Lucid waters and lush mountains at the Yuhu Lake scenic area in Zhaosu County, Ili, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Photo: Chen Mirong/CSST

Humanity both originates from and transforms nature, forming a dialectical unity marked by interdependence. Nature is the foundation of human survival, but when development exceeds its carrying capacity, it responds with “punitive feedback.” This scientific understanding of nature lays the theoretical groundwork for situating ecological issues within the overarching framework of social development.

Serving Chinese modernization

General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping’s original concepts—such as “a community of life for humanity and nature,” “harmony between humanity and nature,” and “society will prosper when the environment improves”—have elevated ecological civilization construction to the level of national strategy. Over the past decade, from rigorous pollution control to systematic environmental governance, and from dual controls on energy consumption and intensity to those on carbon emissions, China has charted a new path to modernization that prioritizes ecological integrity and green development, demonstrating the practical value of theoretical innovation.

By advocating for an ecological philosophy that safeguards the collective, common, and long-term interests of humanity, China has creatively transformed and innovatively developed Marxist historical and ecological perspectives, opening new horizons for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context and the needs of our times.

Looking ahead, Xi Jinping Thought on Eco-Civilization emphasizes striking a dynamic balance between development and conservation, ensuring “security boundaries” while unlocking green dividends. Initiatives like the Sanjiangyuan National Park conservation and the under-forest economy model in Anji, east China’s Zhejiang Province, exemplify the implementation of the “community of life” concept. At the same time, China is driving the coordinated optimization of energy structures, industrial systems, and spatial layouts by advancing its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, contributing Chinese solutions to global ecological governance.

Drawing upon ancient wisdom

China’s agricultural civilization, stretching back millennia, gave rise to ecological values such as “Heaven and humanity as one,” “the Tao follows nature,” and “moderate resource use.” Based on the principles of following natural rhythms and appropriate resource utilization, early Chinese societies developed a deep cultural reverence for nature and a strong ethic of resource conservation. However, this small-scale, low-intensity production model proved inadequate in the face of systemic challenges like ecological deficits and climate change under modern industrialization and globalization. Hence, it became necessary to uphold core values while innovating within a new theoretical framework.

The Marxist view of nature emphasizes the two-way interaction between the integrity of nature and human activity, offering a methodological bridge of historical materialism to ancient wisdom. Xi Jinping Thought on Eco-Civilization uses this bridge to reveal that the root of ecological crises lies in industrial civilization’s one-sided pursuit of material expansion and its rupture with nature. Addressing this requires a civilizational shift—toward a new modernization paradigm that respects and aligns with natural laws.

At the same time, the thought has creatively transformed and innovatively developed traditional ecological concepts. For example, it elevates “respecting and following nature” to “environmental protection and development;” proposes that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets;” clarifies that economic activities must be constrained within nature’s carrying capacity; and emphasizes the “community of life for humanity and nature,” endowing ancient wisdom with modern value. Through the “Four Major Transformations” [from addressing priority issues to implementing systematic governance; from passively reacting to seizing the initiative in ecological matters; from participating to taking a lead in global environmental governance; and from pursuing conservation based on practical explorations to applying a theoretically driven approach] and “Five Major Relationships” [between high-quality development and high-standard environmental protection; between key tasks and coordinated governance; between letting nature restore itself and pursuing human-driven restoration; between external constraints and intrinsic motivation; and between our commitment to reaching peak carbon and carbon neutrality and independent actions], it has deepened our understanding of the laws governing ecological civilization, infusing traditional culture with contemporary implications.

The modern activation of these theories ultimately finds expression in institutions and practices. The three “red lines” of national territory spatial planning—for ecological protection, for the designation of permanent farmland, and for an urban and rural development plan—refine the ancient principle of “prohibiting and permitting in light of season” into rigid, enforceable constraints.

The integrated management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts expands the ancient insight that “the Tao follows nature” into systematic ecological engineering. Meanwhile, the idea of “moderate resource use” has been translated into market incentives and sharing mechanisms, while green development has become more sustainable through policy tools such as ecological product value realization, carbon trading, and ecological compensation.

Sharing green development opportunities with world

As the trifold crises of climate warming, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss converge, the world faces both “undersupply” and “overconsumption” of global ecological public goods. At this historic crossroads, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Eco-Civilization, China has established green transformation as a defining feature of Chinese modernization. This not only creates new opportunities for high-quality domestic development but also demonstrates China’s commitment as a major player in global ecological governance.

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, China has launched comprehensive green transition initiatives, accelerating the shift toward more sustainable development models. By rejecting short-sighted practices that trade environmental degradation for temporary growth and embracing opportunities from the ongoing technological and industrial revolution, China has intensified pollution prevention and control while enhancing ecosystem diversity, stability, and resilience. Through a series of well-conceived policies and robust actions at all levels of government, the economy has achieved remarkable improvements in both “gold content” (economic quality) and “green content” (ecological sustainability).

According to the World Bank, the global average levelized costs for wind and solar power dropped by over 60% and 80%, respectively, over the past decade—a reduction significantly driven by Chinese innovation, manufacturing, and engineering. Notably, China’s “small yet beautiful” renewable energy projects (solar, wind, and hydropower) have advanced energy transitions in partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative by sharing Chinese technologies, products, and development approaches.

Xi Jinping Thought on Eco-Civilization champions building a human community with a shared future, advocating for common but differentiated responsibilities tailored to national conditions. This vision has expanded the global understanding of modernization, offering Chinese insights for global ecological civilization.

Zhuang Guiyang is a research fellow and deputy director of the Research Institute for Eco-Civilization at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.