China's Epic Journey from Poverty to Prosperity

5. Historic Changes to the Eco-Environment

A sound eco-environment is the most inclusive contributor to people's wellbeing, and a salient feature of moderate prosperity in all respects. To further the interests and wellbeing of both current and future generations, and guarantee China's sustainable development, the CPC has decreed that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. It has adopted a basic national policy of resource conservation and environmental protection, and worked hard to build a Beautiful China. Its endeavors have made the skies bluer, the lands greener, and the waters more lucid across the vast and beautiful landscape of the country, and added more green touches to the planet that is home to us all.

China has formulated and enforced stringent systems for eco-environmental protection. It applies the principles and methods of the rule of law into practice in promoting eco-environmental progress. By enacting the strictest Environmental Protection Law in its history, and formulating or amending a range of other laws and regulations, it has created a legal framework on the eco-environment that covers all environmental factors in major fields.

China has established a series of eco-environmental protection systems in areas such as efficient use of resources, conservation and restoration, lifelong accountability for damage, responsibility for and performance evaluation of targets, and central government supervision. The most rigid possible constraints imposed by these stringent systems have resulted in better outcomes in changing the development model, fostering eco-friendly habits among the people, and promoting environmental protection and governance.

China has implemented the system of "river chiefs", "lake chiefs", and "forest chiefs" across the country, managing its river courses carefully as if they were sub-districts in urban areas, and protecting its reservoir areas with the same care as scenic resorts. As a result, designated personnel are in place to tend mountains, plant trees, protect forests, and take on related responsibilities, thus establishing lasting governance of the eco-environment.

China has involved the whole of society in eco-environmental protection. A better system has been established for public participation, including decision-making, scrutiny, and reporting on environmental violations; environment-related information has become more transparent; and public awareness of environmental protection has been raised. The people have therefore benefited from green development while contributing to eco-environmental progress.

China has made strong headway in preventing and controlling pollution. In its drive to keep the skies blue, the waters clear, and the land pollution-free, China achieved the following in 2020:

・In cities at or above prefecture level, 87 percent days reached good or excellent air quality.

・In cities at or above prefecture level that fell short of the national standards, average PM2.5 concentrations decreased by 28.8 percent from 2015.

・The proportion of excellent and good-quality surface water reached 83.4 percent.

・Up to 94.5 percent of the drinking water sources serving urban communities reached the required standards.

・Black and foul water bodies in urban built-up areas at or above the prefecture level were largely eliminated.

・Approximately 90 percent of polluted farmland and more than 93 percent of polluted land plots were rendered safe for use.

・The target of bringing down the imports of foreign solid waste to zero was achieved as scheduled.

In a more beautiful living environment with fresher air, cleaner drinking water, and safer food, the people have enjoyed the pleasures brought by environmental improvements, and registered greater satisfaction with the improved eco-environment and a stronger sense of gain. In 2020, 89.5 percent of Chinese people were satisfied with the eco-environment.

China has improved the health and stability of its ecosystems. Prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection, and letting nature restore itself, the country has protected and managed its mountain, river, forest, farmland, lake, grassland, and desert ecosystems with a holistic approach. It has improved its management and inspection systems for nature reserves and eco-environmental protection zones, thereby strengthening eco-environmental security and ensuring China's sustainable development (Panel 7).

Panel 7 Examples of Eco-Environmental Progress

Saihanba Mechanized Forest Farm

Since its inception in 1962, the Saihanba Mechanized Forest Farm in Hebei Province has created a miracle from wasteland to woodland, thanks to the hard work and dedication of generations of local people. Compared with the early years, its forest area has risen from 16,000 ha to 77,000 ha, its forest stock has surged from 330,000 cu m to 10.4 million cu m, and its forest coverage rate has soared from 11.4 percent to 82 percent. The farm can conserve and purify 274 million cu m of water, sequestrate 814,100 tonnes of carbon, and release 570,600 tonnes of oxygen every year. Since its founding, the forest farm has accumulated RMB20.6 billion in total assets from an investment of RMB1.8 billion, and elevated its annual revenues from less than RMB100,000 to RMB160 million. Its employees now earn an average annual income of RMB100,000. The forest farm also benefits more than 40,000 people in its community, and has helped 22,000 people move out of poverty. It received the Champions of the Earth award from the UN in 2017.

Shelterbelts in northeastern, northern and northwestern regions

China launched this project in 1978 as a fundamental action to counter the sandstorms and soil erosion in these regions. The project spans 13 provinces and autonomous regions covering a total area of close to 4.1 million sq km, or 42.4 percent of China's land mass. It is scheduled to continue for 73 years through 2050, and plans to develop 35.1 million ha of forests, of which 26.4 million ha, or 75.1 percent, are earmarked for man-made forests. The largest forestation project in the world, it will increase forest coverage in these regions from just over 5 percent to just under 15 percent, effectively curbing sandstorms and containing soil erosion. By the end of 2020, the area of planted trees had increased to 30.1 million ha, and the project areas had seen a rise in their forest coverage to 13.6 percent, and a boom in their forestry, fruit industry and ecotourism, among many other environmental, economic, and social benefits.