President's vision on ecology charts course of sustainable development

Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization was officially established in 2018 at the national ecological and environmental protection conference. The harmonious coexistence of man and nature and the idea that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets "are two of the eight core principles of the Thought.

"Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization does not only belong to China but also to the world," he said.

The philosophy is rooted in Chinese civilization and carries forward traditional Chinese ecological culture and wisdom. The philosophy not only addresses China's development problems, but also global problems that have arisen since the industrial civilization.

Australian philosopher Arran Gare said in a recent interview with China Daily that ecological civilization "is a science that is aligned with the humanities and facilitates an integration of the best thinking in the West with the best thinking in the East, including Confucianism and Daoism".

Modern life is characterized by economic globalization dominated by markets, said Gare, author of The Philosophical Foundations of Ecological Civilization: A Manifesto for the Future. The dynamics of these markets have set humanity on a trajectory of self-destruction through ecological destruction, he said.

The joining of ecology and civilization in ecological civilization provides a basis for redefining eco-socialism and eco-Marxism that should appeal to everyone around the world as an alternative to capitalism, he said.

Ecologists have shown that cooperation, rather than competition, is the most important factor in evolutionary progress. Capitalist competition and the conflicts it generates, including imperialist wars, are incompatible with ecological sustainability.

"Ecological civilization, founding civilization on ecological thinking, provides an image of the future to strive for," he said, adding it emphasized community and all humanity.

Ecological civilization is also an advanced form of science that recognizes the complexity and reality of life, as opposed to the reductionist forms of earlier science that attempted to explain away life as nothing more than chemical processes.

Gare said he looks forward to seeing China playing an even bigger role in promoting ecological civilization.

"China can promote the notion of ecological civilization in international institutions, as it has already done to some extent, having had it accepted by the United Nations," he said. "However, initial work in this area can be extended. It can also be extended through the Belt and Road Initiative."

Making the BRI conform to the goal of creating an ecological civilization was witnessed in the Chinese government's decision to cease support for the development of coal-fired power plants in other countries, he said. It could be taken further through establishing sustainable forms of agriculture in developing nations, and also developing alternative energy sources in these countries.

Building on the Chinese traditions of cultivation and celebration of nature, which are central to Confucianism and Daoism, China could develop a vibrant culture that provides an alternative to a consumer culture, he said.