CCICED Chairperson Zhang Gaoli, who is Vice Premier of the State Council and member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, addressed the Council AGM on December 8, stating that the 13th Five Year Plan will be decisive in bringing about a moderately prosperous society for China, and that the country faces opportunities and challenges in ecological and environmental protection.  

Vice Premier Zhang said China is committed to five development concepts: innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing, adding that the government understands that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”.  He indicated that the government will step up its efforts to promote ecological civilization, and accelerate the kind of modernization in which humankind develops in harmony with nature.  This, he said, will ensure the environment will improve before 2020 and China will contribute to global ecological security.  

He enumerated the following measures the government of China will be taking:

By mainstreaming green development in all areas of economic and social activity and combining this with supply side structural reforms, ensure a correct balance between economic development and environmental protection, and accelerate the promotion of green, circular and low-carbon development.

Strengthen the protection and management of the environment, and continue to implement plans for air, water and soil pollution prevention and control, while remediating serious ecological and environmental problems.

Strengthen accountabilities in environmental supervision and inspection, establish a system that holds leaders of governments responsible for ecological progress over their entire careers in order to further promote ecological conservation.

Implement more rapidly comprehensive systems to protect and remediate ecosystems; establish a coherent institutional framework to support ecological civilization, to ensure ecological conservation efforts are on solid legal grounds.

Expand international cooperation in environmental protection, actively participate in global efforts to confront climate change, step up efforts on greening the Belt and Road Initiative, build resource networks focusing on the environment for South-South cooperation, and jointly promote the global ecological progress.

Vice Premier Zhang stated the Chinese government will continue to support the CCICED, and he hopes the Council becomes a communication platform for China and the global community on environment and development, promoting global ecological progress and stimulating innovative ideas to improve global environmental governance. He concluded by encouraging the CCICED to share its experience in helping to build a beautiful China and promoting green development with the international community, and to join the fight for a sound global environmental governance system.