1 Start with Green

1.1 The Broad Implication of Green

Between yellow and blue, and in the middle of the spectrum, green is a kind of balanced color. Today’s mainstream society gives a very broad meaning of green.

First, green symbolizes life. Green is the main hue of plants; plants cannot be separated from the photosynthesis of green. Without green, there can be no plants, there can be no animals and there can be no human beings. In this sense, green is the origin of all life and is the symbol of vitality.

Second, green symbolizes health. Associated with the previous moral, green is a symbol of both life (vitality) and health.

From a medical point of view, green does contribute to health, especially to the recovery of patients. People often use green to describe healthy and safe food, which is called green food.

Third, green symbolizes hope. The tender green of plants breaking through the soil is the hope of plants to grow, bloom and bear fruit, and is the hope of the value of life. Green symbolizes hope.

Fourth, green symbolizes peace. From the perspective of psychology, green can make people calm, quiet and peaceful, so that people can get along with each other better.

Fifth, green symbolizes peace. Based on the meaning and role of peace, as well as the meaning that the international mainstream society gives the meaning of peace to green, green is often used to represent peace, such as Greenpeace.

Sixth, green symbolizes balance. Green itself is the transition color, harmonic color or balance color between blue and yellow. At the same time, green is also a symbol of the earth’s vitality and the balanced development of man and nature.

Seventh, green symbolizes friendliness. Green is the good deeds of human beings to treat nature well, and the kindness to nature, which is the embodiment of kindness to nature; at the same time, green is often the embodiment of friendship between people.

Eighth, green is a symbol of tolerance. The green is full of vitality, and it is also an expression of all kinds of biological species. The green development, from the essence, is dynamic development, is respect for nature and the development of human tolerance.

Ninth, green symbolizes wealth. This is particularly true in Western countries such as the United States, which see green as wealth and tend to use green as the dominant color of money.

Finally, green symbolizes permission. When traffic lights are set, all countries set green to allow access, red lights to ban traffic, yellow lights as waiting lights to transition between red and green lights, so-called Stop at the red light and walk when it turns green. What’s more, many countries tend to call the unimpeded passage the green passage. In early warning systems, the risk-free zone is often set to green, the danger zone to red, and the zone or interval between safety and danger to yellow.

1.2 Wide Application of Green

As green has many positive connotations mentioned above, modern society is often keen on using green as a prefix and modifier, so more and more modern popular words have emerged, such as the green revolution, green plan, green design, green investment, green technology, green industry, green trade, green enterprises, green consumption and green logo, green culture, green sculpture, green literature, green software, green activity, green food, green architecture, green authentication, green finance, green finance, green investment, green production, green communities, green organization, green products, green transportation, green travel, green energy, green home, green economy, green politics and green culture.

All of the above “green” terms, in essence, can be summed up as green development.

2 The Origin of Green Development

2.1 Green Development Mainly Stems from the Unsustainability of Traditional Development

Green development is mainly caused by problems in traditional development concepts, paths and models, which are mainly manifested in resource waste and exhaustion, environmental pollution and damage, ecological deterioration and deficit, and social (distribution) injustice. In short, green development mainly stems from the unsustainability of traditional development, from the reflection on traditional development concepts, traditional development paths and traditional development models, and from the search for alternative development concepts, development paths and development models.

2.2 Green Development Mainly Stems from the Idea of Sustainable Development

Going back to the source, green development first originates from the concept and thought of sustainable development. In 1987, the report Our Common Future defined the connotation of sustainable development and elaborated the theory that sustainable development is the development to meet the needs of Future generations without compromising their ability to meet their own needs. Our Common Future was officially released in April 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development under the leadership of the then Prime Minister of Norway, Mrs. Brundtland. The report is divided into three parts, namely “common problem”, “common challenges” and “joint efforts”, focused on the world’s population, grain, species, energy, industrial and residential issues, clearly put forward that the development crisis, energy crisis and environmental crisis can’t be separated up, the earth’s resources and energy far cannot satisfy the needs of the development of human beings, and clearly put forward the concept of “sustainable development” through a series of distinctive judgments and viewpoints, such as the need to change the development model for the benefit of current and future generations.

2.3 Green Development Began with the Introduction of the Green Economy

Green development begins with the concept of green economy. The purpose of green economy is to promote the integration of economic development, social development and environmental protection. It is a new economic concept emerging under the influence of sustainable development theory. It was first proposed by the British economist Pierce (Pierce’s Blueprint for a Green Economy) in 1989. Also in 1989, the United Nations Environment Programme put forward the concept of “clean production”, and China introduced the idea of circular economy in the 1990s. At that time, the concept of green economy was only mentioned, but there was no in-depth study and no systematic theory. However, a series of viewpoints such as sustainable development, clean production and circular economy are intrinsically consistent with the green economy. The academic circles, countries and society of all countries have responded to the problems existing in human development.

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, especially in recent years, a series of concepts such as circular economy, low-carbon economy, ecological economy and clean production have become increasingly difficult to cope with complex global economic, resource, energy and environmental problems. The development in the new era calls for the application of new economic theories. It was Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary-General, who led the world’s economic activity. At the UN climate conference in Bali at the end of 2007, Ban Ki-Moon pointed out that “mankind is facing a great change in the era of green economy”. The green economy is providing a positive boost to development and innovation on a scale perhaps not seen since the “industrial revolution”. In September 2008, a new international financial crisis broke out. Under the circumstances of multiple crises, such as energy, food, climate change and the financial crisis, we should vigorously develop the green economy, create a new era of green economy and achieve sustainable development of human society in order to save costs and protect the environment. Responding to the global economic recovery has become a major issue to be solved in front of the world. In October 2008, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the global green New Deal and green economy plan, which calls on governments to establish a “green economy” growth model featuring low energy consumption, environmental friendliness and sustainability in order to revive and upgrade the world economy. The United Nations environment program’s initiative to develop a green economy and a new green deal has been well received by the international community. The United States, Japan, the European Union and other countries have put forward green economic development plans, implemented green new policies and taken the development of green industry as an important measure to promote economic restructuring, which has made green economy become a trend and trend in the field of global environment and development, so as to plan the development in the post-crisis era. In 2009, the United Nations held a special council to advocate the development of green economy: The theme is to make the world toward green economy, advocate green New Deal. The Rio +20 conference in 2012 focused on how to develop a green economy.

The new historical background and development stage endow green economy with new connotation and mission, making green economy a new economic concept emerging in the process of development mode innovation. The use of green economy as an important response to multiple crises, such as the financial crisis, energy crisis, environmental and resource crisis and climate change risk, has been recognized by all countries in the world.

2.4 Green Development Is the Sublation of China’s Traditional Concept of “Unity of Man and Nature”

China’s traditional culture of “the unity of man and nature”, which respects, complies with and protects nature, is the natural soil for the formation and dissemination of the concept of green development in China. The Taoist culture of “Human follows land, land follows sky, sky follows Taoism, Taoism follows nature” systematically explains the relationship between man and nature, and its core idea is to respect the laws of nature. Although the concepts of resources, environment, ecology and space are not clearly put forward, they focus on the fact that we cannot sacrifice nature to satisfy the endless desires and demands of human beings.

Of course, “the unity of man and nature” is not to blindly emphasize that human beings do nothing and do not know what to do in front of nature. Human beings should not be mere conservationists, but natural knower, protectors, improvers and adaptors aiming at the unity of man and nature. To this end, we need to study and respect the laws of nature, promote scientific and technological progress and institutional innovation, and achieve sustainable development with resource conservation, environmental friendliness, ecological conservation, social harmony and political inclusiveness at its core.

3 What Is Green Development

3.1 The Basic Connotation of Green Development

Green development is an all-embracing, dynamic, evolving and complex concept. At the same time, green development is a concept with clear connotation, clear hierarchy, clear objectives and specific requirements. The core idea of green development is to protect the natural resource base on which human beings live and develop, and to realize the sustainable use of natural resources. We should protect the natural environment that is closely related to us, including the atmospheric environment, the water environment and the soil environment, and strive to achieve the beauty of the natural environment. We must protect the ecosystem that has evolved with us and strive to ensure its continued stability and enhanced service functions. In short, green development is a development (concept, path and mode) characterized by resource conservation, environmental friendliness and ecological conservation. Green development consists of green economy, green society (green communities, green institutions, green schools, etc.), green politics (green assessment, nature protection, etc.), and green culture (culture that respects, complies with and protects nature).

3.2 The Core of Green Development Is the Green Economy

Green economy is an economic pattern characterized by resource conservation, environmental friendliness and ecological conservation. Green economy, composed of green industry, green finance, green fiscal, green investment, green consumption and green trade, is a complex giant system.

The first is green industry or green production system. Emphasis is placed on greening traditional industries, vigorously developing circular economy, promoting clean production and developing green enterprises. We will focus on developing industries related to energy conservation and environmental protection, new generation information technology, biotechnology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials and new energy vehicles. We will energetically develop ecological agriculture, ecological tourism, green producer services and living services. We will effectively raise the efficiency of resource utilization and ensure that resources are used economically. Green label, green product (green food, green building, etc.) and green service are the important connotation of green industry system.

The second is the green circulation or green logistics system. Emphasis should be laid on improving the level of transport services, minimizing the impact of volatilization, leakage, deterioration and loss of products and raw materials on the environment and human health in the process of storage and transportation, improving the mileage utilization rate and tonnage utilization rate of freight vehicles, as well as the actual load rate and transport efficiency of passenger vehicles.

The third is the green distribution system. It emphasizes that the government and society should shoulder the responsibility of environmental renovation, protection and restoration, and the construction of new ecological environment projects through redistribution. Through the form of redistribution, the income of all social strata is balanced to ensure the consumption of green products by low-income people.

Fourth is the green consumption system. We should stress the importance of building a sound ecological civilization, advocate the concept of civilized, economical, green and low-carbon consumption, and promote the formation of a green lifestyle and consumption pattern suited to China’s national conditions.

The fifth is the green market system. We will stress the importance of organizing and implementing major demonstration projects for the application of green products and technologies, support the expansion of green markets and innovation in business models and improve the green industry standard system and market access system.

The sixth is the green investment system, including green fiscal and green finance. Green investment will place greater emphasis on social investment, resource conservation, environmental conservation and ecological conservation. Among them, the green fiscal requires the government to give priority to saving water, land, energy, mineral, biological and other resources, giving priority to improving the environmental quality of water, atmosphere and soil, giving priority to the protection of natural and artificial ecosystems, and improving the service function of ecosystems. While adhering to the market orientation, green finance also adheres to the green development orientation and gives preference to green development projects in terms of loan interest rate, credit limit and repayment term.

4 Ten Features of Green Development

First, the characteristic of humanization. Green development emphasizes putting people first. Economic growth should be subordinated to and serve the needs and development of human beings. It emphasizes the harmonious development between human beings and nature to better realize the healthy development of human beings. Green development strives for social progress at a higher level. It believes that economic and social development should emphasize the equitable distribution of wealth, benefit education, health and employment, and promote human capital. Green development, which gives consideration to individual welfare, the interests of the present and future generations, is a concept of social development at a higher level.

Second, the ecological characteristics. Green development requires the establishment of a return to nature production and lifestyle, including natural, beautiful and comfortable living environment, safe and healthy food, green and environmentally friendly home, travel and their own sustainable development. Green development seeks sustainable utilization of the ecological environment and natural resources and intergenerational equity, emphasizes that healthy economic development should be based on ecological development and the harmony between man and nature, proposes to make full use of low-carbon ecological technology in industrial production, reduces energy and resource consumption and greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions, conducts climate-friendly, ecological and environment-friendly production, follows ecological laws in the agricultural production and carries out production layout out in accordance with the natural laws of biology, constantly develops and provides green, safe, efficient and harmless products and services to improve the overall and individual welfare of human beings.

Third, the characteristic of rationalization. Green development requires that the speed of economic development should be reasonable, the scale should be reasonable, the structure should be reasonable, the process should be reasonable, and the utilization of resources and environment should be reasonable. The whole process of economic and social development should be in harmony with nature and be compatible with society. Green development requires the internalization of resource and environment utilization to obtain the maximum economic benefits with the minimum resource consumption, so as to maximize the efficiency on the basis of green, health and safety, enhance the sustainability of resources and ecological environment, and finally achieve comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development.

Fourth, the characteristics of economy. Green development requires to carry out the conservation priority strategy and promote economy in production, circulation, distribution, conservation and consumption, full implementation of total resource and energy utilization control, two-way supply and demand regulation, and differentiated management, strengthen the reuse and comprehensive utilization of resources, greatly improve the efficiency of energy resources and utilization, improve all kinds of resources.

Fifth, the characteristic of high efficiency. Green development requires the improvement of production efficiency, economic efficiency and the utilization efficiency of resources and environment. Green development not only contains the “green” but also includes the content of the development cycle and the content of people-oriented, sustainable development with economic development, comprehensive improvement of people’s living standard as the core, guaranteeing the harmonious coexistence of human and nature, human and environment, and maximizing social equity between people, and contains the content of the “economy”, namely the resources with the minimum cost to obtain the biggest economic benefits. Green development is the development that maximizes the efficiency and profit of sustainable utilization and protection of natural resources and ecological environment on the basis of green, healthy and more effective development. Only when the efficiency is maximized, the ecological system can achieve harmony under new conditions or at a higher level, and the goal of social system’s maximum fairness can be realized.

Sixth, the characteristics of cleanness. Green development requires cleaner production, circulation, distribution and consumption throughout the life cycle. It is required that in the whole process of production, processing, transportation and consumption of the product, there is no or little damage to human body and environment, and the product meets certain environmental protection standards. It includes clean products, new green products produced by major industrial technology innovation and ecological protection construction and service projects and works; It is required to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources, extend the service cycle of products, adopt green design, adopt green energy, conduct green production and processing, apply green label and green packaging and implement green consumption.

Seventh, the characteristics of low carbonization. Addressing the challenge of climate change to mankind is one of the main causes of green development. Green development emphasizes the low-carbon features of social and economic development, so that social and economic development can reduce its dependence on carbon-based fuels as much as possible, realize the transformation of energy utilization and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Green development triggers the green energy revolution, which is a new revolution to replace non-renewable fossil energy with renewable resources. It will fundamentally change the development pattern of industrial economy and promote sustainable development of mankind.

Eighth, the characteristics of security. A considerable part of the world’s economic, social and resource and environmental problems are related to the security of economic operation mode. Green development requires economic security, social security, resource security, ecological security and environmental security, and controllable economic, social, resource and ecological environmental risks. Among them, resource security, ecological security and environmental security are the main goals pursued by green development.

Ninth, the characteristics of high-technicalization. The innovation and large-scale application of green technology is the key to the success of green development. Through the large-scale green technology breakthrough, the request strengthens the science and technology innovation ability construction and the science and technology infrastructure construction, carries on the second revolution, the reconstruction economic process, molds the brand-new green development form and the pattern. Without the greening of science and technology, there will be no real green development.

Finally, the characteristics of low cost. Green development requires that social and economic development be balanced with current and future needs, be combined with the construction of a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society to reduce the cost of economic transformation, economic development and resource and environment utilization, requires to reduce the cost of economic transformation, the cost of economic development, the cost of resource and environment utilization, and to reduce the cost of prosperity, so as to further strengthen the foundation for sustainable development of mankind.

5 The Relationship Between Green Development, Circular Development and Low-Carbon Development

5.1 Green Development and Circular Development

Although green development and circular development have something in common in terms of “5R”, which means resource conservation, pollution reduce, green living and re-evaluate, reuse, recycle and rescue, the connotation of green development also includes people-oriented, scientific and technological means to realize green production, green circulation and green distribution. In other words, it should give consideration to maximization of efficiency and social justice, realize resource substitution by means of science and technology and realize the balance between man and nature in the dynamic process. Although circular development also emphasizes “people-oriented”, the “people-oriented” of circular development is mainly reflected in its concern for resources and environment. That is to say, the concern for humanity is expressed through the concern for resources and environment, which is realized through the improvement of the living environment of human beings. It does not have green distribution, which ensures that people with the lowest income can buy and consume the content of green products. Green development, on the other hand, emphasizes social equity rather than circular development.

5.2 Green Development and Low-Carbon Development

Low-carbon development is the general term for a series of human behaviors and activities characterized by low-carbon industry, low-carbon technology and low-carbon life. Low-carbon development is characterized by low energy consumption, low emissions and low pollution. It is an economic development mode evolving from the era of high carbon energy to the era of low carbon energy, with the basic requirements of coping with the impact of carbon-based energy on climate warming and the basic purpose of achieving sustainable economic and social development.

Compared with the low-carbon development, the connotation of green development is much richer, which not only includes the content of low-carbon development, but also includes energy conservation and emission reduction, resource recycling, solid and liquid waste management and other practices. In short, green development is the concept with the broadest meaning, including circular development and low-carbon development, among which circular development mainly focuses on solving environmental pollution problems, while low-carbon development mainly focuses on energy structure optimization and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

6 Why Does China Need Green Development

6.1 The Necessity of China’s Green Development Is Reflected in at Least Three Aspects

First, China’s traditional development mode at the cost of resources and environment needs to be transformed. Over the past 30 years of reform and opening up, China’s GDP has been growing at an ultra-high speed. Economic development is driven too much by resource input and investment, rather than by technological progress and innovation in exchange for improved productivity. At present, China has become the world’s largest energy consumer. China’s per capita cultivated land, fresh water and forest that sustain people’s basic survival are 1/3, 1/4 and 1/7 of the world average, respectively, and has always been plagued by arable land and food problems. China’s industrial structure is still unreasonable. Although the industrial structure adjustment policies have achieved initial results, the proportion of resource-intensive industries, environmentally unfriendly industries and ecological non-conservation industries is still large, and the resources, environment and ecological pressure for industrial development are still large. China’s energy consumption per unit of GDP is very high, much higher than that of high-income countries, and even higher than the world average. In short, China’s traditional development mode at the cost of resources and environment urgently needs to be transformed.

Second, it is urgent to reverse the extremely severe situation of resources, environment and ecology in China. The rapid development of resources and the rapid growth of energy consumption are accompanied by ecological destruction and environmental pollution. At present, 1/3 of the land in China has been hit by acid rain, 70% of the river system is polluted, 1/4 of the residents do not have pure drinking water and 1/3 of the urban population have to breathe the polluted air. Resources and environment can provide resources for production activities and material basis for economic development. However, environment also has an inhibitory effect on economy, which is mainly reflected in the fact that after the environment is polluted and damaged, not only the society suffers huge economic losses, but also the sustainable development of human beings is threatened. China’s natural resources and environment can no longer continue to bear and load the traditional mode of economic growth. We must seek rapid economic development in harmony with nature and build a resource-conserving and environment-friendly economic system.

Thirdly, the unbalanced development of China’s economy and society and the problems caused by it need to be solved urgently. Since the reform and opening up, China’s economic development has made great achievements, but social development is still lagging behind, especially in education, medical care, social security, etc., and the imbalance between economic and social development is extremely prominent. In addition, the imbalance between urban and rural development, the problem of inter-regional development imbalance, the income imbalance between social strata and the superposition of many problems and their effects have led to an increasing number of social conflicts and contradictions, aggravating them, which has shaken the foundation of economic development, and then shaken the foundation of national development. The realization of coordinated economic and social development requires more balanced development, overall development.

In a word, China is still a developing country, which is in the process of rapid industrialization and urbanization, while facing multiple pressures such as developing economy, eliminating poverty, controlling pollution and slowing down greenhouse gas emissions. Many long-standing environmental problems have yet to be resolved, and new ones keep emerging. Despite all the efforts we have made, the situation remains grim for us to conserve resources, protect the environment and tackle climate change. Promoting green development is not only China’s independent action to accelerate economic restructuring and change the mode of economic development, but also an important measure for China to cope with global climate change. It is an inevitable choice and objective requirement for China, a big country with a population of 1.3 billion to achieve modernization, break the bottleneck of energy and resources and realize peaceful development.

6.2 The Significance of China’s Green Development Is Reflected in at Least Three Aspects

First, green development is conducive to enhancing the capacity for sustainable economic and social development. From the perspective of long-term development, in order to enhance the sustainable development capacity of the economy and society, we must change the traditional development model of “high input, high consumption and low efficiency” and properly handle the relationship between economy, resources and environment. This requires us to find a new development model. The people-oriented, low-carbon, ecological and reduced-quantity features of green development embody the higher level social development concept of harmonious development between human and society and nature, and make human social civilization develop toward a brand-new economic form. Through the green transformation of traditional development, we can continuously reduce carbon emissions, lower the cost of resources and ecological environment, improve the coordination of economy, society and environment and enhance the ability of sustainable development of economy and society, which is in line with China’s development of resource-conserving, environmentally friendly society requirements.

Second, green development will help open up new areas of growth in China. Green development, as a new development path, helps to promote the emergence of new forms of development. The Decision of the State Council on Accelerating the Cultivation and Development of Strategic Emerging Industries issued by the Chinese government in October 2010 clearly put forward the strategic emerging industries, including energy conservation and environmental protection, new-generation information technology, biology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials, new energy vehicles and other industries. These industries are characterized by low resource and energy consumption, high driving coefficient, abundant employment opportunities and good comprehensive benefits, which conform to the concept of green economic development and have become new economic growth points in China.

Third, green development helps improve China’s international competitiveness and influence. The rise of the green development trend is driven by the latest practices of all countries in the context of global climate change. Developed countries, in particular, have issued major measures to develop green economy in response to climate change, making it rapidly become an important trend affecting the process of world economic development. In addition, in the process of economic globalization, the role of tariff barriers is increasingly weakened, and non-tariff barriers including “green barriers” are increasingly prominent. In recent years, some developed countries, in terms of resources and environment, require end products to meet the requirements of environmental protection, which has increasingly serious impact on China’s foreign trade, especially the expansion of exports. Therefore, under the background of green international development, it is imperative and inevitable for China to promote green development. Through green development, it needs to accelerate technological innovation, improve technological level and international standards, so as to improve the international competitiveness and influence of China’s economy.

In a word, green development is in line with China’s national conditions of resources, environment and ecology. It is in line with the concept, objectives and requirements of China’s ecological civilization building and the goals and requirements of China’s national governance capacity and system building. At the same time, green development is in line with the requirements and aspirations of the people, especially the new era and new requirements for the general improvement of environmental awareness of Chinese citizens.

Green development is an inevitable choice at the current stage of China’s development. The basic feature of the current stage is the development stage of the upper middle-income group. In this stage, the constraint of resources and environment on China’s development has undergone six fundamental changes: (1) In terms of time, from short-term constraint to long-term constraint, the constraints of resources and environment on the sustainable development of social economy will be long term, continuous and even difficult to reverse. (2) In terms of spatial transformation from local constraint to overall constraint, resources and environment have and will have a long-term restrictive effect on the sustainable development of social economy in almost all regions of China. (3) In the field of change from a few constraints to a many constraints, resource and environment not only have significant constraints on resource-intensive industries or sectors, environmentally sensitive industries or sectors, but also have more and more significant direct or indirect constraints on more and more industries or sectors. (4) The change from a few to many constraints in terms of types, covering almost all types of resources, including water, land, energy, minerals and biological resources, and almost all environmental fields, including water environment, atmospheric environment and soil environment will have and will continue to have a significant constraints on socio-economic development. (5) From elastic constraint to rigid constraint in strength, the constraint of resources and environment on China’s development has been rigid or even irreversible for a long time. In this context, it is necessary and urgent to explore the path and mode of China’s sustainable development under the strong constraints of resources and environment. (6) In representation, it changes from recessive constraint to explicit constraint, the restraining effect of resources and environment on China’s social and economic development and people’s life is not only recognized by scientists, leading cadres and other social elites, but also widely recognized and alerted by more and more ordinary people. The consciousness of resource and environment crisis has become the mainstream of society.

In order to adapt to these changes, development transformation is necessary. Green transformation is the main direction and goal of development transformation.

7 Strategic Concept of Promoting Green Transformation and Development

7.1 General Idea

With the goal of promoting the green transformation of China’s development pattern and the green adjustment of its economic structure, we should adhere to the principles of overall planning, step-by-step implementation, innovation guidance, scientific and technological support, overall promotion, key leap forward, moderate growth rate, reasonable structure, government guidance, market regulation, social participation and strengthening self-discipline, will set up nine major systems, namely the green production system, the green circulation system, the green distribution system, the green consumption system, the green construction system, the green policy system, the green market system, the green energy system and the green culture system. We should focus on key areas such as green philosophy, green transformation of traditional industries, green adjustment of industrial structure, vigorously developing green industries, steadily implementing green construction, encouraging the use of green energy, promoting energy conservation and consumption reduction, implementing green accounting as soon as possible, comprehensively strengthening environmental protection and actively participating in global cooperation. Making breakthrough in five key links, namely the innovation and large-scale application of green technology, improving the utilization efficiency of resources and energy, the extension and undertaking of producer social responsibility, construction of standard system of green economy statistics, making innovation in institutions and mechanisms for green economic development so as to promote the sustained and sound development of China’s green economy.

7.2 Basic Principles

First, overall planning and step-by-step implementation. To make overall plans for the development of China’s green economy, we should make a systematic layout, specify the timing, scale and structure of development, and promote coordinated development. We will actively carry out industrial demonstration, prevent overheated investment and redundant construction, and guide orderly development. Second, innovation and technology support. We will establish a system of technological innovation with enterprises as the main body, the market as the guide, and the combination of industry, academia and research institutes. We will work hard to improve the capacity for original and integrated innovation and the ability to introduce, digest and absorb new innovations, and raise the overall technological level of the industry. We will make breakthroughs in a number of key and core technologies and master relevant intellectual property rights. At the same time, we should strengthen policy support, coordination and guidance, train and give full play to the role of high-quality personnel, accelerate the transformation of innovation results and promote the industrialization process. We will continue to deepen reform, address both the symptoms and root causes and resolve deep-seated problems in redundant development through institutional innovation.

Third, overall progress and key breakthroughs. We will continue to combine improving the long-term competitiveness of the national economy with supporting current development. We need to take a long-term view, take new directions in the development of science, technology and industry, make early deployment in major frontier areas and cultivate as soon as possible a number of new pilot industries with high science and technology content, great development potential and strong driving force. At the same time, based on the current situation, we should promote the rapid development of relevant industries that play an important role in alleviating the bottleneck of economic and social development, promote the healthy development of high-tech industries, drive the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries and accelerate the formation of pillar industries. We will select the most basic and conditions of the field as a breakthrough, focusing on advancing. We will vigorously foster green industrial clusters and promote the development of advantageous regions in the first place.

Fourth, the growth rate is moderate and the structure is reasonable. We will ensure that the speed of development is consistent with the quality and efficiency of the structure. We should give top priority to development, maintain a reasonable scale and speed of development, optimize the economic structure and place greater emphasis on quality and efficiency while conserving resources and protecting the environment.

Fifth, government guidance and market regulation. We will give full play to the basic role of the market and combine it with government guidance and promotion. With the market as the guide and enterprises as the main body, we will give full play to the basic role of the market in allocating resources through deepening reform and innovating mechanisms. At the same time, for the important areas and key links of overall economic and social development, it needs to be integrated use of law, economy, technology, standards and necessary administrative means, coordinate industry, environmental protection, land and financial policies, government planning guidance, policy incentives and organizational coordinating role, formulate a special industrial policy and planning, which is conducive to develop green economy system environment, policy environment and market environment.

Sixth, social participation and self-discipline. Green development must become the consensus of the whole society, and it must be the common participation and joint efforts of the whole society. The degree of social participation in green development reflects the degree of social civilization. At the same time, every family and every social member must strengthen self-discipline, strictly restrain and regulate their own behaviors, and in particular, it is necessary to improve the ethics, morality, science and technology and cultural literacy of every social member. Self-discipline, or not, is also an important symbol of the level of social civilization.

7.3 Key Areas

First, accelerate the green transformation of traditional industries. (1) Enhance the transformation and upgrading of traditional manufacturing industry. To develop the advanced manufacturing industry with the focus on revitalizing the equipment manufacturing industry, we need to rely on key construction projects, improve the localization of major technical equipment through independent innovation, technology introduction, cooperative development and joint manufacturing and raise the overall level of research and development and design, supporting core components, processing and manufacturing, and system integration. We will support accelerated technological upgrading in iron and steel, nonferrous metals, petrochemical, electric power and other industries to reduce energy consumption and improve the comprehensive utilization of resources. We will strictly implement the national industrial policy and project management regulations, strengthen the review of land use, energy conservation assessment and environmental impact assessment and strictly control new projects in industries with high energy consumption, high emissions and overcapacity. We will use it to drive and promote industrialization. We will encourage the use of high technology and advanced and applicable technologies to transform and upgrade the manufacturing sector and increase the proportion of independent intellectual property rights, independent brands and high-end products. (2) Promote clean production. In the production process, raw materials and energy are saved, toxic raw materials are eliminated and the quantity and toxicity of all wastes are reduced. From the acquisition of raw materials to the final treatment of products, reduce the negative impact of products on the environment. Incorporate environmental considerations into the design and delivery of services. (3) Encourage green development of enterprises. In accordance with the principles of ecology and ecological economics, an ecological production and operation management system shall be established, clean production shall be carried out, non-toxic and harmless production techniques and comprehensive utilization techniques shall be developed and ecological production or service processes shall be organized, which makes the whole enterprise technological process and management process ecological, changes the modern enterprise material production process or service process into natural ecological process or into natural ecological process, and forms the enterprise ecological pattern of ecological production and ecological life. It makes the best use of all kinds of natural resources and raw materials and energy put into the production process. It can greatly improve the utilization rate of resources and energy, reduce or even eliminate wastes and form an organic whole of ecological economy with less input, low consumption, high quality, no pollution and the production of products in line with ecological environmental standards, so as to realize the benign cycle and sustainable development of the ecological economy of enterprises.

Second, accelerate the transformation of green industrial structure. We will eliminate outdated technologies and equipment by adjusting the structure of industries, products and consumption of resources and energy. We will accelerate the development of the tertiary industry, which is mainly represented by the service sector, and the new and high technology industry, which is mainly represented by information technology. We will transform traditional industries with new and high technologies and advanced and appropriate technologies, promote the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure and improve the overall level of technology and equipment in the industry. We will accelerate the formation of a national economic structure with high scientific and technological content, low resource consumption and good economic and environmental performance. (1) Promote the restructuring of key industries. We will promote structural adjustment in key industries such as equipment manufacturing, shipbuilding, automobile, metallurgy and building materials, petrochemical, textile, packaging, electronic information and construction. (2) Promote the development of the service industry. We will make it a strategic priority to promote the development of the service sector in optimizing and upgrading the industrial structure, foster a policy and institutional environment conducive to the development of the service sector, expand new areas, develop new forms of business and foster new hotspots. We will accelerate the development of producer services. We will deepen specialization, accelerate innovation in service products and service models, promote the integration of producer services with advanced manufacturing and accelerate the development of producer services. We will vigorously develop the domestic service industry. We will enrich the types of service products for both urban and rural residents, expand the supply of services, improve the quality of services and meet diverse needs. We will create an environment conducive to the development of the service sector. We will promote reform through opening-up and development through competition, promote institutional innovation in the service sector, improve the policy system for the service sector and improve the environment for the development of the service sector. (3) Adjust the industrial structure of raw materials. We will focus on adjusting the product mix, organizational structure and industrial layout of the raw materials industry to improve product quality and technological content in accordance with energy, resource conditions and environmental capacity. (4) Cultivate and develop strategic emerging industries. We will, on the basis of major technological breakthroughs and major development needs, promote the in-depth integration of emerging technologies with emerging industries and, on the basis of continuing to strengthen and expand high-tech industries, develop strategic emerging industries into leading and pillar industries. We will promote leapfrog development in key areas. We will vigorously develop strategic emerging industries such as energy conservation and environmental protection, new generation information technology, biotechnology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy, new materials and new energy vehicles. We will implement the industrial innovation and development program. With the goal of mastering core and key industrial technologies and accelerating industrial scale development, we will give full play to the leading and supporting role of major national science and technology projects. We will support business model innovation and market expansion, organize the implementation of several major industrial innovation and development projects and cultivate a number of key enterprises and demonstration bases in strategic emerging industries by relying on advantageous enterprises, industrial agglomeration zones and major projects. We will set up special funds and industrial investment funds for the development of strategic emerging industries, expand the scale of government investment in start-ups in emerging industries and bring into full play the role of the multi-level capital market in financing. We will encourage financial institutions to increase their credit support through a comprehensive use of favorable fiscal policies such as risk compensation. We will improve tax support policies that encourage innovation and encourage investment and consumption. We will accelerate the establishment of industry standards and a system of technical standards for key products that are conducive to the development of strategic emerging industries. Supporting the infrastructure construction of new product application creates a good environment for cultivating and expanding market demand.

Third, accelerate the transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture. We will accelerate progress in agricultural science and technology, strengthen the building of agricultural facilities, adjust the structure of agricultural production, change the pattern of agricultural growth and increase the overall production capacity of agriculture. We will steadily develop grain production, accelerate the implementation of industrial projects to produce high-quality grain and build large commercial grain production bases to ensure food security. We will improve the distribution of agricultural production, promote the industrialized operation of agriculture, accelerate agricultural standardization, promote the processing, transformation and value-added of agricultural products, and develop agriculture with high yield, high quality, high efficiency, ecological protection and safety. We will vigorously develop animal husbandry, raise the level of scale, intensification and standardization, protect natural grasslands and build bases for feed grasslands. We will actively develop aquaculture, protect and rationally utilize fishery resources, promote green aquaculture methods and develop efficient and ecological aquaculture. We will develop raw material forest and timber forest base according to local conditions and improve the comprehensive utilization rate of wood. We will strengthen irrigation and water conservancy projects, transform medium-and low-yielding farmland and improve land consolidation. We will raise the level of agricultural mechanization and improve the systems for popularizing agricultural technologies, marketing of agricultural products, quality, safety of agricultural products and prevention and control of animal and plant diseases and insect pests. We will vigorously promote water-saving irrigation and use fertilizers and pesticides in a scientific way to promote sustainable agricultural development.

Fourth, accelerate the transformation of natural resources utilization mode. We will accelerate the transition from extensive and wasteful use of natural resources to intensive and economical use. We will vigorously promote energy conservation and consumption reduction in key areas such as industry, construction and transportation, and strengthen the conservation and intensive use of water, land and mineral resources.

Fifth, accelerate the green transformation of regional development. We will explore the path of green transformation with distinctive features in combination with the development foundation, resource and environmental characteristics, economic and social development orientation, development direction and development goals of different regions. The eastern region should play its own advantages and lead the way in green transformation. The green transformation in the central region should persist in protection during development; the green transformation in the Western region should persist in developing with protection. The green transformation of northeast China needs to persist in developing through restoration. We will adjust the layout of regional industries. We will raise the level of economies of scale and industrial concentration of enterprises, accelerate the development of large enterprises and form a number of large companies and enterprise groups with independent intellectual property rights, prominent main businesses and strong core competitiveness. We should give full play to the role of small- and medium-sized enterprises, encourage them to form a cooperative relationship with large enterprises on the basis of division of labor, raise the level of specialization in production and promote their technological progress and industrial upgrading. We should give full play to our comparative advantages, actively promote the rational flow and allocation of factors of production and guide the development of industrial clusters. Starting from the overall strategic layout of regional development and in accordance with the carrying capacity and development potential of resources and the environment, we will implement regional industrial layouts that distinguish between optimal development, key development, restricted development and prohibited development.

Sixth, accelerate the ecological construction ideas and mode transformation. We will increase forest carbon sink, continue to implement key state afforestation projects, actively implement carbon sink afforestation projects, deepen urban afforestation and strengthen forestry operations and sustainable management. With strict protection as the premise, we will ensure moderate growth of woodland scale. We will focus on increasing forest area to ensure that the goal of forest coverage is achieved. With scientific management as the core, we will improve forest quality and comprehensive benefits. To optimize the layout of the structure, we shall coordinate the regional forest land protection and utilization. With the innovation management system as the breakthrough, we shall form the new mechanism for woodland protection utilization management. Comprehensive protection of woodland: (1) strict use control. To optimize the layout of the structure, we shall coordinate the regional forest land protection and utilization, strictly restrict the conversion of forestland to construction land, strictly control the conversion of forestland into other agricultural land and strictly protect public welfare forest lands. We will intensify efforts to restore temporarily occupied forestland and catastrophic deforested land. (2) Implement hierarchical management. Scientific classification of forest protection grade; forest land protection and management by grade shall be implemented. (3) Strengthen forest protection. Strictly protect the forests; balance the forest area; curb forest degradation. (4) Actively supplement woodland. Increase the forest resources. Strengthen the regulation of idle land suitable for forestry. (5) Guide land conservation. Appropriate protection of woodland for national infrastructure and public construction use. Control the use of forest land for urban and rural construction; restrict the occupation of forestland by industrial and mining development; regulate the use of forest land for commercial operation; formulate prohibited and restricted catalogue of projects of requisition and occupation of forest land. Rational utilization of woodland: (1) Optimize the structure. Overall planning of public welfare forest land and commodity forest land; scientific adjustment of natural and artificial woodland structure. (2) Key guarantee points. Protecting land for ecological barrier; ensuring key public welfare forest lands; to safeguard the basic forestland for national timber and forest product production. (3) Scientific management. Establishing the forest land quality evaluation and grading system; implementing forest quality projects; we will implement the Woody grain and oil project. (4) Sustainable utilization. Accelerate the process of ecological restoration and afforestation; we will strengthen ecological management of degraded forest land in key regions. Overall regional management: (1) Optimize regional layout. Adjust and optimize the spatial distribution of forest land utilization. (2) Implement differential management. Actively protect and expand the green ecological space of the development zone; supporting the development of key development zones and ecological construction; ensuring and limiting the demand for ecological land in development zones; strictly protect the forest resources in development zones. (3) Strengthening macro-control. Strengthen national macro-control capability; strengthen the protection and utilization responsibility of provincial forestland; implement policies on the protection and utilization of regional forest land; continue to give top priority to conservation and natural restoration, intensify ecological protection and development, and reverse the trend of ecological and environmental degradation at its source. Build ecological security barrier, strengthen ecological protection and management and establish ecological compensation mechanism.

Seventh, accelerate the green transformation of infrastructure construction. (1) Strengthen the green transformation of energy infrastructure. We will strengthen the building of the power grid, optimize its structure and expand the transmission of electricity from west to east. We will build large coal bases, readjust and upgrade small and medium-sized coal mines, and encourage the pooling of coal and power. We will pursue simultaneous development of oil and gas, step up exploration, development and utilization of oil and gas resources, expand overseas cooperation in development and accelerate infrastructure development in the oil and gas sectors. (2) Strengthen the green transformation of transportation infrastructure. We will improve inter-regional transportation networks, build intercity rapid networks, give priority to the development of public transportation and make intensive and economical use of resources in planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, management and service, promote resource recycling, vigorously promote energy conservation and emission reduction, and effectively protect and improve the ecological environment. Starting with the construction of an all-round sustainable transportation system, we will guide residents to adopt reasonable means of transportation, provide convenient and efficient transportation facilities, vigorously promote the development of urban buses, bicycles, electric vehicles and other means of transportation, and reduce fuel consumption and pollution emissions of the urban transportation system. (3) Strengthen the green transformation of water conservancy infrastructure. We will improve water conservancy infrastructure and, on the basis of continuing to improve large rivers, actively improve important tributaries, lakes and small- and medium-sized rivers to increase urban and rural water supply and flood control. We will improve the system for disaster prevention and reduction and strengthen our ability to withstand natural disasters. We will coordinate the allocation of groundwater resources in the upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, control groundwater exploitation and actively carry out desalination. We will strengthen the construction of flood control and drought relief projects, focusing on strengthening levees and controlling water conservancy hubs, strengthening weak links in flood control and disaster reduction, and continue to strengthen the main dikes of large rivers, reinforce flood storage areas, reinforce dangerous reservoirs and build key urban flood control projects. We will build the south-to-north water diversion project. We will intensify the construction and renovation of drinking water projects for people and livestock and supporting projects for irrigation areas. (4) Accelerate the green transformation of information infrastructure. We will strengthen information infrastructure such as broadband communications networks, digital television networks and the next-generation Internet, promote the integration of the three networks and improve the information security system. (5) Accelerate the green transformation of buildings. We will step up research and development of green building technologies and make innovations in building products that save energy, land, water and materials, carry out research on the green building design and construction standard system, and establish the green building evaluation index system, so as to provide people with healthy, applicable and efficient use of resources and space, and build a harmonious coexistence with nature; further strengthen oversight of energy conservation in new buildings. Check the air conditioning temperature of hotels, shopping malls, office buildings and other public places; promote the development of an energy conservation regulatory system for government offices and large public buildings and the development of energy-saving model universities; vigorously promote the energy conservation of existing buildings in northern heating areas; vigorously promote energy conservation and emission reduction in municipal public sector; study policies for energy saving and carbon reduction wastewater regeneration and sludge treatment and disposal in line with China’s national conditions; actively guide the development of green buildings; promote the use of renewable energy in buildings; vigorously develop the low-carbon and green building industry and accelerate the development of energy efficient and waste industries such as recycling and treatment of construction waste, ready-mixed concrete and mortar, and bulk cement. (6) Accelerate the construction of comprehensive urban carrying capacity. We will adhere to the principles of putting people first, saving land and energy, protecting the environment, being safe and practical, giving prominence to distinctive features and protecting cultural and natural heritage. We will formulate urban plans in a scientific way, improve standards for urban development and strengthen the binding force of urban planning. We will rationally determine the boundaries of urban development, regulate the construction of new urban areas, raise the population density of built-up areas, adjust and optimize the structure of land used for construction, prevent the over-expansion of the area of megacities, and prevent and treat “urban disease”. We will make overall planning for the construction of above-ground and underground municipal public facilities, improve infrastructure for transportation, communications, power supply, heat supply, gas supply, water supply and drainage, and sewage and garbage treatment, and strengthen our ability to prevent disasters such as fire fighting. We will expand urban green space and public activity space and accelerate the development of urban public cultural and sports facilities for the general public. We will promote the renovation of “villages in cities” and the urban and rural areas. We will strengthen the oversight of the construction market and standardize its order. We will deepen reform of the urban construction investment and financing system and issue bonds for the construction of municipal projects. We will strengthen comprehensive urban management, promote the construction of digital cities, improve the level of information and refined management services, pay attention to cultural inheritance and protection, improve the city’s cultural environment.

Eighth, accelerate the green transformation of energy production and consumption. (1) Optimize the development of coal power generation with a focus on large and efficient units. We will develop safe and efficient coal mines, promote the integration of coal resources and the merger and reorganization of coal mining enterprises, and develop large coal enterprise groups. We will carry out research, development and demonstration of coal-to-natural gas, coal-to-liquid fuel and coal-based poly-generation in an orderly manner, and steadily advance industrialization. We will develop clean, efficient and large-capacity coal-fired power plants, give priority to the development of cogeneration units in large- and medium-sized cities and industrial parks, as well as comprehensive utilization power stations such as large coal burning power stations at pithead and coal gangues. We will strengthen clean production and utilization of coal and develop and disseminate efficient and clean combustion technologies. We will actively promote the industrialization of clean coal technology. (2) Rational utilization of oil and natural gas resources. We will step up exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources, stabilize domestic oil production, promote the rapid growth of natural gas production and promote the development and utilization of unconventional oil and gas resources such as coal-bed methane and shale gas. (3) Orderly development of hydropower on the basis of ecological protection. We will focus on the construction of large hydropower stations in southwest China, develop hydropower resources in small- and medium-sized rivers in light of local conditions, and scientifically plan and build pumped storage power stations. (4) Develop nuclear power efficiently on the basis of ensuring safety. We will accelerate the development of nuclear power in economically developed coastal areas, regions with concentrated power loads and provinces in central China that lack coal. (5) Accelerate the development of wind, solar, geothermal and biomass energy. In the “three north” and coastal areas rich in wind energy resources, build a number of 10 million kilowatt wind power base. We will strengthen the construction of supporting projects connected to the grid and effectively develop wind power. We will energetically develop solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy and other new energy sources, promoting the application of distributed energy systems.

Finally, accelerate the process of energy saving and consumption reduction. (1) Improve the incentive and restraint mechanism for energy conservation and emission reduction. Optimize the energy structure, reasonably control the total energy consumption, improve the pricing mechanism for resource products and environmental resources tax and fee system, and perfect the laws and regulations and standards for energy conservation and emissions reduction, strengthen energy conservation and emission reduction target responsibility appraisal, the resource conservation and environmental protection throughout the production, circulation, consumption, construction in various areas and each link and promote the sustainable development ability. (2) Adhere to and implement the policy of giving priority to energy conservation. Priority should be given to energy conservation in formulating and implementing development strategies, development plans, industrial policies, investment management and fiscal, tax, financial and pricing policies. In drawing up special plans, energy conservation should be taken as an important part and all regions should formulate medium- and long-term plans for energy conservation in light of their actual conditions. The demonstration and evaluation of energy saving should be strengthened in the project proposal and feasibility study report of the construction project; we will give high priority to energy conservation in promoting structural adjustment and technological progress. We will support energy conservation in the state’s fiscal, taxation, financial and pricing policies. We will focus on the actions taken by thousands of enterprises to conserve energy, announce the assessment results, strengthen target responsibility, strengthen management of energy use, and raise the level of energy use. (3) Eliminate backward production capacity. Focusing on the steel, cement, plate glass, non-ferrous metals, coke, paper, leather, printing and dyeing industries, we will further accelerate the elimination of outdated production capacity, implement target responsibilities, improve policy constraints, establish incentive, supervision and inspection mechanisms and other comprehensive measures to ensure that tasks are completed on schedule. The people’s governments at the provincial level shall be responsible for the formulation of the task of eliminating backward production capacity in their respective areas, and shall divide the task among cities, counties and relevant enterprises. Relevant departments should assign the task of eliminating backward production capacity in various regions, publish a list of enterprises to eliminate backward production capacity and ensure that backward production capacity is shut down as scheduled. We will implement a system for phasing out outdated and high-energy-consuming products and equipment, regularly publish a list of products and equipment that have been phased out and intensify supervision and inspection. Energy-consuming products or buildings that fail to meet the mandatory energy efficiency standards shall not be sold out of the factory or allowed to start construction. Penalties shall be increased for the production, sale and use of energy-consuming products and equipment that have been eliminated by the state and that consume too much energy. We will formulate development plans and policies for energy-intensive industries such as iron and steel, nonferrous metals and cement, and raise standards for industry access. We will formulate policies to restrict the use of energy in certain sectors, as well as the export of scarce domestic resources and energy-intensive products. Construction or expansion of conventional oil-fired generating sets is strictly prohibited; to limit the use and construction of gas turbines for diesel power generation and fuel oil under the condition that regional power supply is balanced and can meet the demand for electricity. (4) Comprehensively promote energy conservation and emission reduction. We will strictly control the excessive growth of industries that consume high energy and emit high emissions, focus on energy conservation in key areas such as industry, construction, transportation and public institutions, and strengthen management of energy conservation in key energy-using units. We will accelerate the implementation of key projects to conserve energy and reduce emissions. We will strengthen the assessment of energy conservation targets and improve the system of rewards and punishments. We will improve laws and regulations and standards for energy conservation, and formulate, improve and strictly enforce energy consumption quotas and energy efficiency standards for major energy-consuming products, and strengthen the assessment and review of energy conservation in fixed asset investment projects. We will improve the market-based mechanism for energy conservation, accelerate the implementation of contract energy management and power demand management, and improve energy efficiency labeling, certification of energy-efficient products and the system for mandatory government procurement of energy-efficient products. We will promote advanced energy-saving technology and products. We will strengthen capacity building for energy conservation. We will vigorously promote energy-saving technologies and products. We will launch a campaign to save energy and reduce carbon emissions in 10,000 enterprises and promote nationwide efforts to save energy and reduce emissions.

7.4 Key Measures

First, the green concept runs through the policy. The development of green economy as a major national strategy is included into the national economic and social development of the medium- and long-term planning. In the implementation of integrated environment and development decisions, economic stimulus programs and industrial restructuring and revitalization programs, we will integrate the concept, measures and actions of green economy, truly embody the scientific outlook on development and the requirements of “two-oriented” social construction, accelerate the formulation of green economy development plans and integrate the concept of green economy into the development plans of various departments and fields, and promote the comprehensive greening of all sectors of the national economy. First, formulate environmental and economic policies throughout the reproduction process, promote the price reform of resource products, promote the internalization of external costs of environmental pollution, formulate fiscal policies and tax policies conducive to environmental protection and levy environmental taxes. Second, actively study environmental policies and strengthen guidance on financial services and overseas investment in the field of environmental protection. Third, establish the statistical and evaluation mechanism of green economy, scientifically predict the development trend of green economy and provide effective support for formulating policies related to green economy development.

Second, the formulation of green economic development strategy planning. We will raise the development of the green economy to a national strategic level, formulate a strategic plan for the development of the green economy and define the strategic objectives, tasks and priorities of the development of the green economy. We will formulate a roadmap for the development of the green economy, carry out demonstration projects for the development of the green economy and ensure the development of the green economy through laws, regulations, standard systems, institutional arrangements, policies and measures.

Third, improve the green economy policy system. We will formulate and improve fiscal, tax, financial, insurance, investment and financing, industrial and other policies to promote the development of a green economy. We will increase government subsidies for the comprehensive utilization of resources, new energy, energy conservation, environmental protection and other green industries. We will implement tax policies and export tax rebates that are conducive to the comprehensive utilization of resources, new energy, energy conservation, environmental protection and other green industries. We will improve and strengthen green credit policies and give full play to the important role of finance in energy conservation, environmental protection and green industry development. Fourth, formulate supporting policies to support green development. We will give full play to the synergistic effects of addressing climate change, energy conservation and environmental protection, new energy development, and ecological improvement, actively explore institutions and mechanisms conducive to the development of a green economy, explore effective government guidance and economic incentive policies, and study the use of market mechanisms to promote the development of a green economy. Land supply according to law and regulations. Supply and use land according to laws and regulations.

Fifth, deepen reform of prices for resource products and charges for environmental protection. We will establish and improve a pricing mechanism for resource products that flexibly reflects market supply and demand, resource scarcity and environmental damage costs, and promote structural adjustment, resource conservation and environmental protection. We will improve the pricing mechanism for resource products. We will continue to reform water prices and improve the pricing policies for water resources, water conservancy projects and urban water supplies. We will actively promote the reform of electricity prices, carry out pilot projects for direct trading and bidding for electricity from large users, improve the mechanism for setting electricity prices for transmission and distribution, and reform the structure for classifying electricity prices for sale. We will actively implement a tiered pricing system for residential electricity and water. We will further improve the mechanism for setting prices for refined petroleum products and actively promote market-oriented reform, rationalize the price comparison between natural gas and alternative energy. In accordance with the linkage mechanism of price, tax, fee and rent, we will appropriately raise the resource tax burden, improve the method for calculating and levying tax, change the levying of important resource products from the levying of specific quantity and quota to the levying of specific price and fixed rate, and promote the rational development and utilization of resources. We will press ahead with the reform of the environmental fee system. We will establish and improve the polluter pays system and increase the collection rate for sewage charges. We will reform the way waste disposal fees are collected and appropriately raise the standard for waste disposal fees and government subsidies. We will improve the sewage charging system. We will energetically press ahead with the reform of environmental taxes and fees, and gradually expand the scope of environmental protection taxes by selecting items with heavy prevention and control tasks and mature technical standards. We will establish and improve the mechanism for trading resources and environmental property rights. We will introduce a market mechanism and establish a sound system for the paid use and trading of mining and pollutant discharge rights. We will standardize and develop the market for trading exploration and mining rights, develop the market for trading pollution rights, regulate the price behavior of trading pollution rights, improve the system of laws, regulations and policies, and promote the orderly flow of resources, environmental and property rights and open, fair and just trading.

Sixth, introduce a new mechanism for energy conservation based on the market mechanism. (1) Establish the energy conservation information release system, use modern information dissemination technology, timely release all kinds of energy consumption information at home and abroad, advanced energy conservation new technology, new process, new equipment and advanced management experience, guide enterprises to tap potential transformation, improve energy efficiency. (2) Comprehensive resource planning and power demand management shall be carried out, and the quantity saved shall be incorporated into the overall planning as resources to guide the rational allocation of resources. Take effective measures to improve the efficiency of terminal electricity consumption, optimize the mode of electricity consumption and save electricity. (3) Vigorously promote the implementation of energy-saving product certification and energy efficiency labeling management system and guide users and consumers to purchase energy-saving products by using market mechanism. (4) Carry out contract energy management, overcome the market barriers to the promotion of new energy-saving technologies, promote the industrialization of energy conservation and provide one-stop services of diagnosis, design, financing, transformation, operation and management for enterprises implementing energy conservation transformation. (5) Establish an investment guarantee mechanism for energy conservation and promote the development of energy conservation technology service system. (6) Voluntary agreement on energy conservation shall be implemented, that is, a voluntary agreement on energy conservation shall be signed between energy-consuming users or industry associations and the government.