Accelerating the Construction of an Autonomous Knowledge System for Chinese Ecological Economics

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “To accelerate the construction of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics, the fundamental task is to construct an autonomous Chinese knowledge system.” This important thesis has pointed out the fundamental direction for the innovative development of Chinese ecological economics.

习近平总书记强调：“加快构建中国特色哲学社会科学，归根结底是建构中国自主的知识体系。”这一重要论断为中国生态经济学创新发展指明了根本方向。

The construction of an ecological civilization is a fundamental plan concerning the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. It has not only reshaped the paradigm of economic and social development but also given rise to an urgent need for theoretical innovation. Constructing an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese ecological economics is both a theoretical self-awareness that responds to the questions of China, the world, the people, and the era, and an action-oriented self-awareness that disseminates the Chinese voice, Chinese discourse, Chinese theory, and Chinese thought. It is also a responsibility to contribute Chinese wisdom to global sustainable development.

生态文明建设是关乎中华民族永续发展的根本大计，不仅重塑了经济社会发展范式，更催生了理论创新的迫切需求。构建中国生态经济学自主知识体系，既是回应中国之问、世界之问、人民之问、时代之问的理论自觉，又是传播中国声音、中国话语、中国理论、中国思想的行动自觉，也是为全球可持续发展贡献中国智慧的责任担当。

The Mission of the Era to Promote Chinese-Path Modernization Featuring Harmony between Humanity and Nature

推动人与自然和谐共生的现代化的时代使命

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC [1]1 The 18th National Congress of the CPC, held in 2012, marked the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership., the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has incorporated the construction of an ecological civilization into the important content of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the coordinated advancement of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy. It has promoted China’s ecological civilization construction with unprecedented resolve and intensity, achieving remarkable accomplishments that have attracted worldwide attention. Constructing an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese ecological economics is the mission of the era to thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and to promote Chinese-path modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature.

党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央将生态文明建设纳入“五位一体”总体布局和协调推进“四个全面”战略布局的重要内容，以前所未有的决心和力度推进中国生态文明建设，取得举世瞩目的巨大成就。构建中国生态经济学自主知识体系，是深入贯彻习近平生态文明思想，推动人与自然和谐共生的现代化的时代使命。

As a theoretical summary of the laws of ecological civilization development and the experience of China’s ecological civilization construction, Chinese ecological economics must be grounded in China’s national conditions and development stage. It must systematically summarize the great practice of China’s ecological civilization construction, condense local experience, define iconic concepts, refine original theories, and construct an autonomous knowledge system. Facing the strategic window period of restructuring the global ecological environment governance system and green low-carbon transformation, China urgently needs to form an autonomous, systematic, and leading knowledge framework in areas such as the value recognition of ecological products, green development pathways, and governance institutional systems. This will enhance China’s theoretical expressiveness and institutional shaping power within the discourse system of international ecological environment governance. Constructing an autonomous knowledge system for ecological economics with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese manner is both a practical need to summarize the great practice of China’s ecological civilization construction and the mission of the era to promote Chinese-path modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature.

中国生态经济学作为生态文明发展规律和中国生态文明建设经验的理论总结，必须立足中国国情和发展阶段，系统总结中国生态文明建设伟大实践，凝练本土经验，界定标识性概念，提炼原创性理论，构建自主知识体系。面对全球生态环境治理格局重构和绿色低碳转型的战略窗口期，中国急需在生态产品价值认知、绿色发展路径、治理制度体系等方面形成具有自主性、系统性和引领性的知识框架，提升中国在国际生态环境治理话语体系中的理论表达力与制度塑造力。构建具有中国特色、中国风格、中国气派的生态经济学自主知识体系，既是总结中国生态文明建设伟大实践的现实需要，也是推动人与自然和谐共生的现代化的时代使命。

The Great Practice of China’s Ecological Civilization Construction Consolidates the “Root” of the Autonomous Knowledge System of Chinese Ecological Economics

中国生态文明建设伟大实践夯实中国生态经济学自主知识体系的“根”

The sustained improvement in ecological environment quality has verified the practical foundation of China’s ecological economic value theory. In the field of environmental quality governance, achievements such as a 57% decrease in PM2.5 concentration in key cities nationwide and “dual growth” in forest area and stock volume for over 30 consecutive years confirm the core concept of Chinese ecological economics that “a sound ecological environment is the most inclusive public good for people’s well-being.” This practice breaks through the mindset of Western environmental economics that treats ecological protection as an appendage of economic growth. By coordinating high-level protection and high-quality development, it highlights the value orientation of ecological priority and people-centeredness, embodying the Chinese wisdom contained in the great practice of China’s ecological civilization construction.

生态环境质量的持续改善，验证了中国生态经济价值理论的现实根基。在环境质量治理领域，全国重点城市PM2.5浓度下降57%、森林面积和蓄积连续30余年“双增长”等成就，印证了中国生态经济学关于“生态环境是最普惠民生福祉”的核心理念。这一实践突破西方环境经济学将生态保护视为经济增长附属的思维定式，通过统筹高水平保护和高质量发展，彰显了生态优先、人民至上的价值取向，体现了中国生态文明建设伟大实践所蕴含的中国智慧。

The comprehensive advancement of green transformation has tested the practical logic of China’s ecological economic green development theory. From 2013 to 2024, China supported an average annual economic growth rate of 6.11% with an average annual energy consumption growth rate of 3.34%, breaking the traditional development path of high energy consumption driving high growth. This fully confirms the theoretical proposition of Chinese ecological economics that economic development and ecological environmental protection can advance in synergy. Green industries represented by new energy vehicles have achieved leapfrog development, further verifying the practical feasibility of technological progress driving economic green transformation. Driven by the benign interaction mechanism between an “effective government” and an “efficient market,” China has not only achieved a major breakthrough in the green development path but has also provided a Chinese paradigm that can be referenced, promoted, and replicated for developing countries to resolve the contradiction between resource constraints and economic growth.

绿色转型的全面推进，检验了中国生态经济绿色发展理论的实践逻辑。2013年至2024年，中国以年均3.34%的能源消费增速支撑了年均6.11%的经济增长，打破了高能耗推动高增长的传统发展路径，充分印证了中国生态经济学主张的经济发展与生态环境保护协同共进的理论主张。以新能源汽车为代表的绿色产业实现跨越式发展，进一步验证了技术进步驱动经济绿色转型的现实可行性。在“有为政府”与“有效市场”良性互动机制的推动下，中国不仅实现了绿色发展路径的重大突破，也为广大发展中国家走出资源约束与经济增长矛盾提供了可借鉴、可推广、可复制的中国范式。

The systematic innovation of the ecological institutional system has perfected the structural framework of China’s ecological economic governance theory. From the inclusion of ecological civilization in the Constitution to the improvement of the “1+N+4” legal system [2]2 The “1+N+4” legal system refers to China’s framework for ecological civilization: one foundational law (the Environmental Protection Law), N specialized laws, and four supporting regulations., this marks a leap from theoretical speculation to institutional design in ecological economics. Institutional innovations such as central environmental protection inspections and the river and lake chief system [3]3 The river and lake chief system assigns specific officials responsibility for the protection and management of water bodies, a key institutional innovation in Chinese environmental governance. have transformed the principle of “internalizing externalities” in ecological economics into governance practices with Chinese characteristics, forming an institutional advantage of joint Party-government responsibility and multi-stakeholder co-governance. This institutional innovation both inherits the governance philosophy of “unity of heaven and humanity” from traditional Chinese ecological wisdom and creatively transforms modern property rights economics theory, constructing a Chinese solution for ecological governance.

生态制度体系的系统创新，完善了中国生态经济治理理论的结构体系。从生态文明被写入宪法到“1+N+4”法律制度体系的完善，标志着生态经济学从理论思辨向制度设计的跨越。中央环保督察、河湖长制等制度创新，将生态经济学“外部性内部化”原理转化为中国特色的治理实践，形成党政同责、多元共治的制度优势。这种制度创新既继承了中国传统生态智慧中的“天人合一”治理哲学，又创造性转化了现代产权经济学理论，构建起生态治理的中国方案。

The Practice of the “Two Mountains” Concept Forges the “Soul” of the Autonomous Knowledge System of Chinese Ecological Economics

“两山”理念的践行铸就了中国生态经济学自主知识体系的“魂”

The scientific thesis that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” [4]4 “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” is the core slogan of the “Two Mountains” concept (绿水青山就是金山银山), a foundational principle of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. is rooted in the Sinicized innovation of the Marxist ecological view. It emphasizes transforming the value inherent in a sound ecological environment into tangible economic benefits and is one of the core propositions of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese ecological economics.

“绿水青山就是金山银山”的科学论断，植根于马克思主义生态观的中国化创新，强调将良好生态环境蕴含的价值转化为实实在在的经济效益，是中国生态经济学自主知识体系的核心命题之一。

Practicing the “Two Mountains” concept consolidates the theoretical support for the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese ecological economics. The “Two Mountains” concept defines “lucid waters and lush mountains” and “ice and snow” as “natural capital,” achieving a cognitive leap from “nature as an object of labor” to “nature as a source of value.” It provides a philosophical foundation for Chinese-path modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature, and vividly demonstrates the practical logic that ecological protection is the development of productive forces through typical cases such as Yucun Village [5]5 Yucun Village in Zhejiang Province is a celebrated model of ecological transformation, where abandoning polluting industries for green development demonstrated the “Two Mountains” concept in practice.. The “Two Mountains” concept infuses a soul into the construction of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese ecological economics, realizing a paradigm revolution from the “externality” theory of Western environmental economics to the “ecological endogenization” theory with Chinese characteristics.

践行“两山”理念夯实了中国生态经济学自主知识体系的学理支撑。“两山”理念将“绿水青山”“冰天雪地”界定为“自然资本”，实现了从“自然作为劳动对象”到“自然作为价值源泉”的认知跃升，为中国式现代化提供了人与自然和谐共生的哲学基础，并以余村等典型案例生动展现了生态保护即是发展生产力的实践逻辑。“两山”理念为构建中国生态经济学自主知识体系注入了灵魂，实现了从西方环境经济学“外部性”理论到中国特色“生态内生化”理论的范式革命。

Practicing the “Two Mountains” concept expands the theoretical connotation of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese ecological economics. Guided by the “Two Mountains” concept, China has constructed mechanisms such as Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) accounting, ecological compensation, and carbon trading to unlock the key links in realizing the value of ecological products, promoting the systematic transformation of “lucid waters and lush mountains” into “invaluable assets.” This process not only enriches and develops the theoretical connotation of Chinese ecological economics but also achieves a shift from empirical summary to theoretical sublimation, promoting the construction of an autonomous knowledge system for ecological economics that is grounded in China’s national conditions and possesses both practical support and theoretical originality.

践行“两山”理念拓展了中国生态经济学自主知识体系理论内涵。在“两山”理念指引下，中国通过构建GEP核算、生态补偿、碳交易等机制，打通生态产品价值实现的关键环节，推动“绿水青山”向“金山银山”的系统性转化。这一过程不仅丰富和发展了中国生态经济学的理论内涵，更实现了从经验总结到理论升华，推动构建立足中国国情、兼具实践支撑与理论原创性的生态经济学自主知识体系。

Practicing the “Two Mountains” concept constructs the discourse framework of the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese ecological economics. The “Two Mountains” concept not only resolves the “growth-environment” paradox, providing a Chinese solution for sustainable development to countries of the Global South, but also participates in global environmental governance rules through the “natural capital” concept and ecological institutional design, making Chinese contributions to the progress of human civilization and sustainable development.

践行“两山”理念构建了中国生态经济学自主知识体系的话语框架。“两山”理念不仅破解了“增长—环境”悖论，为“全球南方”国家提供了可持续发展的中国方案，更以“自然资本”理念和生态制度设计参与全球环境治理规则，为人类文明进步与可持续发展作出中国贡献。

Constructing an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese ecological economics is both a theoretical need for advancing Chinese-path modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature and an important pathway for promoting global ecological environment governance. The great practice of China’s ecological civilization construction provides solid support for the autonomous knowledge system of Chinese ecological economics, while the “Two Mountains” concept infuses it with a theoretical soul. Looking to the future, we should continue to deepen the summarization of local experience, the definition of iconic concepts, the refinement of original theories, and the expression of Chinese discourse. We must adhere to the Two Integrations [6]6 The Two Integrations refer to integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture., continuously enhance the originality, explanatory power, and dissemination capacity of Chinese ecological economics, accelerate the formation of an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese ecological economics with Chinese characteristics, embodying the spirit of the times and leading future development, and contribute more Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global ecological environment governance.

构建中国生态经济学自主知识体系，是推进人与自然和谐共生的中国式现代化的理论需要，也是推动全球生态环境治理的重要路径。中国生态文明建设的伟大实践，为中国生态经济学自主知识体系提供了坚实支撑，“两山”理念则为其注入了理论灵魂。面向未来，应持续深化本土经验总结、标识性概念界定、原创理论提炼和中国话语表达，坚持“两个结合”，不断提升中国生态经济学的原创力、解释力和传播力，加快形成具有中国特色、体现时代精神、引领未来发展的中国生态经济学自主知识体系，在全球生态环境治理中贡献更多中国智慧和中国方案。

(The author is the Party Secretary of Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics)

（作者系江西财经大学党委书记）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧