Green Empowerment and High Quality Development

Since China proposed the “dual-carbon” targets, it has steadily pushed it forward, making climate actions a national strategy and incorporating it into the overall layout of the construction of an ecological civilization and the overall economic and social development set-up. In the meanwhile, China has actively participated in international climate change affairs, and is becoming an important participant, contributor and leader in the construction of a global ecological civilization.

As the ocean economy takes off in new tangents beyond traditional areas, it is critical that the short-term growth in the ocean economy should not come at the expense of the long-term prosperity of the ocean, including the key roles the ocean plays in regulating our climate and providing critical habitats for a diverse array of marine animals and plants. In December 2022, the parties to the United Nation (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity reached an agreement to set a global target to effectively conserve and manage at least 30% of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal wetlands, and oceans, with emphasis on areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning and services. In March 2023, the UN agreed on text to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). June 2023 also saw the second round of the formal negotiations for a UN treaty to end plastic pollution—an important steppingstone in the process—which aims to have a treaty ready for adoption in 2024.

The 20th National Party Congress pointed to the importance of improving “carbon emissions statistics and accounting systems.” China’s green transition and climate plan similarly highlighted the need to improve “carbon emissions verification, accounting, and reporting standards for regions, industries, businesses, and products and establish a unified, well-regulated carbon accounting system.”

The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has made a significant strategic deployment to promote green development and harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature. The report emphasizes the construction of a beautiful China, reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, curbing air pollution, and fostering low-carbon economic growth, all while giving priority to ecological conservation alongside green development.

A watershed is a complex system characterized by changes at different temporal and spatial scales. There are uncertainties associated with predicting and managing these changes. Some countries and regions have developed relatively mature governance practices and experience in many aspects of watershed management, including the identification of watershed problems and pressures, the promotion of a conceptual consensus to undertake holistic planning of watersheds, and some specific working methods, such as nature-based solutions, encouraging diverse stakeholder participation, including that of women and other marginalized groups, and integrating long-term needs and short-term actions. At the same time, however, there is still a long way to go to integrate watershed management as a system. Building on previous NCC studies on integrated watershed management (2004) and ecological compensation (2018 and 2019), as well as several CCICED studies of the Yangtze River, the 2023 joint report of China and The Netherlands, a CCICED event at the 2023 UN Water Summit, and other developments, this report focuses on identifying effective regional cooperation mechanisms in the increasingly urgent context of climate change impacts across the Yangtze River basin, from extreme flooding to drought. The report promotes the use of relevant research recommendations in China as well as globally.

Currently, the world is facing significant risks resulting from human activities. These risks, in turn, threaten the stability and development of human society. The “Global Risks Report 2023” released by the World Economic Forum in January 2023 highlights five risks: the failure to mitigate and adapt to climate change, natural disasters and extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, and environmental damage incidents, making it the fourth consecutive year they have been ranked among the top 10 global risks since 2020. Biodiversity loss is particularly considered one of the most rapidly deteriorating global risks for the next decade. Climate change and biodiversity loss directly threaten global food security.

The overarching topic of this study links two of the most relevant development trends of our time within a clear mission: digitalization as the dominating transformative force of the twenty-first century must be put at the service of sustainable development, as the most pressing transformation challenge of the twenty-first century.

A suite of Chinese government aspirations and external developments will impact the degree to which China can achieve trade and supply chain security in a manner that is also long-term sustainable.

Globally, an increasing number of governments have announced net-zero carbon emission targets. As of the end of 2022, 21 countries have enacted net-zero carbon emission legislation, 81 countries have issued policy documents on net-zero carbon emission objectives, 22 countries have made net-zero carbon emission declarations and commitments, and 53 countries have proposed and discussed carbon emission targets.

Marking the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the year of 2023 ushers in a new phase and major opportunities for the development and cooperation of green BRI. Meanwhile, as climate change, energy security, eco-environment conservation and other global challenges are intertwining with each other, more institutional innovations for BRI are required to drive the process of sustainable development. With global consensus on climate change, coupled with energy security risks caused by geopolitical conflicts, more and more countries are developing their own renewable energy industries to ensure the energy supply in a more low-carbon, safe and sustainable way. Most of the BRI participating countries are from the developing world.

Established in 1992, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) is a high-level international advisory body to the Government of China. Along with China’s rapid social and economic progress, CCICED has witnessed and taken part in the country’s historic shift in development philosophy and model. It opens the door to advanced international experience in sustainable development and connects China with the international community focused on environment and development. CCICED also provides a valuable platform of exchange, enabling the international community to understand China and support the country’s engagement with the world.

As a high-level policy advisory body approved by the Chinese government, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) is mainly tasked with studying and proposing policy recommendations on major issues of environment and development. As the highest form of policy consultation, CCICED’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) invites Chinese and international members, invited advisors and experts from home and abroad to have policy discussions on major environmental and development issues based on CCICED’s SPS reports, focusing on urgent and long-term domestic issues while responding to major concerns of the international community and building consensus on ideas. On this basis, annual policy recommendations will be formed and submitted to the State Council and relevant departments of the central government.

Since 2018, the CCICED Executive Committee has committed to mainstreaming gender perspectives in all aspects and processes of research. To support the integration of gender considerations as part of the Special Policy Studies (SPS) for the period 2022–2023, gender mainstreaming guidance was provided to each SPS at the beginning of the research process and continued at various touchpoints during the drafting process.