Exploring the unique characteristics of environmental sustainability in China: Navigating future challenges

Abstract

With the pace of global sustainable development, China has improved significantly in tackling environmental problems such as carbon emissions, climate change, air, water, and soil pollution, and wildlife extinction. Our study shows that despite China’s economic policy reform, several issues persist, including inequality between society and region, depletion and waste of resources, and damage to the natural environment. The study observed that China shuts low-level oil and coal-based power plants to prevent air pollution, promote a zero-carbon world, and reduce carbon intensity to 18.8%. The country also increased forest coverage by nearly 23.4%, declared five national parks in 2021, cleaned 98% of polluted water bodies, and improved the air quality in many big cities. A country like China has shown deep concern for environmental sustainability and has formulated many policies, laws, and regulations to prevent and conserve the environment and biodiversity and ensure sustainable economic development. This study argues that the Chinese concept of ecological civilization construction adheres to global sustainable development as both pursuits of achieving sustainable conservation of natural resources and improving the livelihoods of the people. Therefore, this paper reviews China’s policies toward ecological civilization (EC), which aim to create a beautiful China by 2035 on the outline of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. The present study also addresses the issues the Chinese government faces while implementing environmental sustainability.