The Third Annual Meeting of China Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association (CECRPA) was held in Tonglu County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province on Nov. 23. Jiang Chunyun, Chief Advisor of CECRPA, former Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, former Vice Premier of the State Council and Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People’s Congress and Chen Zongxing, Vice Chairperson of the 11th CPPCC and Vice Chairman of Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party attended the meeting and made remarks. MEP Vice Minister Li Ganjie attended the meeting and gave a keynote speech. Xiong Jianping, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, and Gong Zheng, member of the Standing Committee of Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of Hangzhou municipal party committee gave an address. Zhu Guangyao, Vice Chairman of CECRPA, former Vice Minister of State Environmental Protection Administration and Deputy Secretary of the ministry’s leading party members’ group, chaired the opening ceremony.

Jiang said the third plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee concluded in success. The whole country is studying and implementing the gist of the meeting carefully. This important moment for deepening the reform in an all-rounded way through discussing the major theory and practice of promoting ecological civilization and building a beautiful China carries great significance. The theme of this meeting is to study and implement the gist of the third plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee and study how to promote the building of ecological civilization and the building of a beautiful China by taking impetus from deepened reform. Meanwhile, we will review our work, make arrangement for the next stage under the guidance of the 18th National Congress of the CPC and the third plenum of the CPC Central Committee and push the work of CECRPA to a new high. Looking back to the past year, CECRPA has seriously studied and implemented the important arrangement of the 18th National Congress of the CPC on promoting the building of ecological civilization and achieved gratifying results. At this year’s NPC & CPPCC, the organization submitted proposals that called for inclusion of ecological civilization and environmental rights into the constitution. It organized experts to compile works such as Building of Ecological Civilization, prepared plans on promoting ecological civilization for local governments and publicized the concepts and knowledge on ecological civilization through various means. The third plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee attaches great importance to the building of ecological civilization and placed new and higher demand on the building of ecological civilization. CECRPA assumes great responsibilities and sacred mission in the drive to build ecological civilization, which requires it to be more conscious of the need to combine theory and practice and proceed with various tasks with innovative ideas. It must work down to earth in all aspects ranging from theoretical study, consulting and assessment to the demonstration of ecological civilization. We will center on discussing, answering and solving problems based on the reality and be brave to forge ahead and solve intractable problems so as to promote rapid and healthy development of our cause and make greater contributions to the building of ecological civilization.

Chen Zongxing said the central government decided to deepen the reform, which on the one hand, provided great impetus for the building of ecological civilization and on the other hand, placed new and higher demand on the drive. We shall take this opportunity to deepen our perception and understanding toward ecological civilization from such areas as reform driven by problems, reform being systematic, holistic and coordinative and promoting social equality and justice. The third plenum made scientific top-down design and institutional arrangement on the building of ecological civilization, which was a new landmark in the evolution of ecological civilization. We shall earnestly follow the arrangements and accelerate ecological civilization building with improved quality combining the requirements of the plenum such as deepening reform on the institutions of ecological civilization, developing new type of urbanization with Chinese characteristics and giving play to the role of market as a decisive factor to allocate resources. Currently, the decision of deepening reform in an all-rounded way is being implemented in various fields. As a social organization, CECRPA is also facing the new situation of correctly handling the relationship between government and society, accelerating separation of government functions from social organization management, facilitating social organizations to clarify their power and responsibilities, self-governance by law and bringing their potential into full play. Social organizations are presented with new opportunities and challenges. In the future, CECRPA will stick to reform and innovation and ensure various tasks will serve the interest of the decisions of the central government, local practice, corporation transformation and public needs. We need to improve our work mechanism, standardize and institutionalize general affairs and push for procedural development. Thus, we will make more new contributions to promoting ecological civilization and building a beautiful China under the new situation of deepening reform in an all-rounded way.

Li Ganjie said the third plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee reviewed and adopted Decisions of the CPC Centrla Committee on Several Major Issues Concerning Deepening Reform in an All-rounded Way and made overarching arrangements for promoting the building of ecological civilization from the strategic perspective of five-in-one overall layout of the socialist cause with Chinese characteristics. This is of great significance for strengthening environmental protection and will surely propel the process of ecological civilization building. Currently the key tasks for promoting environmental management system reform revolve around three aspects. First, we will quicken the pace of establishing an environmental management system that put discharge of all pollutants under unified supervision. Second, we will accelerate the establishment of an environmental inspection system that coordinates the rehabilitation of land-sea ecosystems. Third, we will create an environmental supervision system featuring public participation and strict enforcement of penalty. This meeting sparked in-depth discussion and exchanges under the theme of Ecological Civilization ·A Beautiful China- Green Change and Transformation by revolving around building a beautiful China and institutional development for ecological civilization and bears great significance.

The meeting set up five sub-forums which included Forum on Beautiful Cities and Mayors, Forum on Beautiful Villages, Rural Area and Agriculture, Forum on the Main Platform of Ecological Civilization and EPB Directors, Forum on International Viewpoint and Experts and Forum on Social Responsibility and the Public. These sub-forums helped to interpret the theme of the meeting. Over 40 scholars, experts, entrepreneurs and officials made remarks at these sub-forums on the core concept, objective and pathways, challenges and breakthrough, law and legal system as well as social responsibilities concerning ecological civilization and building a beautiful China. The meeting adopted Hangzhou Declaration which calls for great effort to build a beautiful China and emphasizes the need to accelerate green change and transformation, enhance environmental protection, build beautiful cities and villages and give full play to the role of market as the decisive factor for allocating resources.

Zhu Guangyao made an annual work report and meeting summary.

Officials attending the meeting included Chen Xiwen, Deputy Head and Office Director General, Central Rural Work Leading Group, Li Jun, Deputy Secretary of Guizhou Provincial Party Committee and Deputy Director of Promotion Committee of CECRPA, Meng Wei, President of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences and academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Li Yucai, Vice Chairman of CECRPA, Member of the 11th CPPCC, former Vice Minister and Deputy Secretary of party committee of State Forestry Administration and Wan Bentai, MEP Chief Engineer and Executive Director of CECRPA.