Strategy for Sustainable Development

Strategy for Sustainable Development

China has a large population and limited resources. Ever since the policy of reform and opening up was initiated, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have been attaching great importance to the issue of sustainable development. China’s Agenda 21 adopted by the State Council in March 1994 reconfirmed the imperative to promote sustainable development. A Program of Action on Sustainable Development in the Early 21st Century unveiled by the State Council in early 2003 outlined sustainable development goals, areas of focus and measures to achieve these goals in the following 10 to 20 years. New sustainable development measures were also proposed at the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th CPC national congresses.

Sustainable development is key to the survival of our nation and to the wellbeing of generations to come. It is a cross-cutting, long-term issue of fundamental importance. A sustainable development strategy was identified in the report to the 19th CPC National Congress as one of the seven strategies for realizing the goal of building a moderately prosperous society.

Underpinning this strategy is the concept of coordination and interaction between social, economic, demographic and environmental forces. The strategy covers ecological, economic and social sustainability. It promotes economic development while protecting natural resources and the environment. It aims to improve the wellbeing of the people, and to ensure that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the chance and potential of future generations.

The strategy is informed by a people-centered approach, a vision for harmony between man and nature, and the need for eco-friendly economic development. Science and technology and institutional reform will play a critical role in improving the wellbeing of the people.

By placing the sustainable development strategy in a new context, the report to the 19th CPC National Congress outlined for the first time the goal of building a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. Environmental protection has thus become an important element of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.

可持续发展战略

中国是人口众多、资源相对不足的国家。改革开放以来，中共中央、国务院高度重视中国的可持续发展，1994年3月，国务院通过《中国21世纪议程》，确定实施可持续发展战略。2003年初，国务院颁布《中国21世纪初可持续发展行动纲要》，明确未来10到20年的可持续发展目标、重点和保障措施。中共十五大、十六大、十七大、十八大，都对可持续发展战略提出新要求。可持续发展战略事关中华民族的长远发展，事关子孙后代福祉，具有全局性、根本性、长期性。中共十九大报告将可持续发展战略确定为决胜全面建成小康社会需要坚定实施的七大战略之一。

可持续发展是基于社会、经济、人口、资源、环境相互协调和共同发展的理论和战略，主要包括生态可持续发展、经济可持续发展和社会可持续发展，要求坚持不懈地全面推进经济社会与人口、资源和生态环境相协调，不断提高中国的综合国力和竞争力。其以保护自然资源环境为基础，以激励经济发展为条件，以改善和提高人类生活质量为目标，以既能相对满足当代人的需求，又不能对后代的发展构成危害为宗旨。实施可持续发展战略的指导思想是坚持以人为本，主线是人与自然相和谐，核心是经济发展，根本出发点是提高人民群众生活质量，突破口是科技和体制创新。中共十九大报告赋予可持续发展战略新的时代内涵，首次提出建设“富强民主文明和谐美丽”的社会主义现代化强国目标，生态文明建设上升为新时代中国特色社会主义的重要组成部分。