China's ecological civilization and the road ahead

ByYasiru Ranaraja

Tourists visit Yuncheng Salt Lake in the city of Yuncheng, north China's Shanxi Province, June 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

In July 2023, at the National Conference on Ecological and Environmental Protection, Chinese President Xi Jinping restated his intention to accelerate the advancement of modernization of the harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature, an ambitious and forward-looking commitment. This pledge goes beyond political rhetoric, as it reflects a revolutionary concept based on the doctrine of ecological civilization.

Through record advances in pollution reduction, nature restoration and clean energy growth, China has become a world leader in green development. Nevertheless, the way toward full ecological modernization is still a challenge, with key fields needing fresh urgency and greater international collaboration.

In the last decade, China has experienced an environmental shift of historic proportions; the ratio of days with good air quality in 339 major cities rose from 63.3 percent to 87.5 percent, and the density of PM2.5, a particulate matter that is the primary driver of severe respiratory illness, averaged more than a 50 percent decline, according to China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

China's green transition is also driven by its leadership in renewable energy, and it accounted for nearly half of global renewable energy investment in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. The country's total installed renewable energy capacity is now over 1.45 billion kilowatts.

A major force behind the shift is the systematic integration of environmental protection into governance. Flagship policies have set sector-specific emission reduction pathways. The ecological protection redlines formally integrated into national policy through the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016–2020), aim to preserve biodiversity, maintain ecosystem services and ensure ecological security, which now covers over 25 percent of China's territory, safeguarding key ecosystems from encroachment.

Moreover, China has formally released the first draft of its historical environmental code, marking a major step in consolidating its ecological governance. Unveiled on April 27, 2025, during a session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the draft comprises an extensive 1,188 articles across five chapters: general provisions, pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, green and low-carbon development, and legal liability and supplementary provisions.

Legal scholars in both China and abroad applaud this move for unifying fragmented environmental regulations, enhancing enforcement clarity and filling legislative gaps ultimately reinforcing China's commitment to sustainable development and ecological civilization.

China is also extending its green ideas abroad in spite of these domestic challenges. As a champion of global environmental governance, China has made ecological civilization a pillar of its foreign policy.

Through the Green Silk Road, an environmental spinoff of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China is helping developing countries adopt greener infrastructure models, transferring technological expertise and building environmental management capacity. An example is the China-Laos Railway, which was designed to have as little ecological impact as possible. More than 60 percent of its route is constructed on bridges or through tunnels to avoid disrupting local wildlife and sensitive landscapes.

A view of Huangmaojian mountain in Xinxian County, central China's Henan Province, May 27, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

These international inputs point to a deeper reality: The building of a greener China is not just an issue of national rebirth; it is also an obligation to offer a different model of harmonizing ecological protection and economic development while emphasizing that protecting the ecological environment is a global responsibility.

The synthesis of traditional Chinese ecological philosophy, such as the Daoist belief in the interdependence of all living things, with modern regulatory and financial innovation makes up a "green code" that resonates beyond China's borders. It is a code based on long-term planning, technological scale and state coordination, and a tool that many emerging economies are looking for in dealing with the climate crisis.

Looking ahead, there are a number of key areas that require fresh attention. First, China needs to start phasing in a cap on the growth of coal projects and introducing definitive sunset clauses on fossil fuel subsidies. Furthermore, Sustainability education, particularly for young people and rural communities must be integrated into national curricula.

Moreover, nature-based solutions, ranging from the conservation of wetlands to agroecology, must be given precedence for their low-cost, high-impact advantages. Lastly, China should further engage with international agreements like the Paris Agreement, the UN Environment Programme and the Global Methane Pledge, and foster South-South cooperation on green technologies.

By interpreting China's green practice, the world not only learns about one nation's transformation but is inspired toward a more sustainable and equitable planetary future. It will require courage, innovation and collaboration to arrive there but the green trajectory, once initiated, cannot be reversed.

The author isa researcher on maritime affairs and an expert on Belt and Road Initiative development.