The Difficulties and Achievements of China’s Ecological Environment Construction: 1949–2019

Abstract

China’s ecological environment construction has undergone three phases, i.e. the agriculture-based development phase with low productivity not long after the founding of the People’s Republic of China (P.R.C.), the industrial development phase after the adoption of reform and opening-up policy, and the phase toward ecological civilization, each of which has its own features, challenges, responsive measures and achievements. From the year 1949 to the adoption of reform and opening up policy, the Chinese society was characterized by farming culture on the whole, facing problems such as frequent natural disasters, shortage in food production and low urbanization level. To jump out of the Malthusian Trap, the founders of the P.R.C. led people to prevent floods by water control, water conservancy projects and reclamation of wasteland, which alleviated but did not solve the problems because China still suffered poverty and backwardness, and failed to shake off the Malthusian Curse. After the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy, the rapid progress in industrialization and urbanization has liberated farmers from land and greatly improved labor productivity; meanwhile, some lands were released from farmers’ hand, which not only made the value of land resources much higher but also enabled land rehabilitation and ecological self-restoration. Although rapid industrialization and urbanization enormously boosted productive forces and accumulated immense amount of material wealth, but since the beginning of the 21st century, China’s development has been drawn near to the ecological red line, environmental threshold and resources upper limit of industrial development, constantly challenged by sustainable development. After 2010, China has initiated the transformation to ecological civilization, featuring ecological protection, pollution control and resource conservation, aiming to promote the harmonious development between man and nature.