Reform of the System for Developing an Ecological Civilization

In November 2012, the 18th CPC National Congress articulated its strategic vision for institution building for promoting ecological progress. Related guidelines were unveiled in November 2013 by the 18th Central Committee at its third plenary session, and the need for an effective legal framework was highlighted in October 2014 at its fourth plenary session. An overall plan for institutional reform for promoting ecological progress was jointly issued in September 2015 by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, outlining measures for protection against excessive development, total resource management, ecological compensation, environmental governance, and performance appraisal, among others.

The 19th CPC National Congress reaffirmed the importance of accelerating institutional reform for developing an ecological civilization and building a beautiful China, and specified reform measures, including promoting green development, tackling thorny environmental issues, strengthening the protection of ecosystems, and improving environmental oversight and monitoring.

It emphasized the need to strengthen overall planning and leadership for developing an ecological civilization, and establish regulatory agencies to manage state-owned natural resource assets and monitor ecosystems. A unified environmental protection framework will be in place, under which oversight agencies are authorized to regulate the use of public-owned natural resource assets and land use, to impose appropriate measures to protect and restore ecosystems, and to monitor pollutant discharge amounts in urban and rural areas and take enforcement actions whenever and wherever necessary.

A complete system for land use regulation and protection against overdevelopment will include policies on functional zones and protected areas, especially national parks. Any activity that damages the ecosystems will be subject to punishment.

These strategic measures aim to tackle the thorniest and most serious environmental challenges with targeted actions, and develop policies and laws that support ecosystems protection and improve related institutional structures, so as to modernize China’s national governance system and capacity for ecosystems protection.

生態文明體制改革

2012年11月，中共十八大提出，加快建立生態文明制度的戰略部署；2013年11月，中共十八屆三中全會提出，加快建立系統完整的生態文明制度體系；2014年10月，中共十八屆四中全會要求，用嚴格的法律制度保護生態環境；2015年9月，中共中央、國務院聯合發布《生態文明體制改革總體方案》，從空間開發保護、資源總量管理、生態補償、環境治理體系、績效考核等8個方面做出頂層設計。中共十九大進一步提出，加快生態文明體制改革，建設美麗中國。同時部署了推進綠色發展、著力解決突出環境問題、加大生態系統保護力度、改革生態環境監管體制4方面改革措施。中共十九大還強調，加強對生態文明建設的總體設計和組織領導，設立國有自然資源資產管理和自然生態監管機構，完善生態環境管理制度，統一行使全民所有自然資源資產所有者職責，統一行使所有國土空間用途管制和生態保護修復職責，統一行使監管城鄉各類污染排放和行政執法職責。構建國土空間開發保護制度，完善主體功能區配套政策，建立以國家公園為主體的自然保護地體系。堅決制止和懲處破壞生態環境行為。

這些戰略部署和重大舉措，旨在從最棘手、最突出的生態環境問題入手，通過實施專項行動、建立配套政策法規、改革組織架構，提升生態環境領域國家治理體系和治理能力現代化水平。