Deeply Understand and Grasp the Theoretical Connotations and Practical Implications of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization

Editor’s Note

开栏的话

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization has guided the construction of a Beautiful China to continuously open up new realms. On July 18 and July 30, the People’s Daily successively co-hosted with Renmin University of China and the Central Party School (National Academy of Governance) the “Study of the First Volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization” theoretical publicity symposium. Starting today, the theory page of this newspaper launches the “Study of the First Volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization: Expert Commentary” column, publishing a series of theoretical articles, centering on Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, deepening systematic and theoretical research and interpretation, and promoting the deepening of the study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. We welcome the active exchange of study and implementation experiences from our broad readership.

党的十八大以来，习近平生态文明思想指引美丽中国建设不断开辟新境界。7月18日和7月30日，人民日报社先后同中国人民大学、中央党校（国家行政学院）联合举办“学习《习近平生态文明文选》第一卷”理论宣传座谈会。本报理论版今日起推出“学习《习近平生态文明文选》第一卷专家谈”专栏，刊发系列理论文章，围绕习近平生态文明思想，深化体系化学理化研究阐释，推动把学习贯彻习近平生态文明思想不断引向深入。欢迎广大读者积极交流学习贯彻体会。

Ecological civilization construction is a millennium plan concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed ecological civilization construction in a prominent position in overall work, deeply grasped the important status and strategic significance of ecological civilization construction in the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era, vigorously promoted theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in ecological civilization, continuously deepened the understanding of the laws of ecological civilization construction, and creatively put forward a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies rich in Chinese characteristics, reflecting the spirit of the times, and leading the progress and development of human civilization, forming Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is an important component of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the latest achievement in adapting the Marxist thought on the relationship between man and nature to the Chinese context and the needs of the times. It comprehensively elucidates major relationships such as between man and nature, protection and development, environment and people’s livelihood, and domestic and international affairs, centrally answers the major theoretical and practical questions of why to build an ecological civilization, what kind of ecological civilization to build, and how to build an ecological civilization, and provides the fundamental guidance and action guide for China’s ecological civilization construction in the New Era.

生态文明建设是关系中华民族永续发展的千年大计。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央把生态文明建设摆在全局工作的突出位置，深刻把握生态文明建设在新时代中国特色社会主义事业中的重要地位和战略意义，大力推动生态文明理论创新、实践创新、制度创新，不断深化对生态文明建设规律的认识，创造性提出一系列富有中国特色、体现时代精神、引领人类文明发展进步的新理念新思想新战略，形成了习近平生态文明思想。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，是马克思主义人与自然关系思想中国化时代化的最新成果，全面阐释了人与自然、保护与发展、环境与民生、国内与国际等重大关系，集中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，为新时代我国生态文明建设提供了根本遵循和行动指南。

Recently, the First Volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization was published and distributed, providing the latest authoritative textbook for the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country to deeply study and understand the core essence, spiritual substance, rich connotations, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. The First Volume of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Ecological Civilization includes the most important and fundamental works of General Secretary Xi Jinping on ecological civilization construction from December 2012 to April 2025. Among them, a series of original achievements and iconic concepts fully reflect the profound insight, keen judgment, and theoretical creativity of General Secretary Xi Jinping as a Marxist politician, thinker, and strategist, marking that our Party’s understanding of the laws of socialist ecological civilization construction has reached a new height.

近日，《习近平生态文明文选》第一卷出版发行，为全党全国各族人民深入学习领会习近平生态文明思想的核心要义、精神实质、丰富内涵、实践要求提供了最新的权威教材。《习近平生态文明文选》第一卷收入了习近平总书记2012年12月至2025年4月期间关于生态文明建设最重要、最基本的著作，其中一系列原创性成果、标识性概念充分体现了习近平总书记作为马克思主义政治家、思想家、战略家的深刻洞察力、敏锐判断力、理论创造力，标志着我们党对社会主义生态文明建设的规律性认识达到新的高度。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is the concentrated embodiment of the latest theoretical achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in the field of ecological civilization

习近平生态文明思想是马克思主义中国化时代化最新理论成果在生态文明领域的集中体现

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in “Achieving Sustainable Development Must Grasp Ecological Civilization Construction”: “We must place ecological civilization construction in a prominent position, integrating it into all aspects and the entire process of economic construction, political construction, cultural construction, social construction, and ecological civilization construction.” Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization inherits and develops the Marxist view of nature and historical view, enriches and deepens the Marxist ecological epistemology and ecological dialectics, and is the concentrated embodiment of the latest theoretical achievements in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of the times in the field of ecological civilization.

习近平总书记在《实现永续发展必须抓好生态文明建设》中指出：“我们要把生态文明建设放在突出位置，融入经济建设、政治建设、文化建设、社会建设各方面和全过程”。习近平生态文明思想继承和发展了马克思主义的自然观和历史观，丰富和深化了马克思主义的生态认识论和生态辩证法，是马克思主义中国化时代化最新理论成果在生态文明领域的集中体现。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization enriches and develops Marxist philosophy. Marxist philosophy holds that nature exists prior to humans and human society; it is an objective existence independent of human consciousness. Humans are part of nature, a product of nature’s development to a certain stage. Marx pointed out: “Man lives on nature.” Engels pointed out: “Let us not, however, flatter ourselves overmuch on account of our human victories over nature.” These views indicate that humans are differentiated and independent from nature through labor practice, but once differentiated and independent from nature, humans cannot be separated from nature for a single moment. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization not only inherits the basic viewpoints of dialectical materialism but also creatively proposes from the perspective of historical materialism the important concept of “man and nature are a community of life,” achieving an enrichment and development of the Marxist view of nature. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization transcends the cognitive limitation of viewing nature merely as an object of practical transformation, expresses the ecological ontological thought of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, and realizes a philosophical paradigm revolution from the binary opposition of “subject-object” to symbiotic and co-prosperous overall coordination, and from the one-sided extraction of “instrumental rationality” to the harmonious coexistence of “value rationality.”

习近平生态文明思想丰富和发展了马克思主义哲学。马克思主义哲学认为，自然界先于人与人类社会存在着，它是不依赖于人的意识而存在的客观存在物。人是自然界的一部分，是自然界发展到一定阶段的产物。马克思指出：“人靠自然界生活。”恩格斯指出：“我们不要过分陶醉于我们人类对自然界的胜利。”这些观点说明人类是通过劳动实践而从自然界分化独立出来的，但人类从自然界分化独立出来以后一刻也不能脱离自然界。习近平生态文明思想不仅继承了辩证唯物主义的基本观点，更从历史唯物主义角度创造性提出“人与自然是生命共同体”的重要理念，实现了对马克思主义自然观的丰富和发展。习近平生态文明思想超越了将自然仅视为实践改造对象的认知局限，表达了人与自然和谐共生的生态本体论思想，实现了从“主体—客体”二元对立向共生共荣整体协同、从“工具理性”单向索取向“价值理性”和谐共生的哲学范式革命。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization enriches and develops Marxist political economy. Marxist political economy holds that the essence of the development of productive forces is the two-way interaction and coordinated development between man and nature, a process of the unified movement of ecology and economy. Marx pointed out that “the productive forces of labor are determined by many circumstances, among others: the average degree of skill of the workers, the level of development of science and its technological application, the social combination of the process of production, the scale and effectiveness of the means of production, and natural conditions,” providing guidance for liberating and developing social productive forces. It can be seen that productive forces include not only social productive forces but also natural productive forces. In “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains Are Invaluable Assets,” General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed: “We want both lucid waters and lush mountains and mountains of gold and silver. We would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than mountains of gold and silver, and lucid waters and lush mountains are themselves mountains of gold and silver,” breaking the metaphysical dilemma that protecting the environment necessarily sacrifices development, and eloquently demonstrating that ecological environmental protection and economic and social development are not mutually exclusive or contradictory, but rather dialectically unified and complementary, effectively promoting the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. At the same time, General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed the entirely new category of “new quality productive forces,” and in “New Quality Productive Forces Are Themselves Green Productive Forces,” made the scientific judgment that “green development is the foundation of high-quality development,” containing a profound understanding of the law of contradictory movement between productive forces and relations of production. This is an enrichment and development of the Marxist theory of productive forces, demonstrating that new quality productive forces are an advanced quality of productive forces that conforms to the new development concept.

习近平生态文明思想丰富和发展了马克思主义政治经济学。马克思主义政治经济学认为，生产力的发展本质是人与自然之间的双向互动与协调发展，是生态经济统一运动的过程。马克思指出“劳动生产力是由多种情况决定的，其中包括：工人的平均熟练程度，科学的发展水平和它在工艺上应用的程度，生产过程的社会结合，生产资料的规模和效能，以及自然条件”，为解放和发展社会生产力提供了指引。由此可见，生产力不仅包括社会生产力，还包括自然生产力。习近平总书记在《绿水青山就是金山银山》中提出“我们既要绿水青山，也要金山银山。宁要绿水青山，不要金山银山，而且绿水青山就是金山银山”，破解了保护环境必然牺牲发展的形而上学困境，雄辩地论证了生态环境保护与经济社会发展并非非此即彼、相互排斥，而是辩证统一、相辅相成的关系，有力促进经济社会发展全面绿色转型。同时，习近平总书记创造性地提出“新质生产力”这一全新范畴，在《新质生产力本身就是绿色生产力》中作出了“绿色发展是高质量发展的底色”的科学论断，蕴含着对生产力与生产关系矛盾运动规律的深刻认识，是对马克思主义生产力理论的丰富和发展，彰显了新质生产力是符合新发展理念的先进生产力质态。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization enriches and develops the theory of scientific socialism. Scientific socialism pursues the free and comprehensive development of humans and the comprehensive progress of society. Marx regarded the harmonious coexistence between man and nature as an important feature of socialism and communism. In “Ecological Civilization Construction Is an Important Feature of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era,” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Strengthening ecological civilization construction is an inevitable requirement for implementing the new development concept and promoting high-quality economic and social development, and it is also the consensus and call of the people in pursuing a high-quality life.” Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization unequivocally positions ecological civilization construction as a fundamental plan concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation and deeply integrates it into the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This profoundly indicates that a beautiful ecological environment and a harmonious relationship between man and nature are inherent requirements of the essential attributes of socialism and indispensable basic conditions for realizing the free and comprehensive development of humans. This elucidates from the perspective of scientific socialism that the superiority of socialism is not only reflected in liberating and developing productive forces and eliminating exploitation and oppression, but also in being able to systematically resolve the contradiction between man and nature that capitalism cannot overcome, providing a new practical model for socialist countries to achieve modernization, and realizing a timely enrichment and elevation of the connotation of the essence of socialism.

习近平生态文明思想丰富和发展了科学社会主义理论。科学社会主义追求人的自由全面发展和社会的全面进步。马克思把人与自然界之间的和谐共生作为社会主义、共产主义的一个重要特征。习近平总书记在《生态文明建设是新时代中国特色社会主义的一个重要特征》中指出：“加强生态文明建设，是贯彻新发展理念、推动经济社会高质量发展的必然要求，也是人民群众追求高品质生活的共识和呼声。”习近平生态文明思想旗帜鲜明地将生态文明建设定位为关系中华民族永续发展的根本大计，并将其深度融入中国特色社会主义事业“五位一体”总体布局。这深刻表明，优美的生态环境、和谐的人与自然关系，是社会主义本质属性的应有之义，是实现人的自由全面发展不可或缺的基础性条件。这就从科学社会主义角度阐明了社会主义的优越性不仅体现在解放和发展生产力、消灭剥削压迫，更体现在能够系统性解决资本主义无法克服的人与自然矛盾，为社会主义国家实现现代化提供全新实践样本，实现了对社会主义本质内涵的时代性丰富和升华。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization profoundly perceives the laws of human historical development. Marx deeply discerned the laws governing the evolution of social formations, pointing out: “The appearance of capital marks a new era in the process of social production.” [3]3 Karl Marx, *Capital*, Volume 1, Chapter 4: “The General Formula for Capital.” Creating new forms of civilization is a creative social practice of humanity. After the October Revolution in Russia, proletarian parties in various countries, guided by Marxism, embarked on the journey of building a socialist form of civilization. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: “We uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics, promote the coordinated development of material, political, cultural-ethical, social, and ecological civilization, create a new path of Chinese-path modernization, and create a new form of human civilization.” [4]4 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Marking the Centenary of the Communist Party of China,” July 1, 2021. Ecological civilization is an important component of the new form of human civilization. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization profoundly perceives the historical law of development that “when ecology thrives, civilization thrives; when ecology declines, civilization declines,” [5]5 A classical Chinese saying, often cited by Xi Jinping, tracing back to the idea that the rise and fall of civilizations are linked to their ecological conditions. transcending the unsustainable model of traditional industrial civilization that relies on conquering nature and plundering resources. This new form of civilization is not only a distinctive hallmark of socialism with Chinese characteristics but also a profound grasp of the laws of human civilization development and an active guide to the direction of human civilizational progress. It realizes a historic civilizational transformation from passively responding to environmental crises to actively shaping a new type of civilization, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions that transcend differences in social systems for the sustainable development of humanity.

习近平生态文明思想深刻洞见人类历史发展规律。马克思深刻洞悉社会形态演进规律，指出：“资本一出现，就标志着社会生产过程的一个新时代”。创造文明新形态是人类的一种创造性社会实践活动。俄国十月革命后，各国无产阶级政党在马克思主义指引下，开启了建设社会主义文明形态的征程。习近平总书记指出：“我们坚持和发展中国特色社会主义，推动物质文明、政治文明、精神文明、社会文明、生态文明协调发展，创造了中国式现代化新道路，创造了人类文明新形态。”生态文明是人类文明新形态的重要构成部分，习近平生态文明思想深刻洞见“生态兴则文明兴，生态衰则文明衰”的历史发展规律，超越了传统工业文明以征服自然、掠夺资源为代价的不可持续模式。这一文明新形态不仅是中国特色社会主义的显著标识，更是对人类文明发展规律的深刻把握和对人类文明进步方向的积极引领，实现了从被动应对环境危机到主动塑造新型文明的历史性文明变革，为人类永续发展贡献了超越社会制度差异的中国智慧与中国方案。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization emphasizes drawing ecological wisdom from fine traditional Chinese culture, possessing profound historical and cultural foundations.

习近平生态文明思想注重从中华优秀传统文化中汲取生态智慧，具有深厚的历史文化底蕴

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is a major achievement of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. It embodies both the logical unity of integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with the practice of China’s ecological civilization construction and the epochal essence of integrating Marxist thought on the relationship between humanity and nature with fine traditional Chinese ecological culture.

习近平生态文明思想是马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合的重大成果，既体现了马克思主义基本原理同我国生态文明建设实践相结合的逻辑统一，也蕴含着马克思主义关于人与自然关系思想同中华优秀传统生态文化相结合的时代精华。

The creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese ecological culture. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, using the truth of Marxism to pierce through the fog of history and nourishing its theoretical roots with the fertile soil of fine traditional Chinese culture, has successfully achieved a revolutionary forging and epochal sublimation of the holistic ecological wisdom embedded in the cosmology, ethics, and development views accumulated over thousands of years by the Chinese nation. This important thought creatively transforms the chaotic holistic view contained in “the unity of heaven and humanity” [6]6 A core concept in traditional Chinese philosophy, emphasizing the harmonious relationship between heaven (nature) and humanity. into the “community of life between humanity and nature,” [7]7 A key concept in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, stressing the interdependent and interconnected relationship between humans and the natural world. a modern ecological philosophical ontology with rigorous scientific connotations and clear practical orientation, establishing a fundamental guideline for handling the relationship between humanity and nature. This important thought innovatively develops the simple moral sentiment of “loving people and cherishing things” [8]8 A Confucian ethical concept advocating extending love and care from people to all things. into the socialist ecological civilization ethical norms and value coordinates, with the nationwide action of “building a beautiful China” [9]9 A national strategy and campaign to improve the ecological environment and build a beautiful China. as its carrier, constructing a new scale of ecological justice that transcends instrumental rationality. This important thought systematically refines the dialectical governance experience of “taking and using with restraint” and “holding the mean without deviation” [10]10 A phrase from the Confucian classic *The Doctrine of the Mean*, advocating balance, moderation, and adherence to the mean in all actions. into a systematic governance strategy for the integrated protection and restoration of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, transforming the ancient wisdom of the Chinese nation into operable, assessable, and sustainable modern governance effectiveness. This series of major transformations profoundly proves that Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, through creative transformation and innovative development, has achieved a historic leap of Chinese ecological wisdom from abstract concepts to scientific theory in the dialectical unity of the “Way” and the “instrument.” [11]11 A traditional Chinese philosophical distinction: “Way” (道) refers to the fundamental principle or path, while “instrument” (器) refers to concrete forms, tools, or manifestations.

中华优秀传统生态文化的创造性转化、创新性发展。习近平生态文明思想以马克思主义真理之光洞穿历史迷雾，以中华优秀传统文化沃土涵养理论根系，成功实现了对中华民族数千年积淀的宇宙观、伦理观、发展观中整体性生态智慧的革命性锻造与时代性升华。这一重要思想将“天人合一”蕴含的混沌整体观创造性转化为“人与自然生命共同体”这一具有严密科学内涵和鲜明实践指向的现代生态哲学本体论，为处理人与自然关系确立了基本遵循。这一重要思想将“仁民爱物”的朴素道德情怀创新性发展为以“共建美丽中国”全民行动为载体的社会主义生态文明伦理规范与价值坐标，构建了超越工具理性的生态正义新尺度。这一重要思想将“取用有节”“允执厥中”的辩证治理经验系统性淬炼为山水林田湖草沙一体化保护修复的系统治理方略，把中华民族古老智慧转化为可操作、可考核、可持续的现代治理效能。这一系列重大转变深刻证明，习近平生态文明思想通过创造性转化、创新性发展，在“道”与“器”的辩证统一中，实现了中华生态智慧从抽象理念到科学理论的历史性跨越。

The major theoretical achievement of the “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration.” [12]12 The “Two Integrations” refers to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture. The “Second Integration” specifically refers to the latter. General Secretary Xi Jinping, in “Achieving Remarkable Success in Ecological Civilization Construction in the New Era,” points out: “Adhere to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with fine traditional Chinese culture, and vigorously promote theoretical, practical, and institutional innovation in ecological civilization.” [13]13 Xi Jinping, “Achieving Remarkable Success in Ecological Civilization Construction in the New Era,” in *Xi Jinping: The Governance of China*, Volume 4. The “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration,” forge a new whole, embodying the deep alignment of dialectical materialism’s universal connection view and law of the unity of opposites with the cosmology of “all things are one” and “ceaseless generation” in fine traditional Chinese culture, thoroughly breaking through the epistemological dilemma of subject-object dichotomy. The “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration,” shape new values, creatively integrating Marxism’s fundamental stance of “people first” and the goal of achieving comprehensive human development with the ethical spirit of “people as my siblings and things as my kind” and “heaven and earth nurture all things” in fine traditional Chinese culture, achieving a high degree of unity among people-centeredness, morality, and ecology. The “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration,” create new pathways, organically combining Marxism’s practical viewpoint and method of contradiction analysis with the governance wisdom of “holding the two ends and using the middle” and “the Way follows nature” in fine traditional Chinese culture, opening up a systematic green development path that coordinates high-quality development with high-level protection and synergistically advances carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and economic growth, demonstrating the organic unity of conformity with laws and purposefulness. This irrefutably proves that the “Two Integrations,” especially the “Second Integration,” are the necessary path for the formation and development of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. In this integration, Marxism and fine traditional Chinese culture, mutually achieving each other, jointly compose the magnificent epic of 21st-century socialist ecological civilization.

“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”的重大理论成果。习近平总书记在《新时代生态文明建设取得举世瞩目的巨大成就》中指出：“坚持把马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，大力推进生态文明理论创新、实践创新、制度创新”。“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”熔铸新整体，体现了辩证唯物主义的普遍联系观、对立统一律与中华优秀传统文化“万物一体”“生生不息”的宇宙观深度契合，彻底突破了主客二分的认识论困境。“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”塑造新价值，把马克思主义“人民至上”的根本立场与实现人的全面发展目标同中华优秀传统文化“民胞物与”“天地化育”的伦理精神创造性融合，实现了人民性、道德性与生态性的高度统一。“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”创生新路径，把马克思主义实践观点与矛盾分析方法同中华优秀传统文化“执两用中”“道法自然”的治理智慧有机结合，开辟出统筹高质量发展与高水平保护、协同推进降碳减污扩绿增长的绿色发展系统路径，彰显了合规律性与合目的性的有机统一。这雄辩地证明，“两个结合”特别是“第二个结合”是习近平生态文明思想形成发展的必由之路，在这一结合中，马克思主义与中华优秀传统文化在相互成就中共同书写了21世纪社会主义生态文明的壮丽史诗。

The historical and cultural foundation contained in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization is by no means an abstract symbol but deeply participates in shaping the value orientation, governance logic, and lifestyle of Chinese-path modernization. The cosmology of “the unity of heaven and humanity” is sublimated into the modernizational value soul of “harmonious coexistence,” fully absorbing the ancient wisdom of “assisting in the nurturing and transforming power of heaven and earth” and “the Way follows nature,” thoroughly discarding the industrial civilization myth of “growth above all” and “conquering nature,” internalizing respecting, conforming to, and protecting nature as the development ethics and civilizational consensus of the entire society. The ethics of “loving people and cherishing things” is concretized into the modernizational governance foundation of “ecological benefits for the people,” innovatively developing the profound sentiment of “the people are the foundation of the state” and “the benevolent love others” into the fundamental stance that “a sound ecological environment is the most inclusive public good for people’s well-being,” [14]14 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection,” May 18, 2018. unequivocally placing improving environmental quality, enhancing ecological welfare, and optimizing the living environment at the core of national governance, profoundly interpreting the Communist Party of China’s responsibility and commitment to “plan for future generations and seek long-term development.” The lifestyle view of “taking and using with restraint” is internalized into the modernizational civilizational trend of “green and low-carbon,” using the survival wisdom of “frugality cultivates virtue” and “strengthen the foundation and economize on expenditures” to cultivate society’s awareness of conservation, environmental protection, and ecology, making green consumption, low-carbon travel, and waste sorting new lifestyle trends in the New Era. This profoundly reveals that Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization contains the mighty power to transform cultural confidence into development consciousness and to illuminate the path of rejuvenation with historical wisdom.

习近平生态文明思想蕴含的历史文化底蕴绝非抽象符号，而是深度参与塑造了中国式现代化的价值导向、治理逻辑与生活风尚。“天人合一”的宇宙观升华为“和谐共生”的现代化价值灵魂，充分吸收“参赞化育”“道法自然”的古老智慧，彻底摒弃了“增长至上”“征服自然”的工业文明迷思，使尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然内化为全社会的发展伦理与文明共识。“仁民爱物”的伦理观具象化为“生态惠民”的现代化治理基点，将“民惟邦本”“仁者爱人”的深厚情怀创新性发展为“良好生态环境是最普惠的民生福祉”的根本立场，旗帜鲜明地将改善环境质量、增进生态福祉、优化人居环境置于治国理政的核心位置，深刻诠释了中国共产党“为子孙后代计、为长远发展谋”的责任担当。“取用有节”的生活观内化为“绿色低碳”的现代化文明风尚，以“俭以养德”“强本节用”的生存智慧，培育全社会节约意识、环保意识、生态意识，使绿色消费、低碳出行、垃圾分类等成为新时代的生活新风尚。这深刻昭示，习近平生态文明思想蕴含着将文化自信转化为发展自觉、以历史智慧照鉴复兴道路的磅礴力量。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization demonstrates powerful practical force, guiding the creation of the ecological foundation of Chinese-path modernization.

习近平生态文明思想彰显强大的实践伟力，指引绘就中国式现代化的生态底色

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, [15]15 The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held in November 2012, marking the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. China’s ecological civilization construction has undergone historic, transformative, and comprehensive changes. The fundamental reason lies in the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and in the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. This important thought has been fully proven by practice, leading the construction of a beautiful China to take major steps forward and creating world-renowned ecological and green development miracles.

党的十八大以来，我国生态文明建设发生了历史性、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，在于习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想特别是习近平生态文明思想的科学指引。这一重要思想得到了实践的充分证明，引领美丽中国建设迈出重大步伐，创造了举世瞩目的生态奇迹和绿色发展奇迹。

Green development is an important component of the new development philosophy. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in "Guiding Development with a New Development Philosophy": "Green, circular, and low-carbon development is the direction of the current era's technological revolution and industrial transformation, and it is the most promising field of development." [16]16 The “Decision” of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC: A key policy document adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in July 2024, outlining major reforms and strategic directions for the next phase of China’s development. Looking back at the process of human modernization, some countries were once deeply mired in the dilemma of "pollute first, treat later," sacrificing the ecological environment for temporary economic growth, ultimately paying a high price. The lessons of this serve as a profound warning to us: the traditional extensive, resource-consuming development model is no longer sustainable, and the rigid constraints of resources and the environment are increasingly becoming a global challenge. Green development focuses on solving the problem of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature and is a necessary condition for sustainable development. Since the New Era, China has achieved remarkable results in ecological civilization construction and ecological environmental protection. The green development concept embodied in Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization complements

绿色发展是新发展理念的重要组成部分。习近平总书记在《以新的发展理念引领发展》中指出：“绿色循环低碳发展，是当今时代科技革命和产业变革的方向，是最有前途的发展领域。”回望人类现代化进程，一些国家曾深陷“先污染后治理”的难题，以牺牲生态环境换取一时经济增长，最终付出高昂代价。其教训深刻警示我们，传统粗放式、资源消耗型的发展模式已难以为继，资源环境的刚性约束日益成为全球性难题。绿色发展注重解决人与自然和谐共生问题，是永续发展的必要条件。新时代以来，我国生态文明建设和生态环境保护成效显著，习近平生态文明思想彰显的绿色发展理念，与创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的发展理念相辅相成、相互作用，不仅满足人民日益增长的优美生态环境需要，而且推动实现了更高质量、更有效率、更加公平、更可持续、更为安全的发展。绿色发展理念推动中国的发展走向历史性、全局性转变，实现了从“先污染后治理”的末端被动应对转向“源头严防、过程严管、后果严惩”的全链条主动治理，成为解码中国经济巨轮行稳致远的生态密诀，彰显了习近平生态文明思想引领发展范式深刻变革、开辟高质量发展崭新境界的磅礴实践伟力。

Promoting the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature is an essential requirement of Chinese-path modernization. In “Accelerating the Reform of the Ecological Civilization System and Building a Beautiful China,” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The modernization we are building is one in which humanity and nature coexist harmoniously. It must not only create more material and cultural wealth to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life, but also provide more high-quality ecological products to meet the people’s ever-growing needs for a beautiful ecological environment.” This important exposition profoundly reveals how Chinese-path modernization transcends Western modernization. The “Decision” of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC states: “Focus on building a beautiful China, accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, improve the ecological and environmental governance system, promote ecological priority, conservation and intensive use, green and low-carbon development, and promote the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature.” This summarizes a series of new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding the ecological turn in the path of modernization development, greatly enriching and developing the theoretical system of Chinese-path modernization. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization abandons the old path of “pollute first, treat later,” profoundly explaining that modernization must respect the laws of nature, conform to natural evolution, and protect natural value, ultimately achieving a win-win situation for human well-being and ecological health. It resolves the worldwide problems of the “growth trap” and “ecological deficit,” fundamentally transforming and correcting the non-ecological and anti-ecological nature of Western modernization, and promotes the realization of a state of harmonious coexistence between people, between people and society, and between humanity and nature for a better life.

促进人与自然和谐共生是中国式现代化的本质要求。习近平总书记在《加快生态文明体制改革，建设美丽中国》中指出：“我们要建设的现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化，既要创造更多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。”这一重要论述深刻揭示了中国式现代化对西方现代化的超越。党的二十届三中全会《决定》提出：“聚焦建设美丽中国，加快经济社会发展全面绿色转型，健全生态环境治理体系，推进生态优先、节约集约、绿色低碳发展，促进人与自然和谐共生。”这概括了习近平总书记对现代化发展道路生态转向的一系列新理念新思想新战略，极大丰富发展了中国式现代化的理论体系。习近平生态文明思想摒弃“先污染后治理”的老路，深刻说明现代化建设必须尊重自然规律、顺应自然演进、保护自然价值，最终实现人类福祉与生态健康的双赢，破解了“增长陷阱”与“生态赤字”的世界性难题，从根本上变革、矫正了西方现代化的非生态性和反生态性，推动实现人与人、人与社会、人与自然和谐共生的美好生活状态。

Promoting the organic unity of high-quality development and high-level protection. How to balance ecological environmental protection with economic and social development is a universal and fundamental challenge faced by all countries in the process of modernization. In “Several Major Relationships That Need to Be Handled Well in Promoting Ecological Civilization Construction,” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “High-quality development and high-level protection are mutually reinforcing and complementary. High-level protection is an important support for high-quality development, and high-quality development that prioritizes ecology and is green and low-carbon can only be achieved through high-level protection.” Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization regards greening and low-carbon transformation of economic and social development as a key link in achieving high-quality development, creatively proposing the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. This important concept profoundly reveals the inherent unity between ecological environmental protection and economic and social development, guiding us to deeply understand that lucid waters and lush mountains are not only natural wealth and ecological wealth but also precious assets containing enormous economic and social value. It scientifically clarifies that “protection” and “development” are not opposing options but a unity that can transform into and complement each other. The concept and practice of lucid waters and lush mountains being invaluable assets demonstrate the most iconic and penetrating practical power of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. It opens up a realistic channel for the mutual transformation of “green” and “wealth,” injecting a continuous stream of green momentum into Chinese-path modernization with its profound dialectics and outstanding practical wisdom. It also provides a Chinese wisdom and Chinese solution of great reference value for the world to solve the dilemma of development and protection and achieve sustainable development.

推动实现高质量发展和高水平保护的有机统一。如何平衡生态环境保护与经济社会发展，是各国在现代化进程中面临的普遍性、根本性难题。习近平总书记在《推进生态文明建设需要处理好几个重大关系》中指出：“高质量发展和高水平保护是相辅相成、相得益彰的。高水平保护是高质量发展的重要支撑，生态优先、绿色低碳的高质量发展只有依靠高水平保护才能实现。”习近平生态文明思想把推动经济社会发展绿色化、低碳化作为实现高质量发展的关键环节，创造性提出绿水青山就是金山银山理念。这一重要理念深刻揭示了生态环境保护与经济社会发展具有内在统一性，指引我们深刻认识绿水青山既是自然财富、生态财富，更是蕴藏着巨大经济价值和社会价值的宝贵资产，科学阐明“保护”与“发展”不是对立选项，而是可以相互转化、相得益彰的统一体。绿水青山就是金山银山的理念与实践，展现出习近平生态文明思想最具标识性、最具穿透力的实践伟力。它打通了“绿”与“富”相互转化的现实通道，以其深刻的辩证法和卓越的实践智慧，为中国式现代化注入了源源不断的绿色动能，也为全球破解发展与保护难题、实现可持续发展提供了极具借鉴价值的中国智慧和中国方案。

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization provides new ideas and directions for global ecological governance, demonstrating extraordinary global contributions.

习近平生态文明思想为全球生态治理提供了新的思路和方向，展现出非凡的世界贡献

In “Working Together for Global Ecological Civilization and Building a Clean and Beautiful World,” General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Humanity has only one Earth. Protecting the ecological environment and promoting sustainable development are the common responsibilities of all countries.” Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, with a concern for the future of humanity and the well-being of the people, provides a scientific answer to China’s questions, the world’s questions, the people’s questions, and the questions of the times regarding ecological civilization construction under the historical conditions of complex and profound changes in the world, national conditions, and social conditions. It has made tremendous contributions to promoting the establishment of a fair, reasonable, and win-win global environmental governance system.

习近平总书记在《共谋全球生态文明建设之路，努力建设清洁美丽的世界》中指出：“人类只有一个地球，保护生态环境、推动可持续发展是各国的共同责任。”习近平生态文明思想以人类前途为怀、以人民福祉为念，是在世情国情社情发生复杂深刻变化的历史条件下，对生态文明建设的中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问作出的科学解答，为推动构建公平合理、合作共赢的全球环境治理体系作出了巨大贡献。

It has achieved a transcendence of Western environmental theories and the concept of sustainable development. For a long time, modern Western environmental theories dominating global discourse have mostly overemphasized human interests in the relationship between humanity and nature, believing that protecting nature merely serves human needs. They are either trapped in the binary opposition between “anthropocentrism” and “ecocentrism,” or mired in the instrumental rationality myth of technological omnipotence and market infallibility, or succumb to the plunder of ecological resources and global governance imbalance driven by the logic of capital. The Western concept of sustainable development also focuses on solving basic problems such as poverty, hunger, and environmental sanitation, failing to reflect higher-order goals such as pursuing high-quality development and high-level protection. When addressing increasingly severe global ecological crises, it struggles to provide truly fair, inclusive, and sustainable global solutions. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization abandons the fragmented thinking in Western theories. On the one hand, it proposes the important concept of a “community of life on Earth,” emphasizing that ecological civilization construction concerns the future of humanity and that cooperation must be strengthened, thereby transcending modern Western environmental theories from the dimension of global ecological civilization construction and ecological environmental governance. On the other hand, it unequivocally transcends the alienation of ecological governance by the logic of capital, making the resolution of prominent ecological and environmental issues a priority area for people’s livelihoods, emphasizing adherence to benefiting, profiting, and serving the people through ecology. This embodies the value stance of putting the people first, injecting powerful moral strength into building a new, fairer, and more reasonable order for global ecological governance.

实现了对西方环境理论和可持续发展观的超越。长期以来，主导全球话语的现代西方环境理论对人与自然的关系，大多都过于强调人的利益，认为保护自然仅仅是服务于人的需要，或囿于“人类中心主义”与“生态中心主义”的二元对立，或陷于技术至上、市场万能的工具理性迷思，或屈服于资本逻辑主导下的生态资源掠夺与全球治理失衡。西方的可持续发展观也重在解决贫困、饥饿、环境卫生等基础性问题，未能体现追求高质量发展、高水平保护等高阶目标，在解决日益严峻的全球性生态危机时，难以提供真正公平、普惠、可持续的全球方案。习近平生态文明思想摒弃了西方理论中的割裂思维，一方面提出“地球生命共同体”的重要理念，强调生态文明建设关乎人类未来，必须加强合作，从全球生态文明建设和生态环境治理的维度超越了现代西方环境理论；另一方面旗帜鲜明地超越了资本逻辑对生态治理的异化，把解决突出生态环境问题作为民生优先领域，强调坚持生态惠民、生态利民、生态为民，体现了人民至上的价值立场，为构建更加公平合理的全球生态治理新秩序注入了强大的道义力量。

The green “Belt and Road Initiative” is an important practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization on a global scale. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in “Actively Building a ‘Green Silk Road’”: “Strive to build the Belt and Road into a road of peace, prosperity, openness, green development, innovation, and civilization.” [17]17 "Jointly Building a Community of All Life on Earth" is a keynote speech delivered by Xi Jinping at the Leaders' Summit of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) on October 12, 2021. Global sustainable development is often trapped in structural dilemmas, and systemic ecological crises call for close and efficient global cooperation. However, the traditional development cooperation system has long separated development from environmental protection, forcing many developing countries to overdraw their ecological capital under the pressure of growth, deeply trapped in the vicious cycle of “pollute first, treat later” or “growth without development,” exacerbating global ecological injustice and becoming a huge obstacle to building a community of life

绿色“一带一路”是习近平生态文明思想在全球范围的重要实践。习近平总书记在《积极打造“绿色丝绸之路”》中指出：“努力把‘一带一路’建设成为和平之路、繁荣之路、开放之路、绿色之路、创新之路、文明之路。”全球可持续发展常常陷于结构性困境，系统性生态危机呼唤紧密高效的全球合作。但传统发展合作体系长期割裂发展与环保，迫使众多发展中国家在增长压力下透支生态资本，深陷“先污染后治理”或“有增长无发展”的恶性循环，加剧了全球生态不公，成为构建地球生命共同体的巨大障碍。习近平主席在“一带一路”国际合作高峰论坛开幕式上指出：“要践行绿色发展的新理念，倡导绿色、低碳、循环、可持续的生产生活方式，加强生态环保合作，建设生态文明，共同实现2030年可持续发展目标。”绿色是“一带一路”的鲜明底色和内在属性，共建绿色“一带一路”，就是探索一条“绿水青山就是金山银山”的“一带一路”、绿色发展共同繁荣之路。习近平总书记亲自倡导并推动将绿色发展理念全方位、深层次融入“一带一路”倡议，从顶层设计到落地实施，“绿色”成为贯穿基础设施“硬联通”、规则标准“软联通”、民心相通“心联通”的核心因素。向共建国家大规模转移光伏风电等先进清洁能源技术，成立“一带一路”绿色发展国际联盟等机制化平台，系统性分享环境治理经验……绿色“一带一路”以看得见、摸得着的合作成果，为破解全球发展困境、促进共同繁荣提供了极具说服力的中国智慧和中国方案。

Jointly building a community of all life on Earth is a major innovation in solving global development problems. Earth is the common and only home of humanity. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in "Jointly Building a Community of All Life on Earth": "We need to accelerate the formation of green development methods, promote a win-win situation for economic development and environmental protection, and build an Earth home where the economy and the environment advance in coordination." General Secretary Xi Jinping calls on the international community to strengthen cooperation, think with one mind and act with one will, and jointly build a community of all life on Earth. Jointly building a community of all life on Earth is an original concept proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping from the height of promoting sustainable human development to solve the difficulties currently facing human development. At present, global ecological crises such as climate change and biodiversity loss are deeply intertwined, the problems of fragmentation and inefficiency in traditional governance systems are prominent, and human development faces unprecedented systemic risks. There is an urgent need for a new concept that transcends narrow national interests, possesses a holistic vision and inclusive values, to lead change. The major concept of jointly building a community of all life on Earth deeply perceives the historical iron law that the rise and fall of ecology determines the survival of civilization, calls on the international community to transcend zero-sum games, establish a sense of community of sharing weal and woe and sharing responsibility, and place the common well-being of all humanity at the core of global governance. Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization closely links China's own development with the overall development of the world, connects the destiny of humanity with the broad life on Earth, guides us to actively participate in global ecological and environmental governance, strengthen South-South cooperation, and promote sustainable human development, fully demonstrating China's historical responsibility as a participant, contributor, and leader in global ecological civilization construction.

共建地球生命共同体是解决全球发展问题的重大创新。地球是人类共同的、唯一的家园。习近平总书记在《共同构建地球生命共同体》中指出：“我们要加快形成绿色发展方式，促进经济发展和环境保护双赢，构建经济与环境协同共进的地球家园。”习近平总书记呼吁国际社会加强合作，心往一处想、劲往一处使，共建地球生命共同体。共建地球生命共同体，是习近平总书记站在促进人类可持续发展的高度提出的破解当前人类发展面临困境的原创性概念。当前，气候变化、生物多样性丧失等全球性生态危机深度交织，传统治理体系碎片化、低效化问题突出，人类发展面临前所未有的系统性风险，迫切需要一种超越狭隘国家利益、具有整体性视野和包容性价值的新理念引领变革。共建地球生命共同体的重大理念深刻洞悉生态兴衰决定文明存续的历史铁律，呼吁国际社会超越零和博弈，树立休戚与共、责任共担的共同体意识，将全人类共同福祉置于全球治理的核心。习近平生态文明思想将中国自身发展与世界整体发展紧密联系在一起，将人类的命运与地球上广泛的生命联系在一起，指引我们积极参与全球生态环境治理，加强南南合作，促进人类可持续发展，充分彰显了我国作为全球生态文明建设参与者、贡献者、引领者的历史担当。

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心