the land to the sea, from the cities to the countryside, and from carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. Government departments responsible for environmental issues must effectively perform their duties, and take steps to standardize monitoring and assessment, oversight of law enforcement, accountability inspections, and the formulation of environmental policies, plans, and standards. We must establish coordinated law enforcement teams for environmental protection. In line with the principles of consolidating enforcement teams, raising their efficiency, and shortening their chains of command, we must optimize the assignment of functions to these teams and carry out unified enforcement of environmental protection law. We must improve environmental management systems for drainage basins and sea areas in all regions, promote trials to establish interregional environmental protection agencies, and consolidate the responsibilities of relevant government departments and local governments with regard to air quality management. We must expedite the establishment of environmental oversight and law enforcement bodies for drainage basins, and build greater synchronicity between environmental oversight and government law enforcement in these areas. We must refine environmental management systems in sea areas, setting up oversight bodies for each of these areas.
第六，提高环境治理水平。环境治理是系统工程，需要综合运用行政、市场、法治、科技等多种手段。要充分运用市场化手段，推进生态环境保护市场化进程，撬动更多社会资本进入生态环境保护领域。要完善资源环境价格机制，将生态环境成本纳入经济运行成本。要采取多种方式支持政府和社会资本合作项目。生态环境保护该花的钱必须花，该投的钱决不能省。要坚持资金投入同污染防治攻坚任务相匹配。要加强大气重污染成因研究和治理、京津冀环境综合治理重大项目等科技攻关，对臭氧、挥发性有机物以及新的污染物治理开展专项研究和前瞻研究，对涉及经济社会发展的重大生态环境问题开展对策性研究，加快成果转化与应用，为科学决策、环境管理、精准治污、便民服务提供支撑。要实施积极应对气候变化国家战略，推动和引导建立公平合理、合作共赢的全球气候治理体系，彰显我国负责任大国形象，推动构建人类命运共同体。
Sixth, we must improve environmental governance.
Environmental governance is a systematic project that requires the coordinated application of measures from multiple fields, including the government, the market, the rule of law, and science and technology. We must fully utilize market-based measures in order to make environmental protection more market based and leverage greater social capital in this regard. We must refine resource and environmental pricing mechanisms, taking ecological costs into account in economic operations. We must use various methods to encourage cooperation between government and private capital. Funds needed for environmental protection must be appropriated, and we must not pinch pennies on investment. We must be committed to matching funding with the tasks of pollution prevention and control. We must boost research on factors contributing to heavy air pollution, taking further steps to bring these factors under control, and overcome key scientific and technical hurdles including those related to major projects for improving the overall environment of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. We must carry out dedicated, forward-looking research on the management of ozone, volatile organic compounds, and new pollutants, conduct research on how to deal with major environmental problems that impact socioeconomic development, and expedite the application of research achievements, thereby offering support for scientific decision making, environmental management, targeted pollution control, and public services. We must implement a national strategy for actively responding to climate change, promote and guide the establishment of a fair and equitable global climate governance system featuring mutually beneficial cooperation, enhance China’s image as a responsible major country, and push forward the development of a human community with a shared future.
四、加强党对生态文明建设的领导
IV. Strengthening CPC leadership in building an ecological civilization
打好污染防治攻坚战时间紧、任务重、难度大，是一场大仗、硬仗、苦仗，必须加强党的领导。党中央、国务院印发《关于全面加强生态环境保护坚决打好污染防治攻坚战的意见》，对打好污染防治攻坚战作出全面部署。各地区各部门要增强“四个意识”，坚决维护党中央权威和集中统一领导，坚决担负起生态文明建设的政治责任，全面贯彻落实党中央决策部署。
The battle to prevent and control pollution is one in which we must act with urgency to overcome burdensome tasks and difficult challenges. In this bitter and unrelenting fight, it is essential that we strengthen the leadership of the CPC. The Decisions of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council on Comprehensively Enhancing Eco-environmental Protection to Completely Win the Battle Against Pollution introduced comprehensive plans for pollution prevention and control. All government departments and local authorities must raise their awareness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in terms of the big picture, follow the leadership core, and stay aligned with the center, firmly uphold the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, undertake their political duties in building an ecological civilization with determined commitment, and fully implement the Central Committee’s decisions and plans.
地方各级党委和政府主要领导是本行政区域生态环境保护第一责任人，对本行政区域的生态环境质量负总责，要做到重要工作亲自部署、重大问题亲自过问、重要环节亲自协调、重要案件亲自督办，压实各级责任，层层抓落实。各相关部门要履行好生态环境保护职责，谁的孩子谁抱，管发展的、管生产的、管行业的部门必须按“一岗双责”的要求抓好工作。要抓紧出台中央和国家机关相关部门生态环境保护责任清单，使各部门守土有责、守土尽责，分工协作、共同发力。各级人大及其常委会要把生态文明建设作为重点工作领域，开展执法检查，定期听取并审议同级政府工作情况报告。
Local CPC committee and government leaders bear primary responsibility for environmental protection and overall responsibility for environmental quality in their administrative districts. Therefore, they should personally make arrangements for important tasks, conduct inquires into major issues, coordinate work in key processes, and supervise cases of note, ensuring that duties are performed and directives are put into effect at all levels. All relevant departments must properly fulfill their environmental protection obligations and stay on top of environmental responsibilities in their jurisdictions, with departments in charge of development, production, and industry working with the understanding that they are also bound to protect the environment. We must move quickly to introduce a list of environmental protection responsibilities for the relevant departments of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Government so that all departments abide by their duties, coordinate with each other to effectively divide tasks, and put forth a concerted effort. People’s congresses at all levels and their standing committees must make building an ecological civilization a focal point of their work, conduct compliance inspections, and regularly hear and deliberate work reports from governments at the corresponding level.
要建立科学合理的考核评价体系，考核结果作为各级领导班子和领导干部奖惩和提拔使用的重要依据。要实施最严格的考核问责。“刑赏之本，在乎劝善而惩恶。”对那些损害生态环境的领导干部，只有真追责、敢追责、严追责，做到终身追责，制度才不会成为“稻草人”、“纸老虎”、“橡皮筋”。有些地方生态环境问题多发频发，被约谈、被曝光，当地党政负责人不但没受处罚，反倒升迁了、重用了，真是咄咄怪事！这种事情决不允许再发生！要狠抓一批反面典型，特别是要抓住破坏生态环境的典型案例不放，严肃查处，以正视听，以儆效尤。
We must establish empirical and rational evaluation and assessment systems, making the results of these assessments an important basis for decisions on rewarding, punishing, or promoting officials at all levels. We must put in place the strictest checks on accountability. Ancient Chinese wisdom tells us that the purpose of reward and punishment is to uphold virtue and condemn evil. Only by having the will to strictly and earnestly hold officials that harm the environment to account and making them bear responsibility for the rest of their lives can we ensure that our rules do not become superficial threats that bend at will with no substance to back them up. There are some areas which have seen numerous and incessant environmental problems, and despite being exposed and admonished, the Party and government officials responsible have not only just escaped punishment, but even been transferred and promoted to more important positions. This is absolutely absurd, and cannot be allowed to continue. We must put a spotlight on certain representative cases of negative behavior, particularly those involving damage to the environment. By rigorously investigating and strictly handling these cases, we will ascertain the truth of the facts and warn others against engaging in similar behavior.
要建设一支生态环境保护铁军，政治强、本领高、作风硬、敢担当，特别能吃苦、特别能战斗、特别能奉献。打好污染防治攻坚战，是得罪人的事。各级党委和政府要关心、支持生态环境保护队伍建设，主动为敢干事、能干事的干部撑腰打气。
We must foster a strong environmental protection corps composed of capable and uncompromising members with strong political consciousness and a willingness to take on responsibility who will fight through any hardship in their devotion to the cause. In the fight to prevent and control pollution, there are some that must face uncomfortable realities. Party committees and governments at all levels must show care and support for the development of our environmental protection corps, and actively assist officials who are ready and willing to take action.
建设生态文明的时代责任已经落在了我们这代人的肩上。全党全国各族人民要紧密团结在党中央周围，齐心协力，攻坚克难，大力推进生态文明建设，为全面建成小康社会、开创美丽中国建设新局面而努力奋斗！
The great responsibility of building an ecological civilization has already fallen upon the shoulders of our generation. The entire Party and people of all ethnic groups throughout the country must rally closely around the CPC Central Committee and work together as one as we face the challenges ahead, vigorously promote an ecological civilization, and strive to achieve moderate prosperity throughout society and open a new stage in the development of a beautiful China!
（这是习近平总书记2018年5月18日在全国生态环境保护大会上的讲话。）
(This speech was delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the National Conference on Environmental Protection, May 18, 2018.)
