Qu Jiuhui: An innovation system for environmental protection and governance based on "balance theory" should be built

On June 15, the 12th Directors 'Forum of the Chinese Academy of Environment was held in Changsha. Academician Qu Jiuhui of the Center for Ecological Environment Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "The construction of an environmental protection and governance system should be based on the 'balance theory', and the balance theory of environmental protection and governance should be the theoretical basis for sustainable development."

Qu Jiuhui believes that the operation of everything in the world needs to abide by the law of "balance". If we want to build a zero-pollution earth, the core issue is balance. In the past process of environmental protection and governance, we did not act based on balance: policy formulation, program introduction, and management were often formulated based on development and needs, and there was a lack of consideration of complex balance relationships; in the construction of environmental science and technology systems, there was a lack of content and theoretical basis for the "balance theory". This ultimately led to the failure to consider balance issues in the process of environmental protection, and imbalances occurred in social and economic development.

Therefore, it is particularly important to establish an environmental protection and governance system based on the "balance theory". Qu Jiuhui said that environmental protection and governance should pay attention to three "important balances". The first is the balance between pollutant emissions and environmental consumption capabilities. We must have the verification of pollutant emissions and the amount of environmentally purified and digestible pollutants. We must have green scientific research processes, green source control guarantees, process safety management, etc., to integrate human intervention and changes in nature form a state of simultaneous balance. The second is the balance of coordinated control of carbon pollution. Coordinated control of pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions is difficult and is almost contradictory in many cases. For example, higher standards of emission control require more energy consumption and carbon emissions. The parallel scientific and technological route of pollution control and carbon emission reduction cannot support the new goals and new demands of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, and synergy. It is necessary to build a "balance theory" system for coordinated carbon pollution reduction and control. The third is the balance between protection and economic security. An accurate quantitative relationship has not yet been found in the accounting between the cost of environmental protection and human economic and social development. Without a quantitative relationship, it is difficult to find a balance point in comprehensive impacts such as policy measures and cost effects, and we cannot find a balance point between economic development and environmental protection.

So, how to build a "balance theory" system of environmental protection and governance? Qu Jiuhui proposed that profound changes should be made in scientific theories and methods: First, a theoretical system of "balance theory" should be created, which includes balance subsystems such as emissions and consumption, carbon reduction and pollution reduction, and balance elements such as material, economy, and society. The axis of balance is scientific policies, and the soul of balance is symbiosis and co-prosperity. Secondly, it is necessary to establish methods and technologies for systematic accounting and dynamic regulation based on "balance theory", and build a digital decision support system that dynamically identifies and regulates multiple balances. Finally, the products of "balancers" are generated, that is, digital products made of technology that support multi-dimensional balance, including models, software, digital simulators, sensors, etc. "We have a long way to go from imbalance to balance." Qu Jiuhui said.