A good ecological environment is an inherent requirement for realizing the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, a priority area for improving people’s livelihood and well-being, and an important foundation for building a beautiful China. Recently, "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Deepening the Fight against Pollution" (hereinafter referred to as "Opinions") was issued and implemented, which clearly stated that it is necessary to continuously improve the quality of ecosystems, implement major projects for biodiversity protection, and strengthen ecological protection supervision. Ecological and environmental departments at all levels should firmly establish a sense of responsibility and responsibility, earnestly perform their duties, further promote the supervision of ecological protection, and protect green mountains and rivers.
First, strengthening the supervision of ecological protection is an important task for deepening the battle against pollution.
Ecological protection and pollution prevention are inseparable and interactive. General Secretary of the Supreme Leader once figuratively said, "Pollution prevention is like a molecule, and ecological protection is like a denominator". Pollution prevention and control is to reduce pollutants emitted by various industries in the process of economic development, and it is to do "subtraction". Ecological protection is to expand ecological space and ecological capacity, maintain biodiversity and natural vitality, and enhance the green background of high-quality development, which is "addition". The synergy between ecological protection and pollution prevention and control can continuously improve the quality of the ecological environment, which is a necessary condition for deepening the battle against pollution.
With the deepening of the reform of the ecological civilization system, the responsibilities of the ecological and environmental departments to perform ecological protection supervision are further defined, and unified implementation of ecological protection supervision and opening up ecological protection and pollution prevention will provide a strong guarantee for deepening the battle against pollution. Strengthening the supervision of ecological protection, preventing all kinds of ecological destruction and scientifically promoting ecological protection and restoration will give full play to the role of guidance and reversal, promote the green transformation of production and lifestyle, enhance the ability to reduce pollution and carbon, and continuously enhance the people’s sense of acquisition, happiness and security of a beautiful ecological environment.
During the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period, under the guidance of the supreme leader’s ecological civilization thought, China’s ecological civilization construction and ecological environment protection have undergone historic, turning and overall changes from recognition to practice. Guided by the construction of ecological civilization, China’s ecological protection supervision has been continuously strengthened, the ecological protection supervision system has been continuously improved, and the supervision ability has been continuously strengthened and improved, and remarkable results have been achieved. However, China’s ecological environment is fragile, the problems of unreasonable development and utilization of resources and ecological destruction still exist, the ecological protection supervision system is not perfect enough, the supervision means are relatively simple, and the task of ecological protection supervision is still arduous.
Second, fight the battle against pollution in depth and make clear arrangements for strengthening the supervision of ecological protection.
The "Opinions" make strategic decisions and arrangements for further strengthening ecological environmental protection and deepening the battle against pollution, provide direction guidance and work follow-up for strengthening ecological protection supervision, and are an important basis for promoting ecological protection supervision in the new era.
In terms of overall requirements,The "Opinions" emphasize that pollution control, ecological protection and climate change should be coordinated, and the strength, depth and breadth should be maintained. At present, China’s ecological environment protection has entered a new stage of coordinated management of ecological protection and pollution reduction and carbon reduction. It is necessary to adhere to the unified supervision of mountains, rivers, fields, lakes and grasses, strengthen the "four unifications" responsibilities of the ecological environment department in policy planning standards, monitoring and evaluation, supervision and law enforcement, and accountability of inspectors, highlight the coordinated promotion of natural ecology, water ecology, soil ecology and marine ecological protection supervision, build a new pattern of ecological protection supervision, and fully support the fight against pollution.
In terms of working principles,The "Opinions" emphasize that we should adhere to the concept of system, synergize, and pay attention to comprehensive governance, system governance and source governance. It is necessary to follow the inherent laws of the ecosystem, give priority to protection and give priority to natural restoration, promote the integrated protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, fields, lakes, grass and sand, focus on improving the self-repair ability and stability of the ecosystem, and enhance the supply capacity of high-quality ecological products.
In terms of objectives and tasks,The Opinions clarify that by 2025, the quality and stability of the ecosystem will continue to improve, and the ecological environment governance system will be more perfect. The key tasks are clearly defined as continuously improving the quality of ecosystems, carrying out a series of ecosystem protection and restoration projects, promoting the comprehensive improvement of national space, implementing major biodiversity protection projects, and strengthening ecological protection supervision. We must adhere to the supervision of illegal acts of ecological destruction and the performance of ecological protection and restoration, accelerate the establishment of relevant institutional systems for ecological protection supervision, innovate supervision methods and means, and build and improve the ecological protection supervision system.
Third, effectively promote the supervision of ecological protection and strive to build a vibrant beautiful homeland.
In accordance with the objectives and tasks specified in the Opinions, during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, we should adhere to the guidance of Socialism with Chinese characteristics Thought of the Supreme Leader in the New Era, thoroughly implement the ecological civilization thought of the Supreme Leader, systematically strengthen the supervision of ecological protection, accelerate the modernization of the supervision system and capacity of ecological protection, comprehensively enhance the synergy between ecological protection and pollution prevention, and lay a solid foundation for building a vibrant beautiful homeland.
First, it is deeply integrated into the big pattern of pollution prevention and control.Starting from the integrity of the ecosystem, we should strengthen the top-level design of ecological protection supervision, incorporate the objectives and tasks of ecological protection supervision into the work of ecological protection and restoration, special planning of environmental pollution control and action plan for peak carbon dioxide emission, and strengthen the whole process supervision with the core of improving the quality of the ecological environment, so as to fully implement the responsibility of ecological protection supervision. Promote local governments to implement the main responsibility, give play to the synergy among departments, elements and fields and the strength of all sectors of society, systematically enhance the synergy of ecological protection supervision, and comprehensively promote the synergy of ecological protection and restoration, environmental pollution control and carbon neutrality in peak carbon dioxide emissions.
Second, we will continue to promote the integrated protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand.Focusing on the overall layout of the "three zones and four belts" of major national ecological system protection and restoration projects, we will promote the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, fields, lakes, grass, sand and ice, enhance the service functions of forests, grasslands, rivers and lakes, deserts and oceans, and strengthen the supervision and evaluation of ecological protection and restoration. Pay close attention to the detailed implementation of the decision-making arrangements made by the State Council of the CPC Central Committee on further strengthening biodiversity protection, and formulate major project plans for biodiversity protection in the new period. Continue to carry out biodiversity survey, observation and evaluation, improve the nature reserve system with national parks as the main body, strengthen the construction of in-situ and ex-situ biodiversity protection and management system, build a biodiversity protection network, increase the protection and rescue of rare and endangered wild animals and plants, promote the sustainable utilization of biodiversity and the realization of ecological products value, and improve the level of biosafety management.
The third is to strengthen the supervision and enforcement of ecological protection.Make good use of the central ecological environmental protection supervision system, strengthen the supervision of local governments and departments at all levels on the performance of ecological protection and restoration, and the supervision of ecological environmental impact of development and construction activities. Solidly promote the comprehensive administrative law enforcement reform of ecological environmental protection, uniformly exercise law enforcement functions such as pollution prevention and ecological protection according to law, and strengthen multi-sectoral linkage law enforcement. Focusing on the red line of ecological protection and nature reserves, we will carry out the pilot project of ecological damage supervision on the red line of ecological protection, continue to promote the special action of strengthening supervision on the "Green Shield" nature reserve, and increase the supervision and investigation of ecological damage according to law.
The fourth is to strengthen ecological monitoring and risk prevention and early warning.Further improve the ecological monitoring network, accelerate the construction of the national ecological protection red line supervision platform, and improve the intelligent, accurate and networked level of ecological monitoring. Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of ecological conditions in key regional river basins, ecological protection red lines, nature reserves, key ecological functional areas at county level, and form a regular monitoring and evaluation mechanism for changes in ecological conditions and the effectiveness of protection and restoration. The prevention and control of ecological risks will be brought into the scope of normal supervision, and the prevention and early warning of ecological risks caused by ecological damage, biosafety and climate change will be strengthened, so as to enhance the ability of ecological risk prevention and early warning.
The fifth is to improve the basic guarantee ability of ecological protection supervision.Increase the support of laws and regulations, study and formulate comprehensive laws and regulations on natural ecological supervision, and improve the laws, regulations and standards systems in key regulatory areas such as ecological protection red line, nature reserve and biodiversity protection. Strengthen the construction of professional talents and financial guarantee, strengthen scientific and technological support, improve the scientific and technological innovation level of ecological protection supervision, and ensure the objectivity, accuracy and scientificity of ecological protection supervision. Focusing on the "shortcomings" and "weaknesses" of ecological protection supervision, we will comprehensively improve the synergy and basic support capabilities of ecological protection supervision in the process of fighting a tough battle against pollution.
Author: Cui Shuhong (Director, Department of Natural Ecological Protection, Ministry of Ecology and Environment)