The Signature Concepts and Original Contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization

Chinese-path modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. The unique ecological view embedded in Chinese-path modernization has laid the value foundation for correctly handling the relationship between humanity and nature. In May 2018, the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection formally proposed Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. This important thought contains a series of signature concepts and scientific logic elements for handling the relationship between humanity and nature. Among them, the signature concepts are the “base,” the foundation and root, playing a supporting role in the scientific system; the scientific logic is the “skeleton,” playing a connecting role in the scientific system. Together, they constitute the “edifice” of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization provides Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions for global ecological governance and building a clean and beautiful world.

中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化。中国式现代化蕴含的独特生态观，为正确处理人与自然关系奠定了价值基础。2018年5月，全国生态环境保护大会正式提出习近平生态文明思想。这一重要思想蕴含一系列处理人与自然关系的标识性概念和科学逻辑等元素，其中，标识性概念是“基座”，是基础、是根基，在科学体系中发挥支撑性作用；科学逻辑是“筋骨”，在科学体系中起连通性作用，二者共同构成习近平生态文明思想的“大厦”。习近平生态文明思想为全球生态治理、建设清洁美丽世界提供了中国智慧和中国方案。

The Rich Connotation of the Signature Concepts of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization

习近平生态文明思想标识性概念的丰富内涵

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization adheres to Marxist scientific theory, inherits the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture, and contains a series of signature concepts such as “socialist ecological civilization,” “Beautiful China,” “community of life,” “green development,” and “ecological governance.” It constructs the discourse system of ecological civilization for Chinese-path modernization and promotes the “revolution of terminology” [1]1 A reference to Friedrich Engels’ characterization of the materialist conception of history as a “revolution in terminology” in his preface to the second edition of *Anti-Dühring*. in China’s ecological civilization discourse system.

习近平生态文明思想坚持马克思主义科学理论、传承中华优秀传统生态文化，蕴含“社会主义生态文明”“美丽中国”“生命共同体”“绿色发展”“生态治理”等一系列标识性概念，构建起中国式现代化的生态文明话语体系，推动实现中国生态文明话语体系的“术语的革命”。

Socialist ecological civilization. This signature concept is composed of “socialism” and “ecological civilization.” Among them, socialism emphasizes the socialist attribute of China’s ecological civilization theory and practice, reflecting the distinctive characteristics of adhering to the guidance of the Marxist ecological view, deeply rooted in the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture and the practice of China’s ecological civilization construction. Ecological civilization, on the other hand, contains dimensions such as the history of human civilization development and ecological environmental protection. From the dimension of the history of human civilization development, ecological civilization contains the historical view of ecological civilization that “a flourishing ecology sustains a flourishing civilization, and a declining ecology leads to a declining civilization,” [2]2 A classical Chinese ecological-historical maxim, often cited by Xi Jinping, linking civilizational flourishing to ecological health. reflecting the reason for the emergence of a “new form of human civilization” after industrial civilization. From the dimension of ecological environmental protection, ecological civilization is not only the theoretical guidance for ecological environmental protection but also the vivid practice of Chinese-path modernization in correctly handling the relationship between humanity and nature. Chinese-path modernization emphasizes harmony between humanity and nature, integrating ecological civilization construction into the contemporary process of modernization. The 18th National Congress of the CPC proposed “striving toward a New Era of socialist ecological civilization”; the 19th National Congress of the CPC proposed “firmly establishing the socialist concept of ecological civilization”; in July 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping, in his important speech at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection, emphasized “thoroughly implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era on ecological civilization”… This has formed a series of conceptual expressions represented by socialist ecological civilization. Thus, China’s ecological civilization construction has a distinct socialist nature and characteristics. It both inherits and develops the Marxist basic principles on the relationship between humanity and nature, and promotes the integration of the basic principles of Marxism with China’s ecological civilization construction practice and with the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture, forming a discourse system of ecological civilization with the characteristics of the times.

社会主义生态文明。这个标识性概念，由“社会主义”和“生态文明”构成。其中，社会主义强调我国生态文明理论和实践的社会主义属性，体现了坚持以马克思主义生态观为指导，厚植于中华优秀传统生态文化和中国生态文明建设实践的鲜明特征。生态文明，则蕴含人类文明发展史和生态环境保护等维度。从人类文明发展史维度看，生态文明蕴含“生态兴则文明兴，生态衰则文明衰”的生态文明史观，体现了工业文明之后“人类文明新形态”生成的缘由。从生态环境保护维度看，生态文明既是生态环境保护的理论遵循，也是中国式现代化正确处理人与自然关系的生动实践。中国式现代化强调人与自然和谐共生，将生态文明建设融入现代化的时代进程。党的十八大提出“努力走向社会主义生态文明新时代”；党的十九大提出“牢固树立社会主义生态文明观”；2023年7月，习近平总书记在全国生态环境保护大会上的重要讲话中强调“要深入贯彻新时代中国特色社会主义生态文明思想”……这形成了以社会主义生态文明等为代表的一系列概念表述。由此可见，我国的生态文明建设具有鲜明社会主义性质和特征，既继承和发展了马克思主义关于人与自然关系的基本原理，又推动马克思主义基本原理同中国生态文明建设实践相结合、同中华优秀传统生态文化相结合，形成了具有时代特色的生态文明话语体系。

Beautiful China. “Beautiful China” centrally embodies the essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization for harmony between humanity and nature, and is the concrete expression of the development goal of Chinese-path modernization at the level of ecological civilization construction. Beautiful China contains three attributes of the environment-economy-society composite system: “external beauty, internal richness, and excellent quality.” [3]3 A tripartite formulation (外美、内丽、气质佳) used in Chinese policy discourse to describe the ideal state of Beautiful China: external environmental beauty, internal high-quality development, and excellent institutional governance. Among them, “external beauty” mainly refers to the beauty of the ecological environment—blue skies, green earth, and clear waters—which is the external symbol of Beautiful China construction; “internal richness” mainly refers to high-quality development, the widespread formation of green, low-carbon production methods and lifestyles, with green productive forces becoming an important engine of development—this is the internal requirement of Beautiful China construction; “excellent quality” mainly refers to the excellence of institutional mechanisms, emphasizing the promotion of the modernization of the ecological environment governance system and governance capacity—this is the core support of Beautiful China construction. The 19th National Congress of the CPC proposed “accelerating the reform of the ecological civilization system and building a Beautiful China”; the 20th National Congress of the CPC proposed “promoting the construction of a Beautiful China, adhering to the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts.” In January 2024, the “Opinions of the Central Committee of the CPC and the State Council on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China” was released, clarifying the guiding ideology, objectives, tasks, and implementation paths for Beautiful China construction, effectively guiding and promoting Beautiful China construction into a new stage of greater systematization and institutionalization. The important concept of “Beautiful China” focuses on meeting the people’s growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment, laying a solid foundation for promoting the modernization of the ecological environment governance system and governance capacity and realizing the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.

美丽中国。“美丽中国”集中体现了人与自然和谐共生的中国式现代化的本质要求，是中国式现代化在生态文明建设层面发展目标的具象表达。美丽中国，蕴含环境—经济—社会复合系统的“外美、内丽、气质佳”三方面属性。其中，“外美”主要指生态环境美，天蓝、地绿、水清，这是美丽中国建设的外在标志；“内丽”主要指发展的高质量，广泛形成绿色低碳的生产生活方式，绿色生产力成为发展的重要引擎，这是美丽中国建设的内在要求；“气质佳”则主要指制度机制优，强调推动实现生态环境治理体系和治理能力现代化，这是美丽中国建设的内核支撑。党的十九大提出“加快生态文明体制改革，建设美丽中国”，党的二十大提出“要推进美丽中国建设，坚持山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理”。2024年1月，《中共中央国务院关于全面推进美丽中国建设的意见》发布，明确了美丽中国建设的指导思想、目标任务、实施路径，有力指导和推动美丽中国建设进入更加系统化、制度化的新阶段。“美丽中国”这一重要概念聚焦满足人民群众日益增长的优美生态环境需要，为推进生态环境治理体系和治理能力现代化，实现人与自然和谐共生的现代化奠定了坚实基础。

Community of life. The concept of “community of life” profoundly elucidates from a philosophical height that humanity and nature are an organic whole that is interdependent and mutually influential. It breaks the binary opposition between “anthropocentrism” and “ecocentrism” at the ontological level and is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization emphasizes that mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, and grasslands are a community of life, that humanity and nature are a community of life, and that we should jointly build a community of life on Earth. It focuses on grasping the integrity, systematization, and inherent laws of the ecosystem, promoting the coexistence, co-prosperity, and co-thriving of humanity and nature. “Mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, and grasslands are a community of life,” “the community of life between humanity and nature,” and “the Earth community of life” innovate and deepen people’s understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature at the ontological level, possessing important theoretical and practical value. Promoting the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts, and caring for the community of life between humanity and nature and the Earth community of life, is not only an inevitable requirement for human society to reach the stage of ecological civilization but also the key to achieving the sustainable development of humanity.

生命共同体。“生命共同体”理念从哲学高度深刻阐明了人与自然是相互依存、相互影响的有机整体，从本体论层面打破了“人类中心主义”和“自然中心主义”的二元对立观，是习近平生态文明思想的重要内容。习近平生态文明思想强调，山水林田湖草是一个生命共同体、人与自然是生命共同体、共建地球生命共同体，注重把握生态系统整体性、系统性及其内在规律，推动人与自然共生共存共荣。“山水林田湖草是一个生命共同体”“人与自然生命共同体”“地球生命共同体”，从本体论层面创新和深化了人们对于人与自然关系的认识，具有重要理论和实践价值。推动山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理，呵护好人与自然生命共同体、地球生命共同体，不仅是人类社会发展到生态文明阶段的必然要求，更是实现人类永续发展的关键所在。

Green development. Green development runs through the entire process of coordinated economic, social, and environmental development and is the key support and inevitable choice for achieving harmony between humanity and nature. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee [4]4 Held in October 2015, this plenary session adopted the CPC Central Committee’s proposal for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016–2020), which formally introduced the “new development philosophy” (innovation, coordination, green, openness, sharing). proposed the new development philosophy, of which the green development concept is an important component. The 19th National Congress of the CPC emphasized: “establishing and improving the economic system for green, low-carbon, and circular development,” “building a market-oriented green technology innovation system,” and “advocating a simple, moderate, green, and low-carbon lifestyle.” The report of the 20th National Congress of the CPC devoted a special chapter to discussing ecological civilization construction under the title “Promoting Green Development and Promoting Harmony between Humanity and Nature,” clarifying the direction, goals, and paths for promoting green, high-quality development. Green development is the key to promoting harmony between humanity and nature and is also an inherent requirement for building the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. Practice has proven that the extensive development model of high consumption, high emissions, and high pollution is unsustainable. Focusing on the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, we must firmly establish and practice the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, [5]5 A well-known slogan attributed to Xi Jinping, first articulated in 2005 when he was Party secretary of Zhejiang Province, encapsulating the idea that ecological wealth is economic wealth. solidly promote ecological priority, conservation, intensive, green, and low-carbon development, and strive to achieve higher quality, more efficient, more equitable, more sustainable, and safer development. Green development expands the understanding of the concept of development and the understanding of the path of development, highlighting the distinctive background of Chinese-path modernization.

绿色发展。绿色发展贯穿于经济、社会、环境协调发展的全过程，是实现人与自然和谐共生的关键支撑和必然选择。党的十八届五中全会提出新发展理念，绿色发展理念是其中的重要内容。党的十九大强调：“建立健全绿色低碳循环发展的经济体系”“构建市场导向的绿色技术创新体系”“倡导简约适度、绿色低碳的生活方式”。党的二十大报告以“推动绿色发展，促进人与自然和谐共生”为专章论述生态文明建设，明确了推动绿色高质量发展的方向、目标和路径。绿色发展是推动人与自然和谐共生的关键，也是建设人与自然和谐共生现代化的内在要求。实践证明，高消耗、高排放、高污染的粗放发展方式不可持续。着眼于中华民族永续发展，必须牢固树立和践行绿水青山就是金山银山的理念，扎实推进生态优先、节约集约、绿色低碳发展，努力实现更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展。绿色发展拓展了对发展观的理解和对发展道路的认识，彰显了中国式现代化的鲜明底色。

Ecological governance. Ecological governance is a key pathway for promoting the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature, an effective measure for implementing the green development concept, solving ecological and environmental problems, and achieving sustainable economic and social development, and an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC proposed that “to build an ecological civilization, we must establish a complete and systematic system of institutions for ecological civilization and protect the ecological environment with institutions”; the 19th National Congress of the CPC proposed “building an environmental governance system with the government as the lead, enterprises as the main body, and social organizations and the public participating together”; the Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC proposed that “we must improve the institutional system for ecological civilization, coordinate efforts to reduce carbon emissions, cut pollution, expand green development, and pursue economic growth, actively respond to climate change, and accelerate the improvement of the systems and mechanisms for implementing the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”; and so on. These institutional constructions not only embody the three-dimensional framework characteristics of China’s ecological civilization system as a “four-beam, eight-pillar” structure [6]6 The "socialist view of ecological civilization" is a concept within Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization that integrates ecological protection with socialist values, emphasizing the people's role and the public-good nature of the environment., but also show that the horizon of ecological governance is continuously broadening and its holistic meaning is gradually strengthening. In terms of the global ecological governance system, the 19th National Congress of the CPC clearly proposed the important concept of “global ecological civilization construction,” emphasizing “guiding international cooperation in addressing climate change and becoming an important participant, contributor, and leader in global ecological civilization construction.” Facing changes unseen in a century in the world, China actively promotes global climate governance and

生态治理。生态治理是推动人与自然和谐共生的关键路径，是践行绿色发展理念、解决生态环境问题、实现经济社会可持续发展的有效举措，是习近平生态文明思想的重要内容。党的十八届三中全会提出“建设生态文明，必须建立系统完整的生态文明制度体系，用制度保护生态环境”；党的十九大提出“构建政府为主导、企业为主体、社会组织和公众共同参与的环境治理体系”；党的二十届三中全会《决定》提出“必须完善生态文明制度体系，协同推进降碳、减污、扩绿、增长，积极应对气候变化，加快完善落实绿水青山就是金山银山理念的体制机制”；等等。这些制度建设既体现了我国生态文明制度“四梁八柱”的立体构架特征，也呈现出生态治理的视域不断拓宽、整体性意涵渐趋强化。在全球生态治理体系方面，党的十九大明确提出“全球生态文明建设”这一重要概念，强调“引导应对气候变化国际合作，成为全球生态文明建设的重要参与者、贡献者、引领者”。面对世界百年未有之大变局，中国积极推进全球气候治理、生物多样性保护，在全球生态治理中发挥着重要的引领推动作用。

The Original Contributions of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization

习近平生态文明思想的原创性贡献

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has achieved a discourse revolution and theoretical innovation at the ontological, axiological, and methodological levels. It transcends the limitations of Western ecological discourse systems, such as the "subject-object dichotomy" and "instrumental rationality," and inaugurates a new paradigm for expressing the relationship between humanity and nature.

习近平生态文明思想在本体论、价值论、方法论层面实现了话语革命与理论创新，超越了西方生态话语体系的“主客二分”“工具理性”等思维局限，开创了人与自然关系表达的全新范式。

Ontological Reconstruction: "Harmonious Coexistence" Transcends the "Subject-Object Dichotomy." Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has achieved a revolutionary breakthrough at the ontological level. This important thought discards the tradition of the "subject-object dichotomy" in Western ecological discourse systems, understands the relationship between humanity and nature as a dialectical unity, and establishes the ontological cognition of a "community of life for humanity and nature." On the basis of inheriting and developing Marxist ecological civilization theory, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization puts forward the "community of life for humanity and nature," the "community of life for mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grasslands," and the "community of life on Earth," profoundly elucidating the symbiotic relationship between humanity and nature. Nature is the foundation of human survival and development. Without nature providing the natural elements necessary for basic survival, humanity could not exist. The concept of a community of life expands the connotation of the Marxist view of nature, implying that "if humanity treats nature well, nature will reward humanity in return." If humanity does not respect the objective laws of nature, then nature will retaliate against humanity. Starting from the necessity of laws, the concept of a community of life emphasizes that only by respecting nature can the development of human society be achieved. From the perspective of ecological ethics, the concept of a community of life emphasizes humanity's moral responsibility toward the natural environment, enriching and developing the Marxist view of ecological ethics. Among these, the "community of life on Earth" emphasizes that ecological and environmental problems cannot be solved by any single country alone; only through the joint cooperation of all countries can biodiversity be effectively protected. Jointly building a community of life on Earth highlights the living characteristics of nature, seeks pathways to solve global ecological and environmental problems through a "shared" form, and promotes the formation of a basic consensus on ecological and environmental protection within the international community. The concept of a community of life adheres to a view of nature based on organic holism, emphasizes that a good natural environment is the basic condition for human survival, and that humanity and nature are in a relationship of mutual influence and mutual constraint. It transcends the "subject-object dichotomy" mode of thinking in Western ecological discourse systems and opens up a new realm of the Marxist view of nature from the ontological level.

本体论重构：“和谐共生”超越“主客二分”。习近平生态文明思想在本体论层面实现了革命性突破，这一重要思想摒弃了西方生态话语体系中“主客二分”传统，将人与自然的关系理解为辩证统一的整体，确立了“人与自然生命共同体”的本体论认知。习近平生态文明思想在继承和发展马克思主义生态文明理论的基础上，提出“人与自然生命共同体”“山水林田湖草是生命共同体”“地球生命共同体”，深刻阐明了人与自然的共生关系。自然是人类生存和发展的基础，没有自然界为人类提供满足基本生存所需要的自然要素，人类就不可能生存下去。生命共同体理念，拓展了马克思主义自然观的内涵，意味着“人类善待自然，自然也会馈赠人类”，如果人类不尊重自然界的客观规律，那么自然就会对人类进行报复。生命共同体理念从规律的必然性角度出发，强调只有尊重自然，才能实现人类社会的发展。从生态伦理的角度来看，生命共同体理念强调人对自然环境的道德责任，丰富和发展了马克思主义生态伦理观。其中，“地球生命共同体”强调生态环境问题不是哪一个国家能够单独解决的，只有各国共同协作，才能有效保护生物多样性。共建地球生命共同体，凸显了自然的生命特征，以“共同”的形式寻求解决全球生态环境问题的路径，促进国际社会形成生态环境保护基本共识。生命共同体理念坚持有机整体论的自然观，强调良好自然环境是人类生存的基本条件，人与自然是相互影响、相互制约的关系，超越了西方生态话语体系中“主客二分”的思维方式，从本体论层面开辟了马克思主义自然观新境界。

Axiological Innovation: People-Centeredness Transcends Capital-Centeredness. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization places great importance on the foundational role of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. It links the happiness of the people's lives with the relationship between humanity and nature and the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, putting forward signature concepts such as the "socialist view of ecological civilization." [6]6 The "socialist view of ecological civilization" is a concept within Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization that integrates ecological protection with socialist values, emphasizing the people's role and the public-good nature of the environment. This transcends the limitations of Western capital logic and instrumental rationality, providing a value orientation for ecological civilization construction and the sustainable development of human society. A good ecological environment possesses the attributes of a public good that is "most equitable" and "most inclusive." The effective supply of inclusive public goods must adhere to the comprehensive leadership of the Party, focus on equitable supply for all the people, and maximize the benefits of ecological civilization construction for the broad masses, so that everyone can share fresh air, clean water, pleasant climates, and beautiful ecology. This achieves not only "intra-generational" sharing but also "inter-generational" sharing. At the same time, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is grounded in the historical view of the masses, emphasizing that ecological civilization is a cause in which the masses participate, build, and share together. With the continuous improvement of material living conditions, the broad masses of the people have higher expectations for the quality of the ecological environment. A good ecological environment is increasingly becoming an important part of the people's needs for a better life, which provides endogenous impetus for the whole-of-society action on ecological civilization construction. The masses are the creators of history, and ecological civilization construction requires the joint efforts of all the people. Nationwide action is an important manifestation of the people being the masters of their own affairs in the field of ecological civilization construction and is a significant advantage of China's ecological civilization construction. The construction of a socialist ecological civilization with Chinese characteristics differs from the "environmental protection" proposed by capitalist countries; it is a nationwide action with distinct inclusiveness and fairness. Promoting harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature has become a common value norm and practical guideline for the whole society.

价值论革新：以人民为中心超越以资本为中心。习近平生态文明思想高度重视人与自然和谐共生对中华民族永续发展的基础性作用，并将人民生活幸福和人与自然关系、中华民族永续发展联系起来，提出了“社会主义生态文明观”等标识性概念，超越了西方资本逻辑与工具理性的局限，为生态文明建设和人类社会可持续发展提供了价值导向。良好生态环境具有“最公平”“最普惠”的公共物品属性。普惠性公共物品的有效供给，必须坚持党的全面领导，注重全体人民的公平供给，使生态文明建设成果最大程度地造福于广大人民，让人人都可以共同享有清新的空气、洁净的水源、宜人的气候、优美的生态，不仅实现“代内”共享，而且实现“代际”共享。同时，习近平生态文明思想立足群众史观，强调生态文明是人民群众共同参与共同建设共同享有的事业。随着物质生活条件的不断提高，广大人民群众对生态环境质量的期盼更高，良好生态环境日益成为人民群众美好生活需要的重要内容，这为生态文明建设的全社会行动提供了内生动力。人民群众是历史的创造者，生态文明建设需要全体人民共同努力。全民行动是人民在生态文明建设领域当家作主的重要体现，是我国生态文明建设的显著优势。中国特色社会主义生态文明建设有别于资本主义国家提出的“环境保护”，是具有鲜明普惠性、公平性的全民行动。促进人与自然和谐共生成为全社会共同的价值规范、实践遵循。

Methodological Innovation: Dialectical and Systematic Governance Transcends Partial and One-Sided Governance. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization contains dialectical and systematic ecological governance methods and pathways at the methodological level, such as "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" and "integrated protection and systematic governance." [7]7 "Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" is a signature slogan of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, asserting that a healthy environment is a source of economic wealth and sustainable development. It embodies the dialectical relationship between high-level protection and high-quality development, constructs a systematic and complete ecological environment governance system, breaks through the limitation of "treating the head when the head aches, treating the foot when the foot hurts" in the process of Western modernization regarding ecological governance, and opens up new ideas for ecosystem governance. Some Western countries, in their modernization process, incorporated natural resources into the scope of productive forces but neglected the close connection between the ecological environment and natural resources. This conceptual deviation led capital to focus only on the development and plunder of natural resources, without paying attention to the changes in the ecological environment, which plays a foundational role for natural resources in this process. The concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets extends the scope of sustainable economic and social development to the ecological environment field, incorporates the productive force value of the ecological environment into the social reproduction system, and achieves a dynamic and sustainable balance between the means of production and the ecological environment. This enriches and develops the Marxist theory of productive forces and represents a completely new understanding of the dialectical and unified relationship between economic and social development and ecological environmental protection.

方法论创新：辩证系统治理超越局部片面治理。习近平生态文明思想在方法论上蕴含“绿水青山就是金山银山”“一体化保护和系统治理”等辩证系统的生态治理方法途径，体现了高水平保护和高质量发展的辩证关系，构建起系统完整的生态环境治理体系，突破了西方现代化进程中对生态治理“头痛医头脚痛医脚”的局限，开创了生态系统治理的新思路。一些西方国家在现代化进程中将自然资源纳入生产力范围，却忽略了生态环境与自然资源的紧密联系。这种观念偏差导致资本只注重对自然资源的开发、掠夺，而不重视在此过程中对自然资源具有基础性作用的生态环境的变化。绿水青山就是金山银山的理念，将经济社会的可持续发展范围扩展到生态环境领域，将生态环境的生产力价值纳入社会再生产体系，使生产资料与生态环境之间达到一种动态可持续的平衡状态，丰富和发展了马克思主义生产力理论，是对经济社会发展与生态环境保护之间辩证统一关系的全新认识。

The World Significance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization

习近平生态文明思想的世界意义

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization creatively puts forward a series of signature concepts with rich connotations and logical scientificity, forming a systematic and scientific conceptual system. From the dimensions of practical innovation, institutional improvement, and conceptual transformation, it provides scientific guidance for promoting global ecological governance and building a beautiful world.

习近平生态文明思想创造性提出一系列内涵丰富、逻辑科学的标识性概念，形成系统科学的概念体系，从实践创新、制度完善、理念变革等维度，为推动全球生态治理、建设美丽世界提供了科学指引。

Practical innovation: demonstrating the responsibility of a major country in global environmental governance. At present, the endogenous driving force for global ecological governance is insufficient, the problem of ecological deficit is prominent, and the ecological crisis remains severe. Global ecological and environmental problems such as rising global temperatures, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity are becoming increasingly prominent, affecting human production and life. Unlike the Western responses to the ecological crisis of “mechanism,” “technologism,” and “transferism,” China actively assumes the responsibility of a major country in addressing the global ecological crisis. Concepts such as “green development” and “ecological governance” in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization innovate traditional ecological governance methods with dialectical and systematic thinking, emphasizing the correct handling of the relationships between economic development and environmental protection, the partial and the whole, long-term and short-term goals, and the government and the market. They emphasize coordinated efforts to reduce carbon emissions, cut pollution, expand green areas, and promote growth, seeking dynamic balance among the multiple objectives of “economy, society, and environment,” and unswervingly following the path of ecological priority and green development. In contrast to the increasingly severe and deteriorating global ecological situation, China’s ecological and environmental quality has continued to improve while achieving the miracle of rapid economic development. Since the 21st century, China has contributed approximately one-quarter of the world’s newly added green area, completed in about seven years an air pollution control process that took developed countries a decade or more, become the country with the greatest contribution to global ozone layer protection, one of the fastest countries in reducing energy intensity, and built the world’s largest clean power generation system, making significant contributions to addressing the global ecological crisis.

实践创新：彰显全球环境治理的大国担当。当前，全球生态治理内生动力不足、生态赤字问题凸显，生态危机依然严峻。全球气温升高、冰川融化、海平面上升、海洋酸化以及生物多样性丧失等全球生态环境问题日益突出，对人类生产生活造成影响。与西方应对生态危机的“机械主义”“技术主义”和“转移主义”不同，中国积极主动承担应对全球生态危机的大国责任。习近平生态文明思想中的“绿色发展”“生态治理”等，以辩证思维和系统思维对传统生态治理方式进行革新，强调正确处理经济发展与环境保护、局部与整体、长期目标与短期目标、政府与市场的关系，强调协同推进降碳、减污、扩绿、增长，在“经济—社会—环境”多重目标中寻求动态平衡，坚定不移走生态优先、绿色发展之路。与全球与日俱增、不断恶化的生态现状不同的是，在实现经济快速发展奇迹的同时，中国的生态环境质量持续好转。21世纪以来，中国为全球贡献了约1/4的新增绿化面积，用7年左右时间，走过了发达国家十几年甚至几十年的空气治理进程，成为全球臭氧层保护贡献最大的国家，全球能耗强度降低最快的国家之一，建成世界最大清洁发电体系，为应对全球生态危机作出了重要贡献。

Institutional improvement: providing reference for developing countries. Over 100 years ago, at the height of industrial civilization, Marx issued a solemn warning: “If civilization develops spontaneously, rather than consciously, what it leaves behind is a desert.” [8]8 This is a paraphrase of a passage from Marx’s letter to Engels of March 25, 1868, often cited in Chinese ecological discourse to critique the destructive tendencies of capitalist industrialization. Faced with today’s global ecological and environmental problems, contemporary Western ecological civilization theory, detached from social systems and modes of production, simplistically reduces ecological and environmental issues to human values and technical problems of production. Not only does it fail to identify the institutional roots of global environmental governance, but it also provides theoretical support for Western developed capitalist countries to plunder natural resources and transfer ecological and environmental crises to developing countries, seriously damaging the development rights and ecological rights of the vast number of developing countries. Practice has proven that the ecological governance model advocated by the West has had little effect in solving global ecological and environmental problems. The vivid practice of China’s ecological civilization construction under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has laid a solid foundation for institutional innovation. Concepts such as “beautiful China” and “people’s well-being” have enriched the strategic goals and value objectives of ecological civilization construction, effectively safeguarding the health and ecological security of the people. In the New Era, China’s ecological civilization construction has focused on transforming practical results into institutional achievements, enshrining “ecological civilization” in the Constitution, establishing and implementing multiple systems such as the central ecological and environmental protection inspection system and the river (lake) chief system, [9]9 The river (lake) chief system is a Chinese institutional mechanism assigning specific officials responsibility for the protection and management of water bodies within their jurisdiction, established nationwide from 2016 onward. continuously improving the implementation system for building a beautiful China, promoting coordinated action at the regional level, and implementing ecological and environmental protection actions in major river basins, key areas, and critical industries. Over the past decade or more, China has become the country with the fastest improvement in air quality globally. The concept of “people’s well-being,” which holds that the environment is people’s well-being, adheres to a people-centered approach and rejects the erroneous Western value of “handling ecological issues from the perspective of economic returns while neglecting social welfare.” Looking at the world, although Western developed countries achieved modernization earlier, in the process of promoting modernization they caused the alienation and deterioration of the relationship between humans and nature, triggering a series of social contradictions and problems. The practice of ecological civilization construction in the New Era under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization regards a good ecological environment as an important part of “people’s well-being,” commits to continuously meeting the people’s growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment through institutional construction, and promotes the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.

制度完善：为发展中国家提供借鉴。100多年前，在工业文明高歌猛进之际，马克思曾发出郑重告诫：“文明如果是自发地发展，而不是自觉地发展，则留给自己的是荒漠。”面对今天全球性生态环境问题，当代西方生态文明理论脱离社会制度与生产方式，将生态环境问题简单归结为人类的价值观问题和生产的技术性问题，不仅未能找到全球环境治理的制度性根源，反而为西方发达资本主义国家掠夺自然资源、向发展中国家转嫁生态环境危机提供理论支撑，严重损害了广大发展中国家的发展权益和生态权益。实践证明，西方所倡导的生态治理模式对全球性生态环境问题的解决收效甚微。习近平生态文明思想指导下的中国生态文明建设生动实践，为制度创新奠定了坚实基础。“美丽中国”“民生福祉”等丰富了生态文明建设的战略目标和价值旨归，有效保障了人民群众健康和生态安全。新时代中国生态文明建设注重将实践成效转化为制度成果，将“生态文明”写入宪法，建立并实施中央生态环境保护督察、河（湖）长制等多项制度，不断完善美丽中国建设实施体系，推动区域层面协同联动，实施主要流域、重点领域和关键行业的生态环境保护行动。过去10多年，我国成为全球大气质量改善速度最快的国家。环境就是民生的“民生福祉”概念，坚持以人民为中心，摒弃了西方“从经济收益出发处理生态问题而忽视社会福利”的错误价值观。纵观世界，西方发达国家虽然较早实现了现代化，但在推进现代化过程中造成了人与自然关系异化、恶化，引发了一系列社会矛盾问题。在习近平生态文明思想指导下的新时代生态文明建设实践，将良好生态环境作为“民生福祉”的重要内容，致力于通过制度建设不断满足人民群众日益增长的优美生态环境需要，推动实现人与自然和谐共生。

Conceptual transformation: enriching the new form of human civilization. Since humanity entered the era of industrial civilization, while creating enormous material wealth, it has also brought serious ecological and environmental problems. The “Eight Major Public Nuisance Events in the World” [10]10 The “Eight Major Public Nuisance Events” refers to a series of severe industrial pollution disasters in the mid-20th century, including the 1930 Meuse Valley fog (Belgium), 1948 Donora smog (USA), 1952 London smog (UK), 1950s–1960s Minamata disease (Japan), 1960s Yokkaichi asthma (Japan), 1968 Kanemi oil poisoning (Japan), 1950s–1960s Itai-itai disease (Japan), and 1984 Bhopal gas leak (India). The list varies in Chinese sources; this is a standard enumeration. triggered profound reflection on industrial civilization in human society. Throughout the 20th century, the industrialized developed countries, accounting for 15% of the world’s population, consumed 56% of the world’s oil, over 60% of its natural gas, and over 50% of its important mineral resources. Now, the total global population exceeds 8 billion. If the old path of industrial civilization is still followed in the process of modernization, even several Earths would not be enough to sustain consumption. Where will human civilization go? The signature concept of “socialist ecological civilization” in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization provides a clear answer. “Socialist ecological civilization” breaks through the cognitive limitation of Western ecological civilization theory that sets humans and nature in opposition, explains the relationship between ecological prosperity and decline and the evolution of civilization, upholds and develops the Marxist ecological view, inherits and develops the ecological concept of harmony between humans and nature and the coexistence of all things in Chinese civilization, regards the Earth as an organic living entity, coordinates high-level protection with high-quality development, leads and promotes the greening and low-carbon transformation of economic and social development, and makes significant contributions to the sustainable development of all humanity. The concept of a community of life on Earth in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization extends the responsibility for global ecological environmental protection and governance from a single country or region to the entire world and all of humanity. With its strong appeal and cohesive power, it has inspired the determination and confidence of people around the world to work together to participate in global ecological environmental protection. China has united countries around the world in achieving remarkable results in areas such as jointly building a green Belt and Road and South-South cooperation on climate change. Important concepts such as “socialist ecological civilization” and “community of life” promote the international consensus among countries to “build a clean and beautiful world” and jointly advance international environmental cooperation.

理念变革：丰富人类文明新形态。人类进入工业文明时代以来，在创造巨大物质财富的同时，带来严重的生态环境问题。“世界八大公害事件”引发人类社会对工业文明的深刻反思。整个20世纪，占世界人口15%的工业发达国家，消费了世界56%的石油和60%以上的天然气、50%以上的重要矿产资源。现在，地球的总人口超过80亿，如果在实现现代化进程中仍然沿用过去工业文明的老路，那么再有几个地球都是不够消耗的。人类文明将何去何从？习近平生态文明思想中“社会主义生态文明”这一标识性概念给出了清晰答案。“社会主义生态文明”突破西方生态文明理论将人与自然对立的认知局限，阐释了生态兴衰与文明演替的关系，坚持和发展马克思主义生态观，传承发展中华文明天人合一、万物并育的生态理念，将地球视为一个有机生命体，统筹推进高水平保护与高质量发展，引领和推动经济社会发展绿色化、低碳化，为全人类可持续发展作出了重要贡献。习近平生态文明思想中的地球生命共同体理念，将全球生态环境保护和治理的责任从一国、一地扩展到全世界、全人类，以其强大的号召力和凝聚力，激发了世界各国人民齐心协力参与全球生态环境保护的决心和信心。中国团结世界各国在共建绿色“一带一路”、应对气候变化南南合作等领域取得了显著成就。“社会主义生态文明”“生命共同体”等重要理念，促进世界各国凝聚“共建清洁美丽世界”的国际共识，携手推进国际环境合作。

The signature concepts of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization not only demonstrate China’s green development philosophy and the value pursuit of ecology for the people but also provide comprehensive, multi-level theoretical guidance and practical direction for China’s ecological civilization construction and even global ecological governance from the ontological, axiological, and methodological levels. Communication power determines influence; discourse power determines the initiative. Faced with changes unseen in a century in the world, competition in soft power and ideology among countries is becoming increasingly fierce, and competition for international discourse power in the ecological and environmental field cannot be ignored. To gain the initiative in competition, it is urgently necessary to comprehensively enhance the international communication effectiveness of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, demonstrate the enormous advantages of Chinese-path modernization and the distinctive features of ecological civilization construction in the New Era, and contribute more Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength to promoting global ecological civilization construction and the sustainable development of humanity.

习近平生态文明思想的标识性概念不仅展现了中国绿色发展理念和生态为民的价值追求，还从本体论、价值论、方法论层面为中国生态文明建设乃至全球生态治理提供全方位、多层次的理论指导和实践指向。传播力决定影响力，话语权决定主动权。面对世界百年未有之大变局，国家间软实力和意识形态的竞争日趋激烈，生态环境领域的国际话语权竞争同样不可忽视。在竞争中赢得主动，亟须全面提升习近平生态文明思想的国际传播效能，展现中国式现代化的巨大优势和新时代生态文明建设的鲜明特点，为推进全球生态文明建设和人类可持续发展贡献更多中国智慧、中国方案、中国力量。

(The author is a researcher at the Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC [National Academy of Governance])

（作者为中央党校（国家行政学院）习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心研究员）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心