Deeply Understand and Grasp the Contemporary Implications of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization

The recently published *Study and Q&A on Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization* keeps pace with the practical development of ecological civilization construction in the New Era, focuses on theoretical hot spots and difficulties, responds to social concerns, and comprehensively, systematically, and accessibly presents the great significance, scientific system, core essence, rich connotations, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization in a question-and-answer format. On the new journey, we should deeply study and understand Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, more consciously use it to arm our minds, guide practice, and advance work, and strive to write a new chapter in building a beautiful China.

不久前出版发行的《习近平生态文明思想学习问答》，紧跟新时代生态文明建设实践发展步伐，聚焦理论热点难点，回应社会关注关切，以问答体的形式，全面系统、深入浅出展现习近平生态文明思想的重大意义、科学体系、核心要义、丰富内涵和实践要求。新征程上，我们应深入学习领会习近平生态文明思想，更加自觉用以武装头脑、指导实践、推动工作，奋力谱写美丽中国建设新篇章。

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Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a major theoretical innovation achievement that refines and elevates the practical achievements and valuable experience of our Party in leading the construction of ecological civilization, providing fundamental guidance for consolidating the green foundation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and realizing the sustainable development of the Chinese nation.

习近平生态文明思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的重要组成部分，是对我们党领导生态文明建设实践成就和宝贵经验提炼升华的重大理论创新成果，为筑牢中华民族伟大复兴绿色根基、实现中华民族永续发展提供了根本指引。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is the deepening and innovation of our Party’s theoretical exploration of ecological civilization. Since its founding, our Party has continuously explored the dialectical relationship between ecological civilization construction and economic and social development, forming a scientific, systematic, and complete theoretical system of ecological civilization construction with Chinese characteristics, providing scientific guidance for our country to correctly handle the relationship between development and protection in different historical periods. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, [1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in November 2012, marked the beginning of Xi Jinping’s leadership and the official launch of the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics. facing the new situation and new tasks of ecological civilization construction, President Xi, [2]2 “President Xi” refers to Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, from the strategic height of the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, with new perspectives, new understandings, and new concepts, has endowed the theory of ecological civilization construction with new contemporary connotations, formed and enriched the development of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and elevated our Party’s understanding of ecological civilization to a new height. This thought is the organic unity of epistemology, axiology, and methodology of ecological civilization construction, condensing the struggle achievements and historical experience our Party has gained in ecological civilization construction, marking the latest theoretical and practical innovation achievements in the theory of socialist ecological civilization construction.

习近平生态文明思想是我们党关于生态文明理论探索的深化与创新。我们党自成立以来，就在不断探索生态文明建设与经济社会发展的辩证关系，形成了科学系统完整、具有中国特色的生态文明建设理论体系，为我国在不同历史时期正确处理发展与保护的关系提供了科学指引。党的十八大以来，面对生态文明建设的新形势新任务，习主席站在中华民族永续发展的战略高度，以新的视野、新的认识、新的理念，赋予生态文明建设理论新的时代内涵，形成并丰富发展了习近平生态文明思想，把我们党对生态文明的认识提升到一个新高度。这一思想是生态文明建设认识论、价值论和方法论的有机统一，凝结着我们党在生态文明建设方面取得的奋斗成就和历史经验，标志着社会主义生态文明建设理论取得最新的理论创新成果和实践创新成果。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is the inheritance and innovation of the Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature. President Xi emphasizes: “To study Marx, we must study and practice Marx’s thought on the relationship between man and nature.” Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization inherits and develops the ideological essence and theoretical character of Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature. The concepts and viewpoints it puts forward, such as “harmonious coexistence between man and nature” and “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” [3]3 “Beautiful China” (美丽中国) is a policy goal of the CPC, first formally proposed at the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, emphasizing the integration of ecological civilization into all aspects of economic, political, cultural, and social development. realize the Sinicization and modernization of the Marxist view of ecological civilization. It is the concentrated embodiment of contemporary Chinese Marxism and Marxism in the 21st century in the field of ecological civilization construction.

习近平生态文明思想是马克思主义关于人与自然关系思想的继承与创新。习主席强调：“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。”习近平生态文明思想继承和发展马克思主义关于人与自然关系的思想精华和理论品格，提出的“人与自然和谐共生”“绿水青山就是金山银山”等理念与观点，实现了马克思主义生态文明观的中国化与时代化发展，是当代中国马克思主义、二十一世纪马克思主义在生态文明建设领域的集中体现。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is the absorption and development of excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture. The Chinese civilization, which has lasted for more than 5,000 years, breeds a rich ecological culture. Whether it is the *Book of Changes* saying “to cut and shape the way of heaven and earth, to assist the suitability of heaven and earth,” or the *Xunzi* saying “when the vegetation is flourishing, do not enter the mountains with axes, so as not to cut short their growth or sever their continuity,” [4] all reflect the Chinese nation’s long-standing respect for and love of nature, and its adherence to excellent traditional ecological concepts such as “unity of heaven and man” and “Tao follows nature.” Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is rooted in and sublimated from the ever-lasting Chinese civilization, drawing on the ecological wisdom and cultural traditions of excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture. It emphasizes the need to respect, conform to, and protect nature, to take a civilized development path of production development, affluent life, and good ecology, to comprehensively advance the modernization of harmonious coexistence between man and nature through the construction of a beautiful China, and endows the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture with new contemporary connotations.

习近平生态文明思想是对中华优秀传统生态文化的吸收与发展。绵延5000多年的中华文明孕育着丰富的生态文化，无论是《易经》所言“财成天地之道，辅相天地之宜”，抑或是《荀子》所说“草木荣华滋硕之时，则斧斤不入山林，不夭其生，不绝其长也”，无不体现了中华民族向来尊重自然、热爱自然，讲求“天人合一”“道法自然”等优秀传统生态理念。习近平生态文明思想植根和升华于生生不息的中华文明，汲取了中华优秀传统生态文化中的生态智慧与文化传统，强调必须尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然，走生产发展、生活富裕、生态良好的文明发展道路，以美丽中国建设全面推进人与自然和谐共生的现代化，赋予了中华优秀传统生态文化新的时代内涵。

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For a nation to stand at the forefront of the times, it cannot be without theoretical thinking for a single moment, nor can it be without correct ideological guidance for a single moment. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization profoundly answers major theoretical and practical questions such as why to build an ecological civilization, what kind of ecological civilization to build, and how to build an ecological civilization. It is the scientific guide for building a socialist ecological civilization. With the continuous enrichment of ecological civilization construction practice, the deepening of theoretical research, and the expansion of institutional innovation, the connotation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is constantly deepening.

一个民族要走在时代前列，就一刻不能没有理论思维，一刻不能没有正确思想指引。习近平生态文明思想深刻回答了为什么建设生态文明、建设什么样的生态文明、怎样建设生态文明等重大理论和实践问题，是建设社会主义生态文明的科学指引。随着生态文明建设实践的不断丰富、理论研究的不断深入、制度创新的不断拓展，习近平生态文明思想的内涵不断深化。

It condenses the people-centered sentiment of adhering to the supremacy of the people. Consistently adhering to the people’s standpoint is the foundation of our Party’s ideals and convictions, the direction of its value pursuit, and the source of its strength. The ecological environment is a major political issue related to the Party’s mission and purpose, and also a major social issue related to people’s livelihood. President Xi profoundly pointed out that developing the economy is for people’s livelihood, and protecting the ecological environment is also for people’s livelihood. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization runs through the people-centered development concept, emphasizing adherence to benefiting the people, serving the people, and acting for the people through ecology, focusing on solving prominent environmental problems that harm the health of the masses, and continuously meeting the people’s growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment. This thought embodies our Party’s consistent value pursuit of adhering to the supremacy of the people, reflects the political stance and value goals of socialist ecological civilization construction, and is the concrete implementation of our Party’s concept of governing the country.

凝结了坚持人民至上、以人为本的人民情怀。始终坚持人民立场，是我们党理想信念所系、价值追求所向、力量源泉所在。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。习主席深刻指出，发展经济是为了民生，保护生态环境同样也是为了民生。习近平生态文明思想贯穿着以人民为中心的发展理念，强调坚持生态惠民、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，不断满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要。这一思想，体现了我们党一以贯之的坚持人民至上的价值追求，反映了社会主义生态文明建设的政治立场和价值目标，是我们党治国理政理念的具体落实。

It manifests the development concept of adhering to ecological priority and green as the key. Development is the Party’s top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country, and it is also the key to solving all of China’s problems. History and practice have proven that the concept guiding the development of productive forces determines the direction and effectiveness of development. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has insisted on protecting in development and developing in protection, supporting high-quality development with high-level protection, fully confirming that green development is the foundation of high-quality development, and that new quality productive forces are themselves green productive forces. President Xi pointed out that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, that protecting the ecological environment means protecting productive forces, and that improving the ecological environment means developing productive forces. This scientific exposition explains the principle that protecting ecology means developing productive forces, requiring the thorough implementation of the new development concept, unswervingly taking the path of ecological priority and green development, solidly advancing ecological protection, and finding a harmonious path for reshaping the relationship between man and nature, and between society and nature for the construction of socialist ecological civilization in the New Era.

彰显了坚持生态优先、绿色为要的发展理念。发展是党执政兴国的第一要务，也是解决中国所有问题的关键所在。历史和实践证明，以什么样的理念发展生产力，决定了发展的方向与成效。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚持在发展中保护、在保护中发展，以高水平保护支撑高质量发展，充分印证了绿色发展是高质量发展的底色，新质生产力本身就是绿色生产力。习主席指出，绿水青山就是金山银山，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。这一科学论述阐述了保护生态就是发展生产力的道理，要求深入贯彻新发展理念，坚定不移走生态优先、绿色发展之路，扎实推进生态保护，为新时代社会主义生态文明建设找到了一条重塑人与自然、社会与自然关系的和谐路径。

It embodies the rule-of-law thinking of adhering to laws and regulations and strictness and practicality. Institutions are fundamental and long-lasting. President Xi profoundly pointed out that only by implementing the strictest systems and the most rigorous rule of law can reliable guarantees be provided for ecological civilization construction. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, we have written ecological civilization into the Constitution, implemented the “strictest environmental protection law in history,” [5] and promoted the realization of major transformations in China’s ecological civilization construction: from key remediation to systematic governance, from passive response to proactive action, from a participant in global environmental governance to a leader, and from practical exploration to guidance by scientific theory. It can be said that the period since the New Era is the period when China’s ecological environment laws and institutional construction have entered the greatest legislative intensity, the densest institutional introduction, and the strictest regulatory enforcement standards, providing institutional guarantees for promoting ecological environmental protection.

体现了坚持依法依规、从严从实的法治思维。制度是管根本、管长远的。习主席深刻指出，只有实行最严格的制度、最严密的法治，才能为生态文明建设提供可靠保障。党的十八大以来，我们将生态文明写入宪法，实施了“史上最严环保法”，推动我国生态文明建设实现由重点整治到系统治理的重大转变、由被动应对到主动作为的重大转变、由全球环境治理参与者到引领者的重大转变、由实践探索到科学理论指导的重大转变。可以说，新时代以来是我国生态环境法律和制度建设进入立法力度最大、制度出台最密集、监管执法尺度最严的时期，为推动生态环境保护提供了制度保障。

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Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, China’s ecological civilization construction and ecological environmental protection have undergone historic, transformative, and overall changes. The fundamental reason lies in the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. We must work hard to deeply study and thoroughly understand, integrate knowledge and action, and effectively promote high-quality development and create a high-quality life through high-level ecological environmental protection, making new and greater contributions to building a beautiful China where man and nature coexist harmoniously.

党的十八大以来，我国生态文明建设和生态环境保护发生了历史性、转折性、全局性变化，根本在于以习近平同志为核心的党中央坚强领导，在于习近平生态文明思想的科学指引。我们要在学深悟透、知行合一上下功夫，切实以生态环境高水平保护推动高质量发展、创造高品质生活，为建设人与自然和谐共生的美丽中国作出新的更大贡献。

Strengthen the Party’s leadership over ecological civilization construction. Adhering to the Party’s comprehensive leadership over ecological civilization construction is the fundamental principle for advancing the building of a Beautiful China, and it must be unwaveringly upheld and implemented. Strengthen ideological guidance. Thought is the precursor to action; we must deepen the study and education of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, guiding Party members, cadres, and the masses to earnestly learn and comprehend it, and effectively enhance their political, ideological, and action-oriented consciousness in advancing the building of a Beautiful China. Strengthen organizational construction. The Party’s grassroots organizations are the battle fortresses for ecological civilization construction; we must strengthen the construction of grassroots Party organizations, reinforce their important role in ecological governance, select and appoint capable cadres, and cultivate and forge a contingent of ecological and environmental protection iron warriors with strong political awareness, high competence, a rigorous work style, and a sense of responsibility. Coordinate all parties. The Party must play its role in commanding the overall situation and coordinating all parties, inspiring environmental enthusiasm from all sectors of society, and forming a pattern of concerted efforts, joint construction, and shared benefits.

加强党对生态文明建设的领导。坚持党对生态文明建设的全面领导，是推进美丽中国建设的根本原则，必须毫不动摇坚持好落实好。强化思想引领。思想是行动的先导，要深化对习近平生态文明思想的学习和教育，引导广大党员干部、人民群众认真学习领会，切实增强推进美丽中国建设的政治自觉、思想自觉和行动自觉。加强组织建设。党的基层组织是生态文明建设的战斗堡垒，要加强基层党组织建设，强化基层党组织在生态治理中的重要作用，选优配强干部队伍，培养造就一支政治强、本领高、作风硬、敢担当的生态环境保护铁军。统筹协调各方。党要发挥总揽全局、协调各方作用，激发社会各界环保热情，形成同心协力、共建共享格局。

Adhere to a systematic approach to advance ecological civilization construction in an integrated manner. Advancing ecological civilization construction is a systematic project; we must adhere to systematic thinking and strengthen systematic integration. Properly handle the relationship between the overall situation and the parts. It is necessary to formulate national strategic plans for ecological and environmental protection, outlining the overall framework for China’s ecological protection and restoration from a macro level; it is also necessary to carry out work tailored to local conditions based on the specific circumstances of each region, enhancing the targetedness and effectiveness of ecological and environmental protection efforts. Properly handle the relationship between the present and the long term. It is necessary to focus on the immediate, with a strong sense of urgency, to wage the battle against pollution, intensify efforts on key tasks such as sustained improvement of air quality, investigation and remediation of sewage outlets into rivers and seas, and source control of soil pollution, so that the people can truly feel the improvement in the ecological environment; it is also necessary to take a long-term view, increase funding and scientific research, vigorously develop renewable energy, and fundamentally solve the environmental problems caused by energy consumption. Properly handle the relationship between the general and the specific. It is necessary to summarize the general laws of ecological and environmental protection work and sort out universally applicable principles and methods; it is also necessary to adopt targeted governance measures for emerging fields and key links.

坚持系统观念一体推进生态文明建设。推进生态文明建设是一项系统工程，必须坚持系统思维、强化系统集成。把握好全局与局部的关系。既要制定全国性的生态环境保护战略规划，从宏观层面勾勒出我国生态保护与修复的总体框架；也要根据各地区具体情况，因地制宜开展工作，强化生态环境保护工作的针对性与实效性。把握好当前与长远的关系。既要着眼当下，以强烈的紧迫感开展污染防治攻坚战，加大对空气质量持续改善、入河入海排污口排查整治、土壤污染源头防控等重点工作的力度，让人民群众切实感到生态环境改善；也要放眼长远，加强资金投入与科技研发，大力发展可再生能源，从根本上解决能源消耗带来的环境问题。把握好一般与特殊的关系。既要总结生态环境保护工作的一般性规律，梳理普遍适用的原则和方法；也要针对新兴领域和重点环节，采取具有针对性的治理措施。

Protect the ecological environment with the strictest systems and the most rigorous rule of law. Protecting the ecological environment must rely on systems and the rule of law, making systems a rigid constraint and an untouchable high-voltage line. Improve legislation. It is necessary to strengthen top-level design, build a complete, scientifically standardized, and effectively operational system of regulations and institutions, pay attention to the connection and coordination between laws and regulations, and enhance the targetedness and operability of the regulatory system for emerging fields and prominent issues. Strictly enforce the law. It is necessary to intensify law enforcement in the field of ecological environment, improve the professional level of law enforcement teams through regular business training, case discussions, and practical drills, ensuring that regulations and systems take root and produce practical results. Ensure impartial justice. It is necessary to fully leverage the functional role of judicial organs, increase the punishment of criminal acts such as environmental pollution and ecological damage, and provide strong judicial guarantees for ecological and environmental protection. Ensure universal law-abiding by the whole people. It is necessary to carry out diverse forms of publicity activities, expose typical illegal cases, popularize knowledge of ecological protection laws and regulations, enhance the public’s awareness of the rule of law and environmental protection, and guide the public to establish correct ecological values and behavioral norms.

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，让制度成为刚性的约束和不可触碰的高压线。完善立法。要加强顶层设计，构建系统完备、科学规范、运行有效的法规制度体系，注重法律法规之间的衔接与协同，并针对新兴领域和突出问题，增强法规制度的针对性和可操作性。严格执法。要强化生态环境领域执法力度，通过定期组织业务培训、案例探讨、实操演练等方式提高执法队伍专业化水平，确保法规制度落地生根、发挥实效。公正司法。要充分发挥司法机关职能作用，加大对污染环境、破坏生态等犯罪行为的惩处力度，为生态环境保护提供坚强的司法保障。全民守法。要通过开展形式多样的宣传活动，曝光典型违法案例，普及生态保护法律法规知识，提高公众的法治意识和环保意识，引导公众树立正确的生态价值观和行为准则。

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧