China's ecological and environmental endeavors in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period will strategically prioritize carbon emission reductions, policy synergy to reduce pollution, green transformation in economic and social development, and a shift from quantitative to qualitative development.

In the starting year of the blueprint, China completed 54 million mu (3.6 million hectares) of afforestation, improved surface water quality, and increased the installed capacity of renewable energy power generation to 1 billion kilowatts.

The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) has given full play to its role as a special consultative body and made active efforts to improve the quality of proposals and bolster consensus building. Over the year, it organized more than 20 consultation and deliberation events, to promote ecological civilization, environmental protection and carbon neutrality initiatives.

Li Bin, vice-chairwoman of the CPPCC National Committee, leads a team consisting of non-Party members to East China's Jiangsu province from April 13 to 16, 2021 as part of efforts to inspect the protection of China's major lakes. [Photo/cppcc.gov.cn]

Goal-oriented and result-driven

To support tree-planting efforts at the beginning of spring, the CPPCC National Committee held a video conference on March 26, 2021, where 12 members in Beijing and Hunan and Guangdong provinces attended via video link and shared their ideas. Nearly 200 committee members submitted 400 additional suggestions online. Many of them called for a more holistic view of eco-friendly initiatives that include resource management, industrial development, ecological restoration, and rural vitalization.

Ma Quanlin from Babusha Forest Farm in Gulang county of Northwest China's Gansu province called for integrated planning of tree-planting activities in line with proper timing, spatial features, and specific development plans.

Wen Yong, head of the Natural Resources Bureau of Longyan, Fujian province, said the voluntary tree-planting campaign needs to be incorporated into the country's master plan for afforestation, as well as placed under the framework of ecological governance and response to climate change.

Promoting the innovative practices of tree-planting to help cut carbon emissions was a core message from Lu Xiulu, chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) and head of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment.

Yang Junwu, vice-chairman of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the China Democratic League (CDL) and also vice-president of the School of Public Administration of Hunan Normal University, expounded on the notion that people should embrace a green lifestyle that offsets the country's carbon footprint.

Many of the suggestions made by members at the meeting were absorbed into a guideline on science-based land greening issued by the General Office of the State Council in June. The National Forestry and Grassland Administration also sent a letter to explain the enforcement of relevant recommendations by CPPCC National Committee members.

During the 54th biweekly consultative seminar of the CPPCC National Committee on Sept 10, 2021, 11 members and experts offered suggestions to promote the quality and efficiency of sewage treatment in urban areas. The meeting came after comprehensive field studies in Henan and Sichuan provinces by teams led by the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment of the CPPCC National Committee, as well as research conducted by the Beijing and Jiangsu committees of the CPPCC.

Participants stressed the importance of sewage treatment and utilization in the fight against pollution and promotion of high-quality development, and also called for timely evaluation of the achievements and gaps in the three-year plan for improving the quality and efficiency of urban sewage.

The meeting achieved productive results due to solid efforts to understand the situation, accurately identify key problems and make practical suggestions. In response, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) also provided feedback.

In summary, the two meetings resulted in five reports with nearly 20 suggestions that were later adopted by the ministries. This reflects the commitment of the CPPCC National Committee to supporting ecological civilization and the vision of a "Beautiful China".

He Wei, vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, leads a team to East China's Shanghai municipality and Fujian province to survey efforts to reach peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, from April 22 to 28, 2021. [Photo/cppcc.gov.cn]

Research-centered

In pursuing a result-driven approach, the CPPCC National Committee has raised the bar for research quality amid efforts to make its proposals precise and pragmatic. 2021 saw a series of in-depth studies on major issues concerning natural resources and the environment, which also led to a number of valuable research reports.

For example, the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment carried out democratic supervision on strengthening the protection of black land resources. After careful planning, members visited 15 counties and districts in 10 cities in Northeast China's Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces. They conducted field studies in groups at more than 20 sites and collected first-hand information valuable for supervision. In addition, over 10 thematic seminars were held to exchange ideas with 150 people, including experts, local officials and residents. Local CPPCC committees in Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang were also encouraged to propel the initiative through joint consultations and reporting supervision outcomes.

In another initiative, a team led by He Wei, vice-chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, visited Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu provinces from July 14 to 22 to survey environmental protection challenges along the western route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The team travelled nearly 3,000 kilometers to reach over 20 county-level regions in the three provinces, mostly plateau areas 3,000 meters above sea level.

Construction of the western route has long been delayed due to complex problems and divergent views on many fronts, including ecological and environmental impact, geological conditions, ethnic and religious affairs, and economic feasibility. Against this backdrop, the visit helped the team listen to the concerns and expectations of all parties before finding the best solution, which should "adhere to the fundamental principle of ecological protection, reduce the impact on the environment, minimize the loss of the water-supply area and maximize the benefits of the water-receiving area".

A strong supporter of the western route, Li Yuanyuan, vice-president of the General Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Planning and Design, the Ministry of Water Resources, said the project is significant to the survival of the Yellow River and the safety and development of the western regions where ethnic groups live. Li believed it's necessary to open the channel first and transfer enough water northward, although the Yellow River can't be saved by water from the Yangtze River alone.

Considering the new projects may submerge some areas in the nature reserve, efforts should be made to minimize the affected area through better engineering plans, and if unavoidable, conservation measures should then be taken to reduce the ecological impact in line with relevant requirements, said Xu Qiang, vice-president of the Chengdu University of Technology and executive deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection.

Cao Weixing, vice-chairman of the CDL Central Committee and former vice-minister of natural resources, said the western route will extend for 740 km, but tunnels account for 731 km, or 98.8 percent, and all water-supply sections will go underground through the nature reserve, as well as giant panda habitats, so the impact on the environment can be limited. Cao said it is more important to ensure ecological restoration and proper disposal of construction waste.

With different voices heard and ideas discussed, this visit helped form the consensus that the western route project definitely needs robust scientific and thorough studies, prioritization of ecological and environmental protection, and a holistic approach that considers ecological, social and economic dimensions.

Over the year, the CPPCC National Committee also produced other key research reports on a wide range of issues, such as the Three-North Shelter Forestation Project, the pathway to carbon emission peak and carbon neutrality, and the ecological protection of China's major lakes. More than 20 members of the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment initiated 22 research projects, laying a solid foundation for offering advice and suggestions on State affairs.

The map illustrates the field studies of a team from the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment of the CPPCC National Committee from July 14 to 22, 2021, spanning a distance of nearly 3,000 kilometers. [Photo/cppcc.gov.cn]

Seek the greatest common ground

In 2021, the special committees and participating groups of the CPPCC National Committee also strengthened their contacts amid efforts to build a broad consensus.

For example, the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment of the CPPCC National Committee is closely connected with the MEE and the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party (CPWDP). It facilitated a visit to the Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning (CAEP) of the MEE on Dec 9 last year. The group included CPWDP members who also serve on the CPPCC National Committee, as well as those from the CPWDP Beijing Committee.

Xue Wenbo, deputy head of the Key Laboratory of Environmental Planning and Policy Simulation at the CAEP, introduced a decision support system for air pollution and carbon neutrality. "As temperatures drop, the PM2.5 concentration will generally decline, and real-time analysis also reveals that Beijing's PM 2.5 is less affected by emissions in its neighboring areas," Xue said.

The briefings and exchanges in this visit helped the team learn about many issues, such as ecological compensation, biodiversity conservation and atmospheric heavy metal pollution. Li Pengde, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and also vice-president of China Geological Survey, used the opportunity to deliver a key message about environmental protection as part of the guiding principles of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee.

Ou Qingping, deputy resident director of the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment, said the non-CPC political parties participating groups of the CPPCC National Committee should stay close to grassroots organizations, reach out to the masses and promote agreements. The CPWDP and its connections with the people can strengthen the spirit of assuming responsibility and support united front work, thus contributing to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, said Ou.

When reviewing last year's work, the CPPCC National Committee held fast to the tenet that winning the hearts of the people is central and building consensus is the driver for progress in fulfilling its main functions of political consultation, democratic supervision and participation in the deliberation and administration of State affairs. Such efforts can be seen on the following three fronts.

First, consensus building was innovative. Focusing on major issues such as carbon neutrality and the medium- and long-term energy development strategies, the CPPCC National Committee employed many forms, including briefings, seminars, research, reading events and joint forums to promote the publicity of major policies and seek a broad agreement. Efforts were also made to guide members to highlight development achievements, deepen their understanding of policies and make improvements when they raise suggestions.

Second, reading programs reached a higher level. The Committee on Population, Resources and Environment organized a series of reading events on Cities and Climate Change, 100 Questions about Carbon Emission Peak and Carbon Neutrality, and other topics, which attracted more than 400 people to make 130,000 speeches or presentations. Furthermore, such events also incorporated the study of CPC history and active exchanges of ideas to strengthen ideological thinking. The year also saw five on-site reading events, as well as visits to enterprises, schools and communities to expand outreach.

Third, there were solid efforts to study CPC history. The Committee on Population, Resources and Environment invited experts to give special lectures and guide members to correctly understand the trends of history. Other programs included visits to over 10 former revolutionary bases and exhibitions, such as an exhibition on the eighth CPC National Congress held in September 1956.

When reviewing the work done in 2021, the CPPCC National Committee also focused on strengthening communication with relevant government departments and provincial and municipal CPPCC committees and collaborated in research, which effectively expanded methods for consultation and deliberation.

The 14th Five-Year Plan has made it a core mission to follow the path of giving priority to ecology and pursuing green development. The CPPCC as a special consultative body will focus on key issues and links, improve the quality of proposals, and make smooth and progressive advancement toward realizing its goals.