Yu Hai, Ning Xiaowei: Tell the world the story of China's implementation of international environmental conventions
The earth is the only home on which all mankind depends for survival. Protecting the ecological environment and promoting sustainable development are the common responsibilities of all countries. Since the United Nations held the First Conference on the Human Environment in 1972, environmental issues have risen to the level of global cooperation. Signing and implementing international conventions and agreements to protect the environment and natural resources has become important measures and powerful actions to coordinate global environmental governance. China is an important participant, contributor and leader in the process of promoting international environmental conventions. Fulfilling international environmental conventions is our solemn commitment and a vivid reflection of innovative practices in promoting green development, reflecting China's firm implementation of its commitment to global environmental governance and Continuous contribution.
Powerful measures to demonstrate China's concept of ecological civilization
The International Environmental Convention is a legally binding multilateral environmental agreement formulated to protect, improve and rationally utilize environmental resources. It focuses on global sustainable development and places an important position on solving environmental issues that affect human health. withXiJinpingConcepts such as "a good ecological environment is the most universally beneficial welfare for people's livelihood" and "ecological prosperity leads to civilization prosperity" in the thought of ecological civilization are in harmony and are highly consistent with China's goal and vision of jointly building a prosperous, clean and beautiful world. China actively supports international environmental conventions, incorporates the spirit of relevant treaty documents and international environmental protection standards into the domestic environmental protection legal and policy system, and clearly requires the implementation of obligations stipulated in international treaties concluded or acceded to by the People's Republic of China in laws such as Biosafety Law, Nuclear Safety Law, and Marine Environmental Protection Law. Telling the story of China's implementation of international environmental conventions will help better convey China's concept of ecological civilization, demonstrate China's respect and practice of global environmental protection consensus, and reflect the "greatest common denominator" required by China's ecological civilization construction and international environmental conventions.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China has insisted on taking multilateral environmental rules as the starting point and actively promoted compliance in areas such as biodiversity protection, climate change response, chemicals management, ozone layer protection, and mercury emissions, which has an important impact on solving global environmental problems., is gradually becoming a major participant and maker of international environmental rules. In particular, China has always adhered to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", defended the interests of developing countries, and was widely praised by the international community. Telling the story of China's implementation of international environmental conventions will help convey China's wisdom and China's solutions to the international community, continuously enhance China's voice and influence in the global environmental governance system, effectively respond to concerns, resolve doubts and doubts, and demonstrate a responsible image of a great country.
China's responsibility and responsibility in fulfilling international environmental conventions are also China's open, inclusive and transparent self-confidence attitude. China actively participated in the Convention Conference and Convention negotiations, and called on all parties to build consensus, work together, and work hard to promote the conclusion and implementation of the Convention. Actively share implementation information with the international community, publish and submit national information circulars and biennial update reports on climate change, as well as national reports such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Minamata Convention to the Convention Secretariat. By telling the story of China's implementation of international environmental conventions, we can let the world understand China's progress in compliance with the Convention, further demonstrate my country's confidence and determination to participate in global environmental governance with a more active attitude and promote a higher level of opening up to the outside world, and at the same time continuously enhance the international community's trust in my country's environmental protection commitments and actions.
China's story and Chinese samples of fulfilling international environmental conventions
Actively participate in global governance to address climate change. China fully and effectively implements the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, actively promotes the conclusion, signing, entry into force and implementation of the Paris Agreement, and strives to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. China's hydropower, wind power, solar power, biomass power generation installed capacity and new energy vehicle ownership have ranked first in the world for many consecutive years, building the world's largest carbon market. While China is doing its own good, it also focuses on strengthening international cooperation in addressing climate change. The Port of Piraeus in Greece, which Chinese companies participated in the construction, is a model project for jointly building the green "Belt and Road". It has created more than 10,000 local jobs and contributed more than 1.5 billion euros in total direct social contributions. The integrated new energy and green and low-carbon technology smart port project are expected to save about 11,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 92 tons every year. In addition, it has jointly carried out the construction of low-carbon demonstration zones with Laos and other countries and built the world's largest single solar power station in United Arab Emirates to help relevant countries improve their ability to cope with climate change. These vivid practices provide rich materials for telling the story of China's implementation of international environmental conventions, and demonstrate China's solid pace and responsibility in fulfilling its obligations.
Effectively promote global biodiversity protection. As the presidency, China led the convening of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity to promote the achievement of the historic achievement of the "Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework" that is both ambitious and pragmatic and balanced. Biodiversity governance injects strong impetus. Among the clear goals set in the "China Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (2023-2030)", 3 were exceeded and 13 made good progress. China adheres to the integrated protection and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grass and sand, and effectively protects 90% of terrestrial ecosystem types and 74% of national key protected wild flora and fauna populations. In 2021, the long-distance migration of wild Asian elephants in Yunnan, China has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad. In order not to disturb the return of elephants to the north and south, when celebrating traditional festivals, people do not hold celebrations or light fires to pray. Companies along the way turn off lights and stop production and remain silent. The whole journey lasted more than 110 days and traveled more than 1300 kilometers. Finally, with the help and guidance of humans, all returned safely to the protected area.XiJinpingThe general secretary pointed out,"Yunnan elephants 'journey north and back allows us to see the results of China's protection of wild animals." There are countless such stories, showing a three-dimensional Chinese sample of biodiversity protection.
Continue to lead global ecosystem protection. For more than 30 years, 13 cities have won the title of "International Wetland Cities" and won the "Wetland Convention Award" twice, forming a wetland protection pattern led by the government, coordinated by departments, and participated by society. Strictly implement the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. As of 2023, a total of approximately 628,000 tons of ozone depleting substances (ODS) production and use have been phased out, accounting for more than half of the amount eliminated in developing countries. Successfully eliminated 29 types of persistent organic pollutants, reducing the production and environmental emissions of hundreds of thousands of tons of persistent organic pollutants every year. China is one of the best practitioners of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and is the first in the world to achieve "double reduction" of desertified land and desertified land area. There are also many stories about desertification control among the people. Three generations of the "Six Old Men" in Babusha Forest Farm in Gulang County, Gansu Province, have worked one generation after another, and have continued to promote desertification control and afforestation. 287,000 acres of desertification control and afforestation have been completed, and 430,000 acres of grassland have been protected and protected. With the spirit of the Foolish Old Man moving mountains, they vividly wrote the green chapter from "sand forcing people to retreat" to "people advancing and retreating". These stories are closer to the lives of ordinary people and easily arouse widespread resonance and recognition, adding a vivid footnote to China's ecological and environmental governance and implementation of environmental conventions.
Tell the story of performance with heart and emotion
Highlight data and factual support. Use detailed data and specific cases, such as emission reductions, decline rate of heavily polluted days, proportion of excellent water bodies, forest cover growth rate, and proportion of clean energy, to quantify the actual results China has achieved in implementing the Convention and enhance the credibility of the narrative. Through horizontal and vertical comparisons, we will show the great achievements and tremendous changes in China's ecological civilization construction and enhance the persuasiveness of the facts.
Highlight characters and local narratives. Focus on individuals, organizations, local governments and other entities participating in environmental protection actions, and depict vivid "green hero" images and success stories through their practical experience and innovative measures. For example, please ask sand control workers who seal sand for afforestation, staff at garbage sorting stations, photographers who record blue skies, etc. to tell stories that "smell of earth" and "breathe heat" from the perspective of a witness, so that the story is more humane and infectious.
Highlight the perspective of technology and innovation. Highlight China's cutting-edge progress in environmental protection technology research and development, green technology application, carbon capture and storage, etc., and demonstrate China's wisdom and strength to rely on scientific and technological innovation to drive green transformation and assist in the implementation of the Convention. Tell the story of green technology going to sea and environmental protection technology transfer, and fully demonstrate China's responsibility and actions in supporting and helping developing countries promote green and low-carbon development through scientific and technological innovation.
Highlight domestic and international exchanges. It narrates China's measures to actively participate in the implementation of global environmental protection cooperation projects, share green experience with other countries, and promote the construction of a fair and reasonable global environmental governance system, demonstrating China's open attitude and win-win spirit of cooperation on global environmental protection issues. Actively advocate global development initiatives, global security initiatives, and global civilization initiatives, jointly make the "cake" of a clean and beautiful world, and strive to make the results of ecological civilization construction benefit people of all countries more and more equitably.
the authors are respectivelyXiJinpingDeputy Director of the Research Center for Ecological Civilization Thought,XiJinpingDeputy Director of the Strategy Department (Secretariat) of the Research Center for Ecological Civilization Thought
