China-Environmental Protection
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of polluted water
FILE: Yucun Village, Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - August 15, 2005 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President; then Party chief of Zhejiang Province (ending with shot 3):
"We must stop taking the outdated path of development, and no longer follow the old development pattern. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. Aerial shot of village by river
4. Various of forests, green mountains
5. Villager touching trunk
6. Seedling being pulled out
7. Monkey on tree
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 4-6):
"Economic development cannot be bought at the cost of damaging the environment. Ecology itself is a type of the economy; to protect the ecology and ecology will pay you back."
8. Aerial shot of high-speed train running
9. Aerial shot of houses, farmland, river
10. Aerial shot of boats on lake
11. Aerial shots of birds flying over lake
12. Aerial shots of city life
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 8-12):
"Building an ecological civilization is vital to sustaining the Chinese nation's development. We will implement the strictest possible systems for environmental protection, and develop eco-friendly growth models and ways of life."
13. Various of residents doing physical exercises
FILE: Qinghai Province, northwest China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
14. Various of staff members of environmental protection department measuring water quality of local rivers
15. Aerial shot of river
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
16. Various of manufacturing at factory
17. Aerial shot of river, forests
18. Soil spilling out of villager's hands
19. Aerial shot of farmland
20. Aerial shot of flyover
21. Aerial shots of lush trees, cityscape
22. Residents
23. Clouds, blue sky, sunshine
FILE: Beijing, China - Jan 8, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
24. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment (starting with shots 21-23/ending with shot 25):
"In terms of environmental improvements, more achievements were made in the 13th five-year plan period than before. It's often to see the people share pictures of blue sky on social-media platforms, which shows that their sense of happiness on blue sky has greatly enhanced."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
25. Residents
26. Aerial shots of cityscape
27. Aerial shot of tea garden
28. Aerial shots of green mountains, houses
29. Time-lapse photography of clean water
30. Aerial shot of green mountains, cargo trailer
31. Tracking shot of railway
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 26-31):
"As China steps up its conservation efforts, the world will see a China with more blue skies, lush mountains and lucid waters."
32. Various of boat racing
33. Residents running, waving
FILE: Beijing, China - April 2, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
34. Aerial shot of Voluntary trees-planting event
35. Xi waving to people, holding shovel
36. Various of Xi planting trees
FILE: Beijing, China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
37. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yu Liang, local resident (ending with shots 38-39):
"The General Secretary planted trees in person, which fully proves that he attaches great importance to ecological civilization construction. We common people really feel the changes around us."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
38. Aerial shots of people planting trees
39. Aerial shot of forests
FILE: Hefei City, Anhui Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
40. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xu Heng, local resident (starting with shot 39):
"We can see green upon opening the door. We really enjoy the 'green welfare,' and at the same time, our sense of happiness has been enhanced."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
41. Aerial shot of cyclists
42. Aerial shot of residents doing exercises with ribbons
43. Residents at park
FILE: Beijing, China - April 22, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
44. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (starting with shot 43):
"China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. China has committed to move from carbon peak to carbon neutrality in a much shorter time span than what many developed countries might take, and that requires extraordinarily hard efforts from China."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
45. Aerial shot of houses, mountains
FILE: Date, Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
46. SOUNDBITE (English) Erik Solheim, former executive director, UN Environment Programme (starting with shot 45):
"No nation in human history has transformed itself as fast as China at this exact moment. It's absolutely impressive."
FILE: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
47. Aerial shots of landscape
FILE: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, east China - Nov 12, 2020 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
48. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (partially overlaid with shots 49-51):
"I was deeply impressed with the grand Yangtze River. I know there were shabby houses and bungalows. How tremendous changes there are. You've earned your happy life by your own hard work."
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
49. Sunshine on Yangtze River
50. Aerial shots of landscape
51. Various of locals listening to Xi
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
52. Various of Xixi National Wetland Park
53. Various of Cao Guohua, boatman at Xixi National Wetland Park, boating
54. Boat moving in water
55. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Cao Guohua, boatman (starting with shots 53-54/ending with shots 56-57):
"Water in the wetland has been restored now, as clear as that in our childhood. Many national first-class protected animals have come here. What I've heard most from tourists is that 'Xixi is really beautiful!'."
56. Water bird
57. Various of tourists
58. Aerial shot of Xixi National Wetland Park
FILE: Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
59. Aerial shots of tourists, blossoms
60. Tourist smelling floral scent
61. Tourists posing for photos
62. Flowers
UPSOUND (Chinese) Wen Zhaoming, local resident (overlaid with shots 59-62):
"All mountains here are green and water is clear. Birds are singing here and flowers are fragrant. Many tourists say the air is fine here, and the place is the back garden of the city."
FILE: Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
63. Aerial shots of landscape
64. SOUDNBITE (Chinese) Yang Wenlong, local resident (starting with shot 63/ending with shots 65-67):
"Great changes have taken place here. You see the water in the canal is so clear, and birds are flocking here. We feel relaxed and happy when visiting here."
65. Various of water birds
66. Tourists taking pictures
67. Various of park
FILE: Dali City, Yunnan Province, southwest China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
68. Various of Erhai Lake, residents
69. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xu Hui, tourist (ending with shot 70):
"We've especially come here to watch Ottelia acuminata. I heard that only when the water quality is fine enough can the flower grow. They are really beautiful."
70. Various of Ottelia acuminata flowers
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
71. Aerial shot of houses, farmland, lake
72. Lakeside
73. Aerial shot of lake
74. Various of birds flying over lake
75. Aerial shots of horses running
76. Aerial shot of dolphins in water
77. Aerial shots of waves
78. Time-lapse photography of forests, tower
79. Aerial shot of mountains
80. Women working at tea garden
81. Cyclists
82. Mother, boy holding seedling
83. Various of people smiling
84. Various of forest ranger with marmot
85. Mother hugging daughter
86. Panda
87. Golden monkey
88. Deer
89. Aerial shots of mountains, river
90. Aerial shots of river
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 78-90):
"All things that grow live in harmony and benefit from the nourishment of Nature. Mother Nature has nourished us, and we must treat Nature as our root, respect it, protect it, and follow its laws. We should protect Nature and preserve the environment like we protect our own eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and Nature can both prosper and live in harmony."
91. Aerial shot of high-speed train running
92. Aerial shot of reeds
93. Aerial shot of river, forests
Contaminated water and bad air quality have become something of the past in China, as the country is moving closer to striking a balance between rapid socioeconomic development and increasing awareness about environmental protection among the masses of the people.
Sound ecological environment is the most inclusive benefits to people's wellbeing, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, told a tone-setting meeting on environmental protection in May 2018.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has kept scaling up the ecological civilization construction to a higher level, making the sky bluer, mountains greener and water cleaner, and the CPC has always put environmental protection on top of its work agenda.
The picturesque Yucun Village in east China's Zhejiang Province, featuring buildings with traditional white walls and black tiles, colorful flower fields and exquisite lotus ponds, attracted around 1 million tourists last year, up 10 percent year on year.
As early as August 2005, Xi, the then Party chief of Zhejiang, spoke highly of the village's wise move to shut down mines during an inspection tour to the village.
"We must stop taking the outdated path of development, and no longer follow the old development pattern. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," he said.
Yucun has adhered to that concept and pursued green development for the past 15-plus years, making huge progress in this period.
In March 2020, Xi revisited the village during his inspection tour in Zhejiang. Hailing the green economy of the village, Xi said the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has become a consensus and action of the whole Party and society, and has emerged as an important component of the new development philosophy.
"Economic development cannot be bought at the cost of damaging the environment. Ecology itself is a type of the economy; to protect the ecology and ecology will pay you back," he said.
The example of successful development by the village can reflect the nationwide move in recent years to step up efforts to protect the environment, combined with considerate and solid measures introduced by the CPC Central Committee.
A miracle on turning soils green has been rapidly rolling up across the country.
"Building an ecological civilization is vital to sustaining the Chinese nation's development. We will implement the strictest possible systems for environmental protection, and develop eco-friendly growth models and ways of life," Xi said during his speech delivered at the 19th National Congress of the CPC on Oct 18, 2017.
The moves in environmental improvements in the country during the 13th five-year plan period (2016-2020) were greater than those in each of the other five-year plan periods, data showed.
In 2020, 59.9 percent of the 337 cities at and above the prefecture-level nationwide saw air quality up to standards, up 30.5 percentage points compared with 2015, according to a report released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The reports also showed that the 337 cities recorded 87 percent of days with good air quality in 2020, up 5.8 percentage points year on year. The average concentration of hazardous airborne particles PM2.5 was 33 micrograms per cubic meter, down 28.3 percent compared with five years ago.
In 2020, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the GDP dropped 1 percent over one year earlier. The country also achieved the target of lowering the emissions per unit of the GDP by 18 percent during the 2016-2020 period, with the figure of 2020 down 18.8 percent from 2015.
"In terms of environmental improvements, more achievements were made in the 13th five-year plan period than before. It's often to see the people share pictures of blue sky on social-media platforms, which shows that their sense of happiness on blue sky has greatly enhanced," said Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu.
Xi hailed what China has achieved in this aspect at the opening ceremony of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 in his keynote speech.
"As China steps up its conservation efforts, the world will see a China with more blue skies, lush mountains and lucid waters," he said.
He has participated in the country's green campaign in person, echoing his call for building a beautiful homeland with harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
On April 2, 2021, Xi once again joined Beijing citizens in planting trees in the eastern district of Chaoyang.
His latest green footprints marked the ninth consecutive year of joining the annual voluntary tree-planting initiative since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, setting an example for the construction of an ecological civilization.
"The General Secretary planted trees in person, which fully proves that he attaches great importance to ecological civilization construction. We common people really feel the changes around us," said Yu Liang, a resident of Beijing.
Since the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China has completed afforestation to the tune of 36 million hectares, with the forest coverage reaching a high of 23.04 percent, according to data released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. During the period, the Chinese people voluntarily planted some 11.6 billion seedlings in total.
"We can see green upon opening the door. We really enjoy the 'green welfare,' and at the same time, our sense of happiness has been enhanced," said Xu Heng, a resident of Hefei City of east China's Anhui Province.
Xi joined world leaders on April 22 at a virtual summit on climate change, vowing China's contributions to tackling climate change.
"China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. China has committed to move from carbon peak to carbon neutrality in a much shorter time span than what many developed countries might take, and that requires extraordinarily hard efforts from China," Xi said.
He added that efforts to deal with climate change should not be a bargaining chip for geopolitics, a target for attacking other countries, or an excuse for trade barriers.
The country vowed to increase its forest coverage rate to 24.1 percent in the next five years.
China's years of efforts for afforestation have earned acclaims from high-level foreign officials.
"No nation in human history has transformed itself as fast as China at this exact moment. It's absolutely impressive," said Erik Solheim, former executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme.
When Xi inspected local efforts in improving the overall environment along the shoreline of the Yangtze River, as well as the enforcement of fishing ban policies, at a riverside district in the city of Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Nov. 12, 2020, he affirmed achievements made by locals, adding that happiness is truly created by endeavors.
"I was deeply impressed with the grand Yangtze River. I know there were shabby houses and bungalows. How tremendous changes there are. You've earned your happy life by your own hard work," he said.
The improved environment across the country has indeed benefited the Chinese people, who express their happiness heartedly.
"Water in the wetland has been restored now, as clear as that in our childhood. Many national first-class protected animals have come here. What I've heard most from tourists is that 'Xixi is really beautiful!'," said Cao Guohua, a boatman at the Xixi National Wetland Park of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province.
"All mountains here are green and water is clear. Birds are singing here and flowers are fragrant. Many tourists say the air is fine here, and the place is the back garden of the city," said Wen Zhaoming, a resident in PingXiang City of Jiangxi Province.
"Great changes have taken place here. You see the water in the canal is so clear, and birds are flocking here. We feel relaxed and happy when visiting here," said Yang Wenlong, a resident of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province.
"We've especially come here to watch Ottelia acuminata. I heard that only when the water quality is fine enough can the flower grow. They are really beautiful," said Xu Hui, a tourist to Yunnan Province.
At the summit on climate change, Xi called on the international community to respect Nature, so as to live in harmony with it.
"All things that grow live in harmony and benefit from the nourishment of Nature. Mother Nature has nourished us, and we must treat Nature as our root, respect it, protect it, and follow its laws. We should protect Nature and preserve the environment like we protect our own eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and Nature can both prosper and live in harmony," he said.
China-Environmental Protection
Dateline : June 5, 2021/File
Location : China
Duration : 5'22
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of polluted water
FILE: Yucun Village, Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - August 15, 2005 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President; then Party chief of Zhejiang Province (ending with shot 3):
"We must stop taking the outdated path of development, and no longer follow the old development pattern. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. Aerial shot of village by river
4. Various of forests, green mountains
5. Villager touching trunk
6. Seedling being pulled out
7. Monkey on tree
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 4-6):
"Economic development cannot be bought at the cost of damaging the environment. Ecology itself is a type of the economy; to protect the ecology and ecology will pay you back."
8. Aerial shot of high-speed train running
9. Aerial shot of houses, farmland, river
10. Aerial shot of boats on lake
11. Aerial shots of birds flying over lake
12. Aerial shots of city life
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 8-12):
"Building an ecological civilization is vital to sustaining the Chinese nation's development. We will implement the strictest possible systems for environmental protection, and develop eco-friendly growth models and ways of life."
13. Various of residents doing physical exercises
FILE: Qinghai Province, northwest China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
14. Various of staff members of environmental protection department measuring water quality of local rivers
15. Aerial shot of river
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
16. Various of manufacturing at factory
17. Aerial shot of river, forests
18. Soil spilling out of villager's hands
19. Aerial shot of farmland
20. Aerial shot of flyover
21. Aerial shots of lush trees, cityscape
22. Residents
23. Clouds, blue sky, sunshine
FILE: Beijing, China - Jan 8, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
24. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment (starting with shots 21-23/ending with shot 25):
"In terms of environmental improvements, more achievements were made in the 13th five-year plan period than before. It's often to see the people share pictures of blue sky on social-media platforms, which shows that their sense of happiness on blue sky has greatly enhanced."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
25. Residents
26. Aerial shots of cityscape
27. Aerial shot of tea garden
28. Aerial shots of green mountains, houses
29. Time-lapse photography of clean water
30. Aerial shot of green mountains, cargo trailer
31. Tracking shot of railway
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 26-31):
"As China steps up its conservation efforts, the world will see a China with more blue skies, lush mountains and lucid waters."
32. Various of boat racing
33. Residents running, waving
FILE: Beijing, China - April 2, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
34. Aerial shot of Voluntary trees-planting event
35. Xi waving to people, holding shovel
36. Various of Xi planting trees
FILE: Beijing, China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
37. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yu Liang, local resident (ending with shots 38-39):
"The General Secretary planted trees in person, which fully proves that he attaches great importance to ecological civilization construction. We common people really feel the changes around us."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
38. Aerial shots of people planting trees
39. Aerial shot of forests
FILE: Hefei City, Anhui Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
40. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xu Heng, local resident (starting with shot 39):
"We can see green upon opening the door. We really enjoy the 'green welfare,' and at the same time, our sense of happiness has been enhanced."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
41. Aerial shot of cyclists
42. Aerial shot of residents doing exercises with ribbons
43. Residents at park
FILE: Beijing, China - April 22, 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
44. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (starting with shot 43):
"China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. China has committed to move from carbon peak to carbon neutrality in a much shorter time span than what many developed countries might take, and that requires extraordinarily hard efforts from China."
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
45. Aerial shot of houses, mountains
FILE: Date, Location Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
46. SOUNDBITE (English) Erik Solheim, former executive director, UN Environment Programme (starting with shot 45):
"No nation in human history has transformed itself as fast as China at this exact moment. It's absolutely impressive."
FILE: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
47. Aerial shots of landscape
FILE: Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, east China - Nov 12, 2020 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
48. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (partially overlaid with shots 49-51):
"I was deeply impressed with the grand Yangtze River. I know there were shabby houses and bungalows. How tremendous changes there are. You've earned your happy life by your own hard work."
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
49. Sunshine on Yangtze River
50. Aerial shots of landscape
51. Various of locals listening to Xi
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
52. Various of Xixi National Wetland Park
53. Various of Cao Guohua, boatman at Xixi National Wetland Park, boating
54. Boat moving in water
55. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Cao Guohua, boatman (starting with shots 53-54/ending with shots 56-57):
"Water in the wetland has been restored now, as clear as that in our childhood. Many national first-class protected animals have come here. What I've heard most from tourists is that 'Xixi is really beautiful!'."
56. Water bird
57. Various of tourists
58. Aerial shot of Xixi National Wetland Park
FILE: Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
59. Aerial shots of tourists, blossoms
60. Tourist smelling floral scent
61. Tourists posing for photos
62. Flowers
UPSOUND (Chinese) Wen Zhaoming, local resident (overlaid with shots 59-62):
"All mountains here are green and water is clear. Birds are singing here and flowers are fragrant. Many tourists say the air is fine here, and the place is the back garden of the city."
FILE: Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, east China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
63. Aerial shots of landscape
64. SOUDNBITE (Chinese) Yang Wenlong, local resident (starting with shot 63/ending with shots 65-67):
"Great changes have taken place here. You see the water in the canal is so clear, and birds are flocking here. We feel relaxed and happy when visiting here."
65. Various of water birds
66. Tourists taking pictures
67. Various of park
FILE: Dali City, Yunnan Province, southwest China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
68. Various of Erhai Lake, residents
69. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Xu Hui, tourist (ending with shot 70):
"We've especially come here to watch Ottelia acuminata. I heard that only when the water quality is fine enough can the flower grow. They are really beautiful."
70. Various of Ottelia acuminata flowers
FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
71. Aerial shot of houses, farmland, lake
72. Lakeside
73. Aerial shot of lake
74. Various of birds flying over lake
75. Aerial shots of horses running
76. Aerial shot of dolphins in water
77. Aerial shots of waves
78. Time-lapse photography of forests, tower
79. Aerial shot of mountains
80. Women working at tea garden
81. Cyclists
82. Mother, boy holding seedling
83. Various of people smiling
84. Various of forest ranger with marmot
85. Mother hugging daughter
86. Panda
87. Golden monkey
88. Deer
89. Aerial shots of mountains, river
90. Aerial shots of river
UPSOUND (Chinese) Xi Jinping, Chinese President (overlaid with shots 78-90):
"All things that grow live in harmony and benefit from the nourishment of Nature. Mother Nature has nourished us, and we must treat Nature as our root, respect it, protect it, and follow its laws. We should protect Nature and preserve the environment like we protect our own eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and Nature can both prosper and live in harmony."
91. Aerial shot of high-speed train running
92. Aerial shot of reeds
93. Aerial shot of river, forests
Contaminated water and bad air quality have become something of the past in China, as the country is moving closer to striking a balance between rapid socioeconomic development and increasing awareness about environmental protection among the masses of the people.
Sound ecological environment is the most inclusive benefits to people's wellbeing, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, told a tone-setting meeting on environmental protection in May 2018.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core has kept scaling up the ecological civilization construction to a higher level, making the sky bluer, mountains greener and water cleaner, and the CPC has always put environmental protection on top of its work agenda.
The picturesque Yucun Village in east China's Zhejiang Province, featuring buildings with traditional white walls and black tiles, colorful flower fields and exquisite lotus ponds, attracted around 1 million tourists last year, up 10 percent year on year.
As early as August 2005, Xi, the then Party chief of Zhejiang, spoke highly of the village's wise move to shut down mines during an inspection tour to the village.
"We must stop taking the outdated path of development, and no longer follow the old development pattern. Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets," he said.
Yucun has adhered to that concept and pursued green development for the past 15-plus years, making huge progress in this period.
In March 2020, Xi revisited the village during his inspection tour in Zhejiang. Hailing the green economy of the village, Xi said the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" has become a consensus and action of the whole Party and society, and has emerged as an important component of the new development philosophy.
"Economic development cannot be bought at the cost of damaging the environment. Ecology itself is a type of the economy; to protect the ecology and ecology will pay you back," he said.
The example of successful development by the village can reflect the nationwide move in recent years to step up efforts to protect the environment, combined with considerate and solid measures introduced by the CPC Central Committee.
A miracle on turning soils green has been rapidly rolling up across the country.
"Building an ecological civilization is vital to sustaining the Chinese nation's development. We will implement the strictest possible systems for environmental protection, and develop eco-friendly growth models and ways of life," Xi said during his speech delivered at the 19th National Congress of the CPC on Oct 18, 2017.
The moves in environmental improvements in the country during the 13th five-year plan period (2016-2020) were greater than those in each of the other five-year plan periods, data showed.
In 2020, 59.9 percent of the 337 cities at and above the prefecture-level nationwide saw air quality up to standards, up 30.5 percentage points compared with 2015, according to a report released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The reports also showed that the 337 cities recorded 87 percent of days with good air quality in 2020, up 5.8 percentage points year on year. The average concentration of hazardous airborne particles PM2.5 was 33 micrograms per cubic meter, down 28.3 percent compared with five years ago.
In 2020, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the GDP dropped 1 percent over one year earlier. The country also achieved the target of lowering the emissions per unit of the GDP by 18 percent during the 2016-2020 period, with the figure of 2020 down 18.8 percent from 2015.
"In terms of environmental improvements, more achievements were made in the 13th five-year plan period than before. It's often to see the people share pictures of blue sky on social-media platforms, which shows that their sense of happiness on blue sky has greatly enhanced," said Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu.
Xi hailed what China has achieved in this aspect at the opening ceremony of the International Horticultural Exhibition 2019 in his keynote speech.
"As China steps up its conservation efforts, the world will see a China with more blue skies, lush mountains and lucid waters," he said.
He has participated in the country's green campaign in person, echoing his call for building a beautiful homeland with harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
On April 2, 2021, Xi once again joined Beijing citizens in planting trees in the eastern district of Chaoyang.
His latest green footprints marked the ninth consecutive year of joining the annual voluntary tree-planting initiative since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, setting an example for the construction of an ecological civilization.
"The General Secretary planted trees in person, which fully proves that he attaches great importance to ecological civilization construction. We common people really feel the changes around us," said Yu Liang, a resident of Beijing.
Since the beginning of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China has completed afforestation to the tune of 36 million hectares, with the forest coverage reaching a high of 23.04 percent, according to data released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. During the period, the Chinese people voluntarily planted some 11.6 billion seedlings in total.
"We can see green upon opening the door. We really enjoy the 'green welfare,' and at the same time, our sense of happiness has been enhanced," said Xu Heng, a resident of Hefei City of east China's Anhui Province.
Xi joined world leaders on April 22 at a virtual summit on climate change, vowing China's contributions to tackling climate change.
"China will strive to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. China has committed to move from carbon peak to carbon neutrality in a much shorter time span than what many developed countries might take, and that requires extraordinarily hard efforts from China," Xi said.
He added that efforts to deal with climate change should not be a bargaining chip for geopolitics, a target for attacking other countries, or an excuse for trade barriers.
The country vowed to increase its forest coverage rate to 24.1 percent in the next five years.
China's years of efforts for afforestation have earned acclaims from high-level foreign officials.
"No nation in human history has transformed itself as fast as China at this exact moment. It's absolutely impressive," said Erik Solheim, former executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme.
When Xi inspected local efforts in improving the overall environment along the shoreline of the Yangtze River, as well as the enforcement of fishing ban policies, at a riverside district in the city of Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Nov. 12, 2020, he affirmed achievements made by locals, adding that happiness is truly created by endeavors.
"I was deeply impressed with the grand Yangtze River. I know there were shabby houses and bungalows. How tremendous changes there are. You've earned your happy life by your own hard work," he said.
The improved environment across the country has indeed benefited the Chinese people, who express their happiness heartedly.
"Water in the wetland has been restored now, as clear as that in our childhood. Many national first-class protected animals have come here. What I've heard most from tourists is that 'Xixi is really beautiful!'," said Cao Guohua, a boatman at the Xixi National Wetland Park of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province.
"All mountains here are green and water is clear. Birds are singing here and flowers are fragrant. Many tourists say the air is fine here, and the place is the back garden of the city," said Wen Zhaoming, a resident in PingXiang City of Jiangxi Province.
"Great changes have taken place here. You see the water in the canal is so clear, and birds are flocking here. We feel relaxed and happy when visiting here," said Yang Wenlong, a resident of Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province.
"We've especially come here to watch Ottelia acuminata. I heard that only when the water quality is fine enough can the flower grow. They are really beautiful," said Xu Hui, a tourist to Yunnan Province.
At the summit on climate change, Xi called on the international community to respect Nature, so as to live in harmony with it.
"All things that grow live in harmony and benefit from the nourishment of Nature. Mother Nature has nourished us, and we must treat Nature as our root, respect it, protect it, and follow its laws. We should protect Nature and preserve the environment like we protect our own eyes, and endeavor to foster a new relationship where man and Nature can both prosper and live in harmony," he said.
ID : 8201742
Published : 2021-06-05 18:31
Last Modified : 2021-06-06 19:37:00
Source : China Central Television (CCTV)
Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland
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