Green Civilization: Human Consensus on Global Collaboration for Sustainable Development [1st ed.] 9789811578113, 9789811578120

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Xiaoxi Li

Green Civilization Human Consensus on Global Collaboration for Sustainable Development

Green Civilization

Xiaoxi Li

Green Civilization Human Consensus on Global Collaboration for Sustainable Development

123

Xiaoxi Li School of Economics and Resource Management Beijing Normal University Beijing, China

ISBN 978-981-15-7811-3 ISBN 978-981-15-7812-0 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7812-0

(eBook)

Jointly published with Beijing Normal University Press (Group) Co., LTD The print edition is not for sale in China (Mainland). Customers from China (Mainland) please order the print book from: Beijing Normal University Press (Group) Co., LTD. ISBN of the Co-Publisher’s edition: 978-7-303-26367-7 © Beijing Normal University Press (Group) Co., LTD 2020 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publishers, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publishers, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publishers nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publishers remain neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore

Foreword

Professor Li Xiaoxi, the Honorary Dean of the School of Economy and Resources Management at Beijing Normal University, is a Chinese scholar with both theory and practical experience. Having experienced the formidable environmental challenges confronting China and witnessed decades of transformative economic growth and industrialization, he believes that it is a crucial time for China to combat environmental degradation, while probing for practical solutions to reconcile the goal of economic growth with environmental sustainability. He fully embraces the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, signed by 193 countries of the UN General Assembly in 2015, as a mechanism to advance his vision for a green civilization. This book advocates this green civilization as the ultimate form of civilization, following the civilization shaped by industrial revolution, and encompassing all humanity of all religions and beliefs. It views this highest form of civilization as an inevitable and natural product of economic development, as it evolves from traditional industrialization to a new post-industrial historic stage against the backdrop of globalization. Li pondered how to reconcile the need for generating economic growth with environmental protection. He concludes that to build a green civilization is the only way out of this quagmire of growth first and remedy later. Li dedicates a whole chapter on how the ethics of the world’s five major religions—Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism—are, respectively, consistent with the green civilization. Therefore, this green civilization is something that all civilizations can and should espouse, especially given the gravity of the current environmental challenges. Green civilization is beneficial to human health and general well-being. In Li’s view, the perilous prospect that Samuel Huntington postulated in his famous 1997 book Clash of Civilizations, to which Li refers in many places in this book. He considers green civilization as a prevention of Huntington’s feared conflicts from taking place. Being the epitome of all civilization, it embodies respect for history and concern for the future. It is pluralistic and inclusive in nature, and mutually beneficial to all countries of all ethnicities.

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In my mind, Li is a scholar of the Confucian tradition in the sense that he is not only a trained economist but also a humanist with a deep compassion for the well-being of the Chinese people, as well as humanity at large. Believing that the fundamental goal of economic growth is to improve the quality of people’s lives, he urges adjustment to China’s coarse model of sweeping economic growth and its corresponding policies. If people don’t have necessities of life as basic as clean air and clean water, then what good does economic growth do? Li quotes China’s President Xi Jinping’s speech in 2015, “We have taken on too much environmental debt (to our posterity). If we don’t forcefully remedy it now, the cost of doing so in the future will be much larger.” Li was pleased to see the attention to environmental challenges at the highest level of the Chinese government adding urgency to relevant policymaking and implementation. He demonstrates the Chinese government’s determination through detailed reporting of China’s stepped-up efforts over the years. Overall, this book is full of information, governed and inspired by a vision for a green civilization. I recommend it to policymakers and to those with interest in environmental issues. It is especially useful for other developing countries to avoid those pitfalls that counties like China have experienced in their rapid industrialization and economic development. May 2020

Richard N. Cooper Boas Professor of Economics Harvard University Cambridge, MA, USA

Preface: The Green Bridge from Civilization Conflict to Civilization Cooperation

In the eighteenth century, French thinkers proposed the concept of “Civilization” in contrast to the so-called “Barbaric State.” Culture is perceivable through either a specific or general lens; it also carries spiritual and material implications. In short, civilization is a collection of all social and natural behaviors that raise humanity from a state of barbarism, including the making of tools, the formation of words and languages, etiquette, beliefs and religions, national consciousness, and then art and education, scientific and technological progress, legal order, and state governance. Civilization and culture both affect the overall way of life of a nation. Civilization is a refined, expanded culture. Civilization defines the relationships between human beings, humans and society, and humans and nature. “The Book of Changes” (“Yi
Qian
Wen Yan”), an ancient Chinese classic, has the words “seeing dragons in the field and civilization in the world.” This text reasonably designates the origin of the word “civilization” in China, especially Chinese civilization. This was the period of China’s agricultural civilization. Material civilization is born of the physical transformation of nature by humans, and the mode of production of a human society determines its essence. As Friedrich Engels said, “the age of civilization is the period of learning to further process natural products and the period of true industry and art.”1 Spiritual civilization is the entirety of the spiritual achievements of human beings in the process of transforming their objective and subjective worlds. It embraces a wide range of scientific culture, morality, and ethics. As Karl Marx said, in the production activities that change the world, the producers are also under transformation. They are refining new qualities, developing and transforming themselves through production, creating distinct forces and ideas, and generating more ways of communication, increased demands, and new languages.2 Chinese leaders have long proposed and insisted on a tenet—that it would greatly benefit all human society if different human civilizations “uphold the spirit of mutual tolerance, strengthen dialogue and 1

Selected Works of Marx and Engels, Volume IV, p. 23. The Complete Works of Marx and Engels Vol. 46 Vol. 1 p. 49.

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Preface: The Green Bridge from Civilization Conflict to Civilization Cooperation

exchanges, and work together to build a harmonious world that is inclusive of all cultures.”3 According to the book The Third Wave, published by Alvin Toffler in the last century, human society can be split into three stages. The first stage was the agricultural stage, starting about 10,000 years ago, followed by the industrial age from the end of the seventeenth century. The third stage, named the informatization (or service industry) phase, began in the late 1950s. Toffler believes that today’s world is in the third stage after the agricultural and industrial civilizations. This new stage in the history of human development drives society toward a peculiar social state.4 What kind of human culture will be the result? Samuel Huntington, a world-renowned scholar in the field of international political research, one of the most influential thinkers in the United States in the twentieth century, and Director of the Harvard Institute for International and Regional Studies, published an article entitled “The Clash of Civilizations?” in 1993 in Foreign Affairs, an American diplomatic journal. The arguments he posited have ever since aroused widespread concern and controversy in the international academic community. In 1996, Huntington again published a monograph to reiterate his whole idea. Huntington believed that after the Cold War, the world would be dominated by “conflicts of civilizations.” To establish a new international order after the Cold War, Mr. Samuel Huntington suggested a new systematic approach with global attention. He made considerable efforts to collect and analyze various phenomena of conflict that have occurred in distinct countries and regions.5 The international conflicts and the events deriving therefrom have indeed reinforced his central argument. That is, traditional civilization, including religion, played a critical role in shaping the conflicts. Adopting the theory of civilization conflicts to understand the international situation would be reasonably convenient, and there exist numerous supportive cases. However, we should be conscious that the inclusive cooperation of civilizations also constitutes an essential component in understanding and building the world order. The task of promoting inclusive cooperation between civilizations has, therefore, become a matter of tremendous urgency and worth due to the aggravated interplay between humans and the environment. Academics cannot rely on a generalized theory of civilization conflicts to interpret all conflict phenomena; no more should politicians use the approach to provoke incidents. Let us look down at our common land, and look up at an opaque sky dark with smog and pollutants. And then calculate how long we human beings can live and develop, and whether or not our societies and the mother planet can survive sustainably. In the face of numerous conflicts of interest, what are the interests common to all of us? We need Quoting from An Important Speech of President Hu Jintao's “Efforts to Build A Harmonious World of Lasting Peace and Common Prosperity” at the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations on September 15, 2005. 4 Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave, published by Sanlian Press in 1983. 5 [US] Samuel Huntington. Clash of Civilizations and Reconstruction of World Order [M]. Beijing: Xinhua Press, 2010. 3

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no longer call into a void for the sustainable development of humanity and the planet. We must keep in mind the consensus achieved by the United Nations in “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” The Agenda recognizes natural and cultural diversity and emphasizes that all cultures and civilizations can promote sustainable development through the establishment of global citizenship and responsibility. We also need to strive harder to protect and defend the world’s cultural and natural heritage, and to promote understanding, tolerance, and mutual respect among different cultures.6 In short, the hope for all humanity relies entirely on cooperation among human civilizations through global sustainable development. A healthy eco-environment leads to the success of a civilization, while the collapse of the environment results in its failure. The spreading of green vegetation enlivens the earth with beauty, and the receding of greenery screams out the decay of the planet. The ecology and the environment build the face of the earth and provide the foundations for human survival and development. Changes in the biophysical environment directly affect the rise and fall of civilizations. Human history has spawned four ancient civilizations, ancient Egypt, Biblical Babylon, ancient India, and ancient China. All these ancient civilizations originated from areas with dense forests, abundant water, and fertile fields, all benefiting from their ever-running mother rivers. The degradation of the eco-environment, in particular severe land desertification, triggered the decline of the ancient Egyptian and Babylonian civilizations.7 Undoubtedly, the earth’s eco-environment builds the foundation of our commonwealth and the channels of communication for human civilization. In the early 1970s, the Club of Rome declared that nonrenewable resources available for human exploitation were limited. They forecast that the “limit of growth” would occur at the end of the twentieth century or the beginning of the twenty-first century. In 1992, 1575 scientists around the world issued a declaration called “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity,” which asserted at the beginning of the statement: “Humans and nature are on a path of conflict.” Mr. Qu Geping, a pioneer environmental protectionist in China, stated rightly that we must fully welcome and inherit the brilliant science and technology, great ideas and theories, immortal artistic achievements, and unprecedented social development created in the era of industrial civilization. However, the concept and model of development defined in this era that relates to the relationship between humans and nature must be thoroughly cleansed and reformed. What we must put to an end is the civilization model of a single less pleasant stage, and the history of human civilization can move on.8

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United Nations: Transforming our world: Article 36 of the Declaration of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Quoted from the web page: http://world.people.com.cn/n/2015/0926/ c1002-27637353.html. 7 Excerpt from Xi Jinping’s “Promoting China’s Ecological Civilization to a New Level”, published in the 3rd issue of Qiushi in 2019. 8 Qu Geping: “Ecological Civilization Concept and Development Strategy”, China Environment News, March 2, 2010.

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This book—“Green Civilization—Human Consensus and Global Cooperation for Sustainable Development”—is the fruit of a key project of the Natural Science Foundation of China “Research on the Evaluation System, Implementation Path and Policy of Green Development of the Chinese Economy (Project No. 71333001).” The project, which has been ranked as excellent, has been subject to thorough investigation by the author. Funding will continue for an additional period of 2 years. This book addresses a free selection of topics related to the general theme of the green economy. The viewpoints in the book reflect the philosophical/ anthropological thinking of the author with years of research for sustainable development. They represent the author’s concerns and expectations for the future of humanity: both his hopes and his fears. Beijing, China

Xiaoxi Li

Acknowledgements

Allow me to express my deep gratitude to all parties for their support: Thanks to the Natural Science Foundation for the continued support of this book under the project of Chinese Economic Green Development Evaluation System, Implementation Path, and Policy Research (Project Number: 71333001). Thanks to Beijing Normal University and the School of Economics and Resource Management for their long-term support. Thank to Southwestern University of Finance and Economics and the Institute of Development Research for their long-term support. Thanks to Prof. Richard Cooper of Harvard University for his enthusiastic support for my research and gladly made a preface to this book! Thanks to Beijing Normal University Press (group) Co., Ltd., Springer and Guangdong Economic Press for their trust and support. Thanks to the strong support of a group of overseas scholars represented by Prof. Chen Hao. Thanks to Mr. David Ferguson, the expert from China’s Foreign Languages Press for the high standard of his serious and professional proofreading. Thanks to a group of editors represented by Mr. Ma Hongli for their outstanding and responsible work.

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Thanks to a group of young scholars represented by post-doctor Yue Hongfei for their assistance and support. March 2020

Xiaoxi Li

Brief Introduction

This book consists of 13 chapters with a total of 140 thousand words. The author analyzes the huge and dangerous threats facing the earth and emphasizes the urgency and significance of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by 193 countries in 2015. It puts forward the reality of human beings implementing green civilization and the five elements of green civilization. It analyzes the positive and negative experiences of economic development and environmental protection in the process of China’s industrialization, reflects on the success and the environmental costs of industrial civilization in developed countries, and measures the level of green development in 123 countries. After analyzing the current situation in terms of global air, soil, water, forest, and other pollution, it emphasizes the transition of human civilization to a new stage and issues a strong appeal to build a green civilization.

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An Urgent Call for Building Green Civilization: The Natural Environment Is Rapidly Deteriorating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 Scientists’ Forecasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 The Earth Is Facing Various Crises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 Grim Consequences of Climate Change in Recent Years . . . 1.4 Analysis for the Causes of Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.5 Urgent Appeals by People of Insight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.6 Lessons Learned from the Decline of Ancient Civilizations .

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Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: An Appeal of Global Cooperation for Building Green Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.1 Summary: Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2 The Content and Implications of the 2030 Agenda . . . . . . 2.2.1 Political Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.2.2 The Implications of the Agenda for Humanity’s Sustainable Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 The 2030 Agenda as a Driving Force for Civilization Evolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Components of Green Civilization . . . . . Harmony Between Humanity and Nature Equity and Democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sustainability of Development . . . . . . . . Wise Science and Technology . . . . . . . . Peace and Inclusiveness . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Introspections on Industrial Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.1 The Dark Impact of Industrialization on the Environment and Early Ideas of Environmental Protection . . . . . . . . . . . 4.2 Green Planning and Actions in the Process of Industrialization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 Five Conflicts in Industrialization and the Appeal for Green Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3.1 Unprecedented Productivity and Increasing Consumption of Natural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3.2 Labor Conflicts Under the Rule of Law . . . . . . . . . 4.3.3 Monopoly and Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3.4 Liberty and Regulation in the Context of Globalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3.5 Conflicts Between Universal Values and War . . . .

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Battles Between Economic Development and Environmental Protection in China’s Industrialization Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.1 The Impact of Economic Growth on the Environment Between 1978 and 1992 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2 The Impact of Economic Growth on the Environment from 1993 to 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2.1 The Environmental Situation Between 1993 and 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2.2 2002–2012 as the Toughest Decade for Environmental Protection in China . . . . . . . . . . . 5.2.3 Ecological-Environmental Degradation and Pollution Control Difficulties Become More Prominent After 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 Pollution Control and Environmental Protection After 2012 . 5.4 Today’s China: In the Middle Stage of Industrialization as the Background to Environmental Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4.1 China’s Industrialization Level in 2004 Is Analogous to the Mid-Stage of the U.S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4.2 China’s Industrialization Index Corresponds to Mid-Stage Industrialization in the Chenery Multi-country Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.5 Environmental Strategies and Measures Introduced in China’s Industrialization Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Global Conference on Climate Change and Air Pollution . 6.1 New Global Consensus on Climate Change . . . . . . . . 6.2 Evolution of Global Consensus on Climate Change . . 6.3 Climate Issues Are Closely Related to Resource and Environmental Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Severe Natural Disasters Caused by Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3.2 Climate Change Affects Resources in Multiple Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3.3 Climate Change Problems Are Linked to Irrational Utilization of Natural Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.3.4 Environmental Pollution Further Exacerbates Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Impact of Economic Development on Climate Change . . . . . 6.4.1 Industrialization Directly Affects Climate Change . . . 6.4.2 The Environmental and Resource Costs by Mere Pursuit of GDP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.4.3 Mitigating the Impact of Economic Activity on Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Pollution Is as Critical as Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . Addressing Air Pollution: Focusing on Human Emissions Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.6.1 Emission Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.6.2 Emission Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Emission Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7.1 Emission Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.7.2 Emission Absorption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The South-South Cooperation Plays an Important Role in Addressing Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Case Study: Field Investigation on Air Pollution Prevention and Control in South Korea—The Role of Remote Monitoring of Smoke Emissions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.9.1 Clean SYS Monitoring Object-Industrial Chimney . . 6.9.2 Clean SYS Management Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.9.3 Clean SYS Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.9.4 Laws and Regulations of Clean SYS . . . . . . . . . . . .

Soil Contamination and Treatment—A Worldwide Problem 7.1 Soil Contamination—A Worldwide Problem . . . . . . . . . 7.2 The Status Quo of Soil Contamination in China . . . . . . . 7.3 China’s Effort on Soil Contamination Control . . . . . . . . . 7.4 Coping with Soil Contamination for the Holy Earth . . . . 7.4.1 Respect the Earth and Protect the Soil . . . . . . . . 7.4.2 Glorify the Mother Planet and Repair the Soil . . 7.4.3 Prioritize Garbage Treatment Properly . . . . . . . .

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Investigation and Reflections on Waste Incineration in New Taipei City, Taiwan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.5.1 High-Level Waste Disposal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.5.2 Taiwan Government’s Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.5.3 A Few Enlightenments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Water Pollution and Treatment—Nostalgia for Ancient Water Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.1 Water Security: A Global Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.2 Water Pollution in China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.3 The Significance of Water Pollution Control for China . . . . 8.4 Dealing with Water Pollution: Objectives for Building a Water Security System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5 Two Case Studies: Water Control in Singapore and “Green Congress” in Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5.1 Singapore’s Experience in Dealing with Its Water Shortage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5.2 Israel’s “Green Congress”: Implications of Project Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.6 Water Civilization in Ancient China—Thinking on the Dujiangyan Water Conservancy Project . . . . . . . . . . Prospects for Forest and Biodiversity Protection . . . . . . . . . . . 9.1 Global Concern for Forests and Biodiversity . . . . . . . . . . . 9.2 The Challenges China Faces in Biodiversity Conservation and Forestry Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.2.1 The Status Quo and Challenges for China’s Biodiversity Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.2.2 Challenges in Ecological Protection for Forestry . . 9.3 Forest and Biology: Following the Law of Nature and Protecting the Foundation of Human Life . . . . . . . . . . 9.3.1 Expansion of Living Space Without Preemption . . . 9.3.2 Improving the Living Environment Without Pollution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.3.3 Saving and Protecting Organisms from Harm . . . . . 9.4 Progress in China’s Biodiversity Conservation and Forestry Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 Building a Robust Industrial Foundation for Green Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.1 The Significance of Exploring Green Industry . . . . 10.2 Greening of Traditional Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.2.1 Cleaner Manufacturing for Green Industry . 10.2.2 Waste Reutilization for Circular Economy . 10.2.3 Energy Saving and Emissions Reduction for Low-Carbon Economy . . . . . . . . . . . .

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10.3 Fostering Green Energy Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.3.1 Green Mining of Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.3.2 Green Mining of Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.3.3 Green Transformation of Secondary Energy . . . . . . 10.3.4 Green R&D and Production of New Energy . . . . . 10.3.5 Emissions Reduction and Waste Treatment in Energy Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.4 Promoting Eco-environmental Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.4.1 Experimenting with Eco-environmental Agriculture 10.4.2 Two Cases of Developing Eco-environmental Agriculture in Developed Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.4.3 Two Cases of Developing Eco-environmental Agriculture in Developing Countries . . . . . . . . . . . 10.5 Green Civilization of Cultural Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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11 Measuring the Levels of Green Development in 123 Countries . 11.1 Origin and Evolution of HGDI Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2 Measurement of 2018 HGDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2.1 HGDI Indicators and Three-Level Indicator System 11.2.2 Countries Selected for HGDI Measurement . . . . . . 11.2.3 Approaches to Measuring HGDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2.4 Results and Interpretation of HGDI Measurement . . 11.3 Developing Countries Need the Help of the International Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.4 Comparative Analysis for the Approaches to Measuring the Progress in Sustainable Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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12 The Potentialities and Contributions of the Five Major World Religions to Green Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.1 Perceptions of Green Civilization in Christianity . . . . . . . 12.2 Norms of Green Civilization in Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.3 The Philosophy of Green Civilization in Buddhism . . . . 12.4 Human-Nature Harmony Thoughts of Green Civilization in Taoism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12.5 Ethics of Green Civilization in Confucianism . . . . . . . . .

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195 196 196 197 198

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13 Collaborate to Build Green Civilization with Reconciliation of Pluralistic Civilizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.1 Sustainable Development: The Common Values Shared by Pluralistic Civilizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.2 The Future of Eastern and Western Civilizations: From Conflicts to Inclusive Reconciliation . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.3 Communication and Inclusiveness Between Religious Civilizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.4 Dialogue Between the Chinese and American Civilizations

. . . . 265 . . . . 265 . . . . 273 . . . . 279 . . . . 287

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13.5 The Olympic Spirit Lightening up the Future of Green Civilization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291 13.6 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295 Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301

About the Author

Xiaoxi Li Professor at Beijing Normal University (BNU), is the Honorary Director of School of Economics and Resource Management at BNU and the Honorary Director of Institute of Development Research in Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. Prof. Li holds Bachelor Degree in Economics from Lanzhou University in 1982, and Master Degree in 1984 and Ph.D. degree in economics in 1989 both from School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) Beijing, China. Professor Li worked as Deputy Director of General Office in Institute of Finance and Trade at CASS, Director General of the Macroeconomic Research Department in Research Office of the State Council, and the member of 5th Committee of China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED). He has served concurrently as Honorary Director of UNIDO-UNEP Green Industry Platform China Chapter Office, Vice-President of the China Market Association, and other social duties. In recent years, Prof. Li has completed and published the research results of China Green Development Index Report for six consecutive years, Human Green Development Report 2014 in English version and Chinese version, as well as China Green Finance Report 2014.

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About the Author

In 2009, Prof. Li was selected as one of the 100 economists influencing the 60-year economic development of China jointly published by Journal of Economic Research and other institutes of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In 2010, Prof. Li was selected to the list of economics volume of Academic Achievements of Chinese Famous Scientists in twentieth century, which was a major national publishing project. In 1988, he worked as Senior Visiting Scholar of London School of Economics and Political Science under the guidance of Prof. Nicholas Stern for nearly a year in 1988. In 2014, he was invited by Prof. Richard Cooper and Prof. Gregory Mankiw for visiting at Harvard University a half year.

Translation Team

Organization and Contact: Xie Xi, Li Luyang, Yan Ling, Li Han, Yue Hongfei, Xiao Boqiang.

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Associate Professor

Associate Professor

Guo Mengmeng

Humboldt University of Berlin

Texas A&M University

Professor

Yu Jianyu

Zhang Jin

Associate Professor

Southwestern University of Finance and Economics

Visiting Scholar, of Asian Institute of Technology University of Toulouse

Professor

Clark University

Pan Haoran Song Tao

Chief expert of Beijing Key Laboratory of Science and Technology Strategy for Urban Green Development/professor Visiting Scholar of Vienna Agricultural University Tilburg University

Beijing Normal University

Chen Hao

Specialist

Graduation College/International Experience University of Edinburgh

Deputy Dean of the School of the Environment/Professor

Foreign Language press, China

David Ferguson

Title

Zhang Lixiao

Institution

Name

Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics Ph.D. in Environmental Science

Ph.D. in Geography and Environmental Change Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Economics Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Environmental Science

Bachelor of Law with Honour

Major/Degree

(continued)

Chapter 10

Chapter 5

Chapter 8

Chapter 11

Chapter 13

Chapter 3

Proofreading for the whole book Final review of the entire book/Foreword

Chapter

xxiv Translation Team

Associate Professor

Postdoc

Peking University

Beijing Institute of Technology

Beijing University of Chemical Technology Zhejiang University

Capital Normal University

Yu Jinxian

Yue Hongfei

Hao Yu

Sun Xiangdong

Li Luyang

Zhang Tong

Associate Professor

Cai Zhengyu

Copyright manager

Postdoc

Associate Professor

Head of Department of Applied Economics/Professor

Associate Professor

Fu Jiasha

(continued)

Had an exchange visit to Harvard University English Translation

Beijing Normal University

UNIDO Project Officer in Beijing office University of Hamburg

Texas A&M University

Oklahoma State University

Tohoku University

Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Environmental Science Ph.D. in Environmental Science Foreign Language Master Epilogue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Brief introduction/ Chapter 12 Chapter 4

Chapter 7

Chapter 9

Chapter 6

Translation Team xxv

Chapter 1

An Urgent Call for Building Green Civilization: The Natural Environment Is Rapidly Deteriorating

1.1 Scientists’ Forecasts As early as August 2010, Stephen Hawking, the famous physicist and cosmologist, made a series of disturbing observations in an interview with Big Think, a wellknown American video sharing website, drawing public attention to concerns about the living environment. Hawking said, “Population and the use of finite resources on planet Earth is growing exponentially, as is our technical ability to change the environment for good and ill. But our genetic code still carries selfish and aggressive instincts that were of survival advantage in the past. It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next 100 years, let alone the next 1,000 or million. The earth will be destroyed in 200 years.”1 Hawking’s forecast serves as a great warning to humanity concerning our behavior. To continue with the traditional model of development would be a crime against future generations. It might seem that the transition from the fourth industrial revolution to the age of green civilization will be a relatively long period. But as long as human beings work hard, sustainable development can be gradually achieved. Chinese scientists first proposed the idea of defining a “Lagrangian Point” for sustainable development, and subsequently calculated the timetable for achieving sustainable development in a range of countries. According to this timetable, Norway will be the first country in the world to achieve sustainable development in 2040, 20 years from now. The world’s largest developed country, the United States, will enter the threshold of sustainable development in about 2068. The world’s largest developing country, China, will enter 1 Hawking

said the earth will be destroyed in 200 years and that humans should migrate to another planet as soon as possible. Quoting from the website: China News Network, Yujing August 9, 2010 http://www.chinanews.com/gj/2010/08-09/2456125.shtml Mr. Hawking passed away in 2018, and we express our deep memory and admiration to him here. Original reference: https://bigthink.com/news/why-stephen-hawking-believed-the-next-200-years-are-crucial-forhumanity https://science.time.com/2010/08/12/stephen-hawkings-ecological-warning/. © Beijing Normal University Press (Group) Co., LTD 2020 X. Li, Green Civilization, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7812-0_1

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the threshold of sustainable development in 2079. Mozambique in Africa will be the last country to achieve sustainable development standards, in 2141, about 120 years from now. The theoretical basis for formulating the timetable is the time required to reach the “Lagrangian Point” of sustainable development. What is the “Lagrangian Point”? The concept comes from astrophysics, and means the point at which the gravitational pull of two large bodies equalizes, such that a smaller object between the two will remain in stasis there. Scientists have redefined and transplanted the concept to measure sustainable development. At the “Lagrangian point” for sustainable development, three equations are in balance: the balance of human activity intensity and natural carrying capacity (natural balance), the balance of environment and development (economic balance), and the balance of efficiency and equity (social balance). Only when the three equations are in balance can we judge that a country has reached the threshold of sustainable development.2 Although only a scientific assumption, the prediction is still a warning to mankind. We can no longer continue the traditional model of development. In order to achieve sustainable development, we must resolve our problems in less than 200 years from Hawking’s forecast. However, the rate of environmental degradation has exceeded expectations, and the target of sustainable development is difficult to achieve in many countries. Sohu.com reported on September 25, 2017, “Scientists predict that the earth will face a sixth species extinction in 2100.” According to media reports, American scientists have warned that climate change is considered to be the biggest threat to humanity today. Breaking through the “carbon threshold” could trigger a mass extinction in the earth’s oceans. This is based on an assessment that by the end of this century, a large amount of carbon will have been absorbed by the oceans, exceeding their tolerance limit. Daniel Rothman, professor of the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, determined a “disaster threshold value” by using mathematical formulae to calculate and analyze major changes in the carbon cycle over 550 million years, including five mass extinction events. He compared this value with the forecasts provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, and found that the total amount of marine carbon in 2100 will approach or exceed this threshold, resulting in the sixth large-scale species extinction.3 Scientists believe that unless humanity takes effective countermeasures, global warming will result in a series of disastrous consequences: species extinction, sea level rise, food crisis… Not long ago, the Australian National Climate Recovery 2 Reference:

Niu Wenyuan. World Sustainable Development Annual Report. Science Press, 2015. Professor Niu Wenyuan has won the “International St. Francis Environment Award” on September 28, 2016, Mr. Niu Wenyuan died at the age of 77. 3 “The Earth will usher in the sixth species extinction in 2100” Sohu.com http://m.sohu.com/a/194 397900_538698 September 25, 2017. Original source: https://apo.org.au/node/239741. Original report: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/148cb0_90dc2a2637f348edae45943a88d a04d4.pdf.

1.1 Scientists’ Forecasts

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Centre published a report saying that climate change threatens the survival of human civilization. According to the report, by 2050 human civilization may be coming to an end, and ours will be the generations to experience it. The report states that most current climate models are relatively conservative. They do not consider the critical points of climate change and positive feedback cycles that could exacerbate climate warming, such as the release of greenhouse gases from the melting of permafrost, the melting of glaciers in the Antarctic, and the reduction of carbon dioxide in the ocean and atmosphere. Any of the above-mentioned factors will exacerbate the consequences of global warming, far exceeding the forecasts of existing climate models. If human continues to turn a blind eye to climate change, by 2050, the average global temperature will rise by 2.4 °C. However, if the feedback factor is considered, there may be an additional 0.6 °C which does not appear in the existing models. This is not the most extreme result. Some scientists believe that the global temperature rise could reach 3.5–4 °C by 2050. By that time, the world will fall into complete chaos, and human civilization and modern society will end. The report describes a planet on the brink of collapse: By 2050, extreme heat envelopes the earth. Water availability decreases sharply in the worst affected regions at lower latitudes (dry tropics and subtropics), affecting about two billion people worldwide. Agriculture becomes nonviable in the dry subtropics. 35% of the global land area and 55% of the global population are subject to more than 20 days of lethal heat conditions annually, beyond the threshold of human survival. By then, a semi-permanent El Nino phenomenon will prevail globally. Some poorer nations and regions that lack capacity to provide artificially cooled environments for their populations become unviable. Deadly heat conditions persist for more than 100 days per year in West Africa, tropical South America, the Middle East and South-East Asia, which together with land degradation and rising sea levels contribute to perhaps a billion people being displaced. North America suffers from devastating weather extremes including wildfires, heatwaves, drought and inundation. The summer monsoons in China have failed, and water-flows into the great rivers of Asia are severely reduced by the loss of more than one-third of the Himalayan ice sheet. Glacial loss reaches 70% in the Andes, and rainfall in Mexico and Central America falls by half. This scenario is not alarmist. The possibility of the end of human civilization is higher than we think, and no country can be immune. If humankind does not take effective actions to curb global warming in the next 30 years, human civilization will come to an end.4 On November 3, 2019, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned at a press conference following the 10th ASEAN-UN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. “This region is highly vulnerable, particularly to rising sea-levels, with catastrophic consequences for low-lying communities, as recently published research illustrates. 70% of the global population that will be most affected by rising sea-levels are in countries within ASEAN. If our world is to avoid climate catastrophe, far more is needed by all to heed the call of science and cut greenhouse emissions by 45% by 4 https://www.academia.edu/40017143/The_third_degree_Evidence_and_implications_for_Austra

lia_of_existential_climate-related_security_risk.

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2030; reach carbon neutrality by 2050; and limit the temperature rise to 1.5° by the end of the century.”5 Humanity has caused severe damage to the earth’s resources, and the ecological environment has begun to deteriorate. Do not let the last drop of water on the earth be a drop of human tear.

1.2 The Earth Is Facing Various Crises In 2017, an article was published under the title “The earth is in a huge crisis right now”, which enumerated ten major environmental crises the earth is facing, focusing on the huge pressure on ecology, the environment and resources. The ten crises are: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Global warming. This will cause the melting of polar glaciers, frequent storms, a sharp decline in biodiversity, rising sea levels and flooding in coastal areas. The cause of changes in the earth’s temperature is human activities. Destruction of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere of the atmosphere at an altitude of 10–50 km. The ozone layer can absorb most of the ultraviolet rays of the sun and provides protection to life on the earth. Since the middle of the 20th century, it has been found that the ozone concentration in the Arctic Circle has decreased significantly. An additional hole has appeared in the ozone layer in the Antarctic Circle. The destruction of the ozone layer will damage the human immune system and severely damage the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The destruction of the ozone layer is also caused by the release into the atmosphere of chemicals widely used by humans. Reduction of biodiversity. Statistics show that at present, 4,000–6,000 species of organisms are disappearing from the earth every year. The consequences of human activities on other living species will threaten our own survival. The spread of acid rain. Acid rain originates from large emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides resulting from daily life and industrial activity. Corrosive acid rain will damage the growth of crops, leading to the withering of trees, acidification of lakes, death of fish, and the destruction of buildings and places of interest. Deforestation. The sharp decline in forests is due to human over-exploitation and inappropriate reclamation, coupled with forest fires caused by climate change. The world’s forest coverage is continually falling. This reduction has had serious consequences such as soil erosion, frequent floods, reduced species, and climate change. Land desertification. Excessive grazing and intensive farming have gradually degraded the grassland. Activities such as land reclamation, mining, and road construction exert negative impacts on the land. Throughout the world considerable areas of land become desert every day.

5 https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2019-11-03/un-secretary-generals-remarks-the-

opening-of-the-10th-asean-un-summit.

1.2 The Earth Is Facing Various Crises

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7.

Shortage of resources. In recent decades, the consumption of natural resources has been continually increasing, and many resources are already in short supply. The most important resources are water, arable land and minerals. 8. Serious water pollution. The growing volume of sewage produced by population expansion and industrial development has finally exceeded the absorption limit of natural water bodies. The water bodies become black and malodorous, and bacteria breed, causing illness and even death. 9. Severe air pollution. The most common air pollution is caused by smoke particles generated by coal combustion. Photochemical smog also exists in modern cities. 10. Disasters caused by solid waste. Municipal waste and industrial solid waste have become major threats to the earth, especially for cities. Many of the above-mentioned problems threaten the survival and development of humanity. Human beings have no choice but to find a solution.6 It is important to respond to every crisis. Protecting the whole planet is even more important. Two years later, in 2019, experts from the United Kingdom, the United States, Austria, and Israel published another report that analyzed the top ten dangers the planet is facing. These natural and man-made factors will affect the fate of the earth and humanity: 1.

2. 3. 4.

5. 6.

7.

Climate change. It is highly likely that the temperature will rise by above 2 °C in the next 70 years. This is the conclusion of Nick Brooks, a senior researcher at the Tyndall Climate Change Research Centre at the University of East Anglia. This will be the highest temperature experienced by the earth for 1.5 million years. “Telomere loss” causing damage to cells and DNA, as presented by Dr. Reinhard Stindl of the University of Vienna, Austria. “Virus pandemic” studied by Professor Maria Zambon, a British virologist. Professor Paul Wilkinson, chairman of the advisory board of St Andrews University’s Center for Research on Terrorism and Political Violence, concludes: “In our lifetime, the probability of a major terrorist attack in some region of the world is very high.” Nuclear war. Lord Garddon, a defense spokesman for the British Liberal Democratic Party, considers the danger of nuclear war is very high. Meteorite impact. Donald Jomans, a director of the Office of the Near-Earth Objects Office of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, believes that the probability of the earth being hit by a large meteorite in the next 70 years is “medium”. Humans threatened by AI. Professor Hans Moravisi of Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute of Robotics in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, considers the possibility of super-smart robots in the next 70 years to be very high.

6 Excerpt

from “The Earth is now in a huge crisis” https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/205671840 7035199187.html December 16, 2017.

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8.

Cosmic rays. Physicist Nir Shaviv of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, believes that although the possibility of a supernova outbreak in the next 70 years is not high, the consequence is severe. 9. Eruptions of super volcanoes. Professor Bill McGuire, director of the Benfield Disaster Research Centre at University College London in the United Kingdom, believes that the possibility of a super volcano eruption in the next 70 years is very high. 10. The earth is engulfed by a black hole. Richard Wilson, a professor of physics at Harvard University, points out that although the possibility of the earth being engulfed by black holes in the next 70 years is remote, the danger level of this event is maximum.7 In this analysis of the top ten dangers by scientists, “climate change” ranks first. There is worldwide consensus about the level of this crisis.

1.3 Grim Consequences of Climate Change in Recent Years Grim consequences have been caused by climate change. Since 2018, unprecedented high temperatures have appeared around the world and severe disasters have occurred. From the northern hemisphere last year to the southern hemisphere this year, the whole earth is feverish. Huge carbon emissions have become a part of global warming that cannot be ignored. According to Nature, scientists have studied the attributions of 190 extreme weather events worldwide from 2004 to 2018, and found that almost two-thirds were caused by global warming. According to data released by NASA, in the past 26 years Antarctic glaciers have lost up to 3 trillion tons of volume. Almost half of those 3 trillion tons have disappeared in the past 5 years. In other words, the melting is accelerating. The results of the recent study released by MIT are shocking. The report states that humans will not be able to survive outdoors for more than 6 h when the combined humidity and temperature—the wet bulb temperature—reaches 35 °C. Some scientists believe that if the earth temperature rises by 5 °C, it will mean the end for human civilization.8 In 2019, the global environmental crisis became even more alarming. An article on a Chinese social media account caused a stir. It talked of “Arctic melt in freefall, frequent earthquakes around the world: human beings are going to destroy themselves…”9 On June 16, 2019, according to media reports, an “unusual melt” was quietly taking place under the impact of greenhouse gases. “Two billion tons of snow and ice melted in one day in Greenland on the Arctic Circle.” This year, the 7 Excerpted

from Li Youguan: “Top Ten Dangers Faced by the Earth” UFO Chinese website The Guardian published on 2019-1-9 https://www.ufochn.com/thread-43745-1-1.html. 8 Excerpted from Mu Jiangchen: “2019, the earth is dying: humans may be finished in another 5 degrees” World Chinese Weekly June 2019. 9 This article is reproduced from Wechat, ID account: mumianshuo June 30, 2019. http://www.sohu.com/a/323139656_174818.

1.3 Grim Consequences of Climate Change in Recent Years

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Arctic ice melt went way beyond previous records, ice melting like a cliff falling down. Antarctic and Arctic glaciers have acted as the earth’s air conditioners. The melting of glaciers in Greenland has caused a large amount of fresh water to flow into the ocean, affecting the path of ocean currents and then affecting the global climate, and bringing the risk of unforeseen disasters. The world is entering a vicious circle. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent. The melting of glaciers is already affecting crustal movement, potentially related to hundreds of earthquakes that hit the earth in just one month in June. Although not the direct cause, there could be some correlations. Since the glaciers are very heavy, when they melt they will affect crustal tectonic movements. What we know is that many creatures such as polar bears are struggling to survive in the environment destroyed by humans. The World Meteorological Organization reported that 2019 may have been the hottest year in the history of meteorological records. According to The Indian Express, India suffered from the hottest days ever in recorded history. The capital city, New Delhi, recorded all-time high temperature at 48 °C. On June 10, passengers felt uncomfortable on Kerala Express because the carriages were too hot to bear. When the train arrived at the next stop, four people between the ages of 69 and 80 were dead. The effect was felt not only in India—from this summer, all parts of the world were experiencing a new round of heat waves. According to the latest data, the Kuwait region has broken the world’s highest temperature record, with the temperature reaching 63 °C. What is worse is that for every 1 °C increase in the world, 7% of water is added to the air, leading to more rainfall and more frequent floods. At the beginning of 2019, extreme weather in many countries had broken historical records. According to BBC news from Australia, at least five January days in 2019 were among the 10 warmest on record, with daily national temperature highs of 40 °C. The heat has caused wildfire deaths, bushfires and a rise in hospital admissions.10 Meanwhile, the United States was experiencing record-breaking cold weather. The chill index in Chicago reached -52. Minnesota set a new “peak” of cold in the United States. The temperature fell to −38 °C and the chill index was −70, breaking the record in the United States. Global climate abnormalities were also on the rise. In the summer of 2019, floods, droughts, mountain fires, typhoons, earthquakes, summer hail, summer snow… Different kinds of anomalies were apparent, but human continues its inertia, avoiding any introspection. In fact, Nature’s revenge is clearly visible. If human beings continue to care only about themselves, letting the natural environment deteriorate, then real disaster will not be far away. In August 2019 another report on Arctic warming was posted on the web, headlined “Ice Circle Becomes Fire Circle. The Arctic Burns Everywhere”.11 Many people will assume that the Arctic is snow-capped and icy, but in fact it has lush virgin forests and endless tundra. Life lives stubbornly there, storing a lot of carbon for the earth. However, there has been a large increase in anthropogenic carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution, making the Arctic region the biggest victim of 10 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-47085785. 11 See the public account of Xu Dewen Science Channel: xudewen028 https://new.qq.com/omn/201

90804/20190804A08KYE00.html Aug 4, 2019.

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global warming, with temperatures rising at twice the average rate of the earth. As a result, a large volume of sea ice has melted in the Arctic, the climate has become turbulent, and extreme weather phenomena have increased. The article said that the Arctic may become the main battlefield of climate warming. Disturbing phenomena were getting worse: permafrost was melting, infrastructure such as buildings, roads, pipelines were being destroyed, carbon dioxide and methane were being released, and prehistoric bacteria and viruses were coming back to life. In addition, the Arctic had now started to burn. Raging wildfires were spreading from Russian Siberia to Greenland and Alaska in the United States. 100 million tons of carbon dioxide were released in more than a month, which was equivalent to Belgium’s total emissions in 2017. During the previous dry winter wildfires had ravaged the Arctic Circle, and territory the size of Switzerland was burning. In 2019, the wider Arctic region started a summer of wild burning. From June, 11 of the 49 regions across the country were hit by wildfires. More than 100 wildfires spread in Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Buryat. 1323 km2 of forests burned, and a vast volume of smoke was generated. Many cities in Russia were shrouded in a suffocating smog. At the same time, parts of Greenland and Alaska in the United States also caught fire. The entire Arctic Circle seemed to have suddenly changed from an ice circle to a fire circle. Satellite images from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Kit (VIIRS) on the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) meteorological satellite Suomi NPP showed that smoke from wildfires was moving southwest and mixing with the storm systems. Although Arctic summer fires are relatively common, the scope and depth of the fires that year was unprecedented, spreading from forests to peat layers, posing even greater threats. Although a forest may only burn for a few hours, peat soil can burn for months and release much more stored carbon. In late August 2019, it was reported that the world’s largest tropical rain forest, the Amazon Rainforest, had been burning for 2 weeks. Spanning nine countries, the Amazon rainforest hosts 40% of the world’s tropical forests, 20% of its freshwater resources and waterfalls, and 10% of the earth’s species. Forest fire spread over 1,700 miles due to strong winds. The billowing smoke covered Brazil’s states of Rondônia, Para, and Mato Grosso, and the smoke-wrapped cities seemed to have entered a permanent night. The smoke enveloped half of Brazil, with a large expanse of rainforest burning to the ground. In the heat map issued by a European environmental protection agency, areas that were supposed to be green on the map were burning red like a charcoal basin. A thousand miles away, St. Paul even had to cut off power for an hour. The latest data from Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research (INPE) showed that in 2019, the number of fires in the Amazon rainforest broke a record. From January, satellites detected more than 72,000 fires, an increase of 83% over the same period in 2018. In August, more than 5,000 fires broke out in Brazil, with the Amazon rain forest as its sole or partial biological community in the fire areas. Burning trees and “cleaning up” land for local farming or mining in order to provide livelihoods is the man-made cause of the fires. But the year of 2019 was a rare hot year for the earth, and the rainfall in Amazon that year was below the average. A report by the Brazilian Parliamentary Committee pointed out that the Amazon rainforest is losing 52,000 km2 per year, which is three times the previous official figure released

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in 1994. At this rate, the Amazon rainforest will disappear by 2050. According to National Geographic news, several environmentalists said that the consequences of indifference to the Amazon rainforest fires would be catastrophic. If deforestation and “arson clearing” continue unchecked, the ecological balance will first be disrupted. Once the ecological balance between species is destroyed, the chain is no longer complete, and the next species to swallow the evil results will be humanity.12 Ing Anderson, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, issued a statement on the Amazon rainforest fire on August 26, 2019: “The ongoing fires in the Amazon rainforest are a harsh reminder of the environmental crises facing the world – of climate, of biodiversity and of pollution. We cannot afford more damage to this precious natural resource, which is home to 33 million people— including 420 indigenous communities, 40,000 plant species, 3,000 freshwater fish species and more than 370 types of reptile. The Amazon, alongside other major forests such as the Congo Basin and Indonesian rainforests, is a natural defense against global warming due to its ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Sustainably managing it will be a critical part of reversing the damage already done. Failure to halt the damage will have a severe impact on human health and livelihoods, decimating rich biodiversity and leaving the world more exposed to climate crises and yet more disasters. At the Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit this September, we will join Member States, UN colleagues, the private sector and civil society in calling for stronger protections for the earth’s forests and for the environmental defenders who spend their lives working to save these resources. We urge Member States to come together and take necessary measures to extinguish the ongoing fires, to prevent further fires from being started and to protect the Amazon for the benefit of Brazil and the world.”13 Of course, the severity of the fire needs to be determined once complete data is available. We are waiting, caring, worrying, and hoping… As we arrived at the end of 2019, what we heard about the current and future state of the planet was even more worrying. An article from French “Echo” website said that the current situation of the earth’s climate and environment gives no grounds for optimism, and that human beings are destroying the foundations of their own survival. There are six numbers that make the earth uncomfortable this year: • First, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached 415.6 ppm, which is 3.5 ppm and 25 ppm higher than the 2018 and 2008 records. Following this trend, by the end of this century, the goal of preventing carbon dioxide concentration from exceeding 450 ppm will not be achieved. • Second, extreme high temperatures in summer. 46.2 °C—this was the temperature monitored in Velargue on June 28. France had never before detected such a high temperature. July of 2019 was considered to be the hottest in the world since 1880. 12 With reference to CNN news https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/21/americas/amazon-rainforestfire-intl-hnk-trnd/index.html. Also with reference to Washington Post’s report on Aug 21, 2019 and the articles of several Wechat accounts. 13 https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/statement/statement-inger-andersen-ongoingfires-amazon-rainforest.

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• Third, the area of tropical rain forests was greatly reduced. The area of the most abundant biodiversity that disappeared last year was 12 million hectares. • Fourth, the fossil fuel industry was granted a large number of subsidies. The International Energy Agency estimated that subsidies for fossil energy consumption would exceed US $ 400 billion in 2018. These subsidies “hinder the development of the energy transition and benefit the polluting industry”. • Fifth, sea level rose. At the current rate, it seems very likely that by 2100 the global temperature will rise by 3 to 4 °C, and the sea level will rise by 84 cm. • Sixth, biodiversity is facing a threat: 500,000 to 1 million species are likely to become extinct, and many of them will become extinct in the coming decades.14

1.4 Analysis for the Causes of Climate Change Studies have confirmed that atmospheric pollutants accelerate the melting of glaciers. A study by Shichang Kang, a researcher at the State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Science of the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environmental Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his team confirmed that there is an important correlation between atmospheric pollutants and cryosphere regression. In the past 10 years, Kang’s team has cooperated with scientific researchers such as the QinghaiTibet Plateau Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, and the Stockholm University of Sweden. Based on field investigations and long-term positioning observations, a collaborative observation and research network of atmospheric pollutants and cryosphere changes covering the third pole and surrounding high mountainous areas has been established. “The network pays special attention to light-absorbing aerosols such as black and brown carbon, dust, and persistent toxic pollutants,” said Kang. “It integrates multiple methods to study the transboundary transport of atmospheric pollutants and its impact on the cryosphere environment.” Air pollutants, especially light-absorbing black carbon aerosols, after settling on glaciers and snow, can reduce the albedo of snow and ice surfaces, thereby promoting the melting of the cryosphere. Meanwhile, heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants can be released as the cryosphere melts, causing potential impacts on the regional ecological environment. The tertiary pole region, with the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as the main body, is the most developed region of the cryosphere in the middle and low latitudes of the world. At present, the tertiary glaciers are rapidly retreating, and the frozen soil is being significantly degraded. According to Kang: “It seems as if ‘pollutants are near and the cryosphere is far away’, but in fact the air pollutants around us have a profound impact on the distant cryosphere. Therefore, close attention should be paid to collaborative research on changes in atmospheric

14 From

“Reference News” on November 30, the original article "6 figures that make the earth uncomfortable in 2019" was published on the French “Echo” website on November 27.

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pollutants and the cryosphere.” The research results were recently published in the authoritative journal National Science Review.15 Another cause of global temperature rise has also been revealed by Chinese and foreign scientists. An international research team led by Professor Qiang Zhang of the Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Associate Professor Steven J. Davis of the University of California, Irvine, and Dr. Tong Dan, produced the first comprehensive evaluation of the existing and the proposed energy infrastructure for the “carbon lock-in” effect, and pointed out that the presence of emissions from high-carbon equipment would seriously threaten the 1.5 °C temperature control target. They emphasized the urgency of the global transition to a low-carbon society. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the “IPCC Special Report on Global Warming at 1.5 °C” (the Report) on October 8, 2018. The Report assessed the possible impact of a global temperature rise of 1.5 °C and the emission reduction path to achieve the temperature control target. It pointed out that the global temperature is now about 1 °C higher than the pre-industrial age, and that global warming of 1.5 °C may be reached as soon as 2030. With the temperature control target of 1.5 °C, there is only 420–580 Gt CO2 emission space left in the world (50–66% confidence range). At present, more than half of our energy comes from fossil fuels extracted from the depths of the earth’s crust. The future carbon emissions of a large volume of high-carbon emission infrastructure (that is, “locked carbon emissions”) pose a serious threat to the low-carbon energy transition. If the existing energy infrastructure is operating at a typical average service life and equipment commissioning rate, its future carbon emissions will be approximately 658 Gt, exceeding the carbon emission budget under the 1.5 °C temperature control target. The new unit will generate an additional 188 Gt of carbon emissions in the future. Combined with the emissions from existing energy infrastructure operating at the historical level, existing and planned new energy infrastructure around the world will generate 846 Gt of carbon emissions in the future.16

1.5 Urgent Appeals by People of Insight In 2018, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations issued an urgent appeal: “Time is running out to save the planet!” On August 12, 2018, Mr. Ban Ki-moon said at a press conference held in Bali, Indonesia for “The Comprehensive Climate Change Report”,17 “The world is on the verge of a major disaster… The melting of the Antarctic ice sheet may cause sea level rise of 6 meters, flooding some coastal 15 Reporter Zhang Wenjing: “Air Pollutants Accelerate Melting of Glaciers” Xinhuanet August 01, 2019 http://www.xinhuanet.com/2019-07/30/c_1124816171.htm. 16 Qiang Zhang et al. “Presence of emissions from existing energy infrastructure threaten the 1.5 °C global temperature control target”, Nature July 1st, 2019 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586019-1364-3; Qinghua News Aug 16, 2019 http://news.tsinghua.edu.cn/publish/thunews/9659/2018/ 20180110083914280325409/20180110083914280325409_.html. 17 https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/.

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cities, including New York, Mumbai and Shanghai… The disaster might not happen for 100 years, or it could just as easily happen in 10 years. We don’t know, but when it happens, it could happen suddenly, and almost as soon as you wake up, these cities would be gone.” According to the data analyzed in “The Comprehensive Climate Change Report”, “Global temperatures may rise by 1.1 to 6.4 °C and sea levels by 18 to 59 cm in this century. If the temperature rises by more than 1.5 °C, 20 to 30% of animal and plant species worldwide will become extinct. If the temperature rises by more than 3.5 °C, 40 to 70% of species will face extinction.” Mr. Ban Ki-moon called with a heavy heart: “Time is running out, and human beings should have enough sense to take responsibility for their own future… If the Mother Earth we have lived on for thousands of years is gone, then where do we go from here?”18 July 2019 was International Population Health Science Popularization Month. The United Nations’ emphasis on global population issues has also attracted the attention of the international community. According to World Bank data, by 2018, the total world population had reached 7.6 billion.19 China, as the country with the highest proportion of the world’s total population, also has health problems that deserve attention.20 At present, there are about 7.7 billion people in the world. At this rate, it is estimated that by 2023, the population will reach 8 billion, and by 2037 it will reach 9 billion.21 Even if there is no natural or man-made disaster, it will be difficult for Mother Earth to feed such a huge population. In November 2017, 15,000 scientists from 184 countries around the world jointly issued a warning that the earth is in danger, and that humanity must change its ways. By March 2018 their letter had attracted 20,000 signatures. It pointed out that in 1992, 1700 top scientists worldwide, including Nobel Prize winners, had formed the “Union of Concerned Scientists” and published an open letter to the world titled “Warning to Humanity”. That letter said that human activities were causing substantial and irreversible damage to the global environment, and that the global climate could undergo catastrophic changes that will eventually lead to great human suffering. In the 25 years since, humanity had still not curbed its greed, and the world’s population had grown by 35%. Three hundred million acres of forest had been cut down to provide arable land. Global average temperature were continuing to rise. The animal population had dropped by an alarming 29%. Anoxic or anaerobic “death zones” in the oceans had increased by 75%. Only the healing of the ozone hole over Antarctica had improved, while other threats to the planet were getting worse. At the end of the report, scientists reminded that the planet Earth is our only home.22

18 Check

out Baidu, Sohu, etc.

19 http://www.populationu.com/. 20 BioMed

Central Ltd. The Campus, 4 Crinan Street, London, N1 9XW, United Kingdom SpringerNature logo. 21 https://www.worldometers.info/, July 17, 2019. 22 https://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/.

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In March 2018 UK newspaper The Independent published an article on the letter entitled “20,000 scientists give dire warning about the future in ‘letter to humanity’ – and the world is listening”. The article pointed out that the letter had been universally welcomed and was having a positive impact on the policy formulation of governments worldwide. Initially attracting 15,500 signatures, that number had now increased to 20,000. The scientists argued that governments, the media and the people of the world must act as soon as possible. In another 25 years it would be too late.23 Coincidentally, an article was published in Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao on July 13, 2019, entitled, “7000 Global colleges and universities wrote to the United Nations to declare a climate emergency on Earth.” More than 7,000 colleges, universities, technical schools and community universities worldwide, including the University of California and University of Glasgow, had submitted a joint letter to the United Nations, declaring that the earth is experiencing a climate emergency. They also pledged to work towards carbon neutrality on their campuses and take active action to combat global climate change. This was the first collective commitment by universities around the world to work together to combat climate change. This joint letter was co-sponsored by the UN Environment Youth and Education Alliance, the Alliance for Sustainability and Leadership in Education, and Second Nature. The United Nations Environment Programme released its annual “Emissions Gap Report” on November 26, 2019. The report found that greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 1.5% annually over the past 10 years. If the increase in carbon emissions due to land use changes, such as deforestation, is included, the total emissions in 2018 would reach 55.3 billion tons, and the amount of carbon dioxide would reach a record high. The report warned that “Collectively, if commitments, policies and action can deliver a 7.6% emissions reduction every year between 2020 and 2030, we CAN limit global warming to 1.5 °C. If we rely only on the current climate commitments of the Paris Agreement, temperatures can be expected to rise to 3.2 °C this century.”24 This will lead to a wider and more disruptive climate impact. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said: “For 10 years, the ‘Emissions Gap Report’ has been working to raise awareness. But also in these 10 years, global carbon emissions have been on the rise.”25 Xinhua News Agency, Madrid reported on the new UN Climate Change Conference convened in Madrid on December 2 2019. Representatives from various countries would start further negotiations on the implementation of the Paris Agreement and other issues. The “Interim Statement on the State of Global Climate 2019” issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) at the meeting, stated that taking 2019 as the node, global phenomena such as abnormally high temperatures, melting glaciers and rising sea levels have set historic records over the past decade. In the ten years from 2009 to 2018, the ocean absorbed about 22% of CO2 emissions 23 https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/letter-to-humanity-scientists-warning-climate-cha

nge-global-warming-experts-a8243606.html. 24 http://iefworld.org/node/1012. 25 Selected from: Xinhua News Agency, Geneva, November 26, 2019 (Reporter Liu Qu). http://www.xinhuanet.com//2019-11/27/c_1125280403.htm. original source: https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2019.

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every year, and the acidity of seawater increased by 26% compared with the beginning of the industrial era, which means that marine ecosystems that are of great significance to the earth’s ecology are degrading. At the opening ceremony of the Climate Change Conference, Guterres raised his voice, “One is the path of surrender, where we have sleepwalked past the point of no return, jeopardizing the health and safety of everyone on this planet. Do we really want to be remembered as the generation that buried its head in the sand, that fiddled while the planet burned?”26

1.6 Lessons Learned from the Decline of Ancient Civilizations Why did the Mayan civilization decline? On February 8, 1926, an American archaeological team discovered a buried Maya city near the Caribbean coast. This city, known as Muir, was once an important stop for commercial routes between Maya cities and Central America. The discovery confirms a long-standing legend of a Maya city in the jungle. The Mayan Classical Period was its most brilliant period, roughly from 250 to 900 AD, which is equivalent to the Wei, Jin and Tang Dynasties in China. The long pre-classical period of Maya mathematics and calendar was already a crown of world achievement at that time. The Maya first used the concept of “0”. The calendar based on astronomical observations was complex and accurate. The Maya established a city-state society and created hieroglyphs. However, around 900 AD, the Mayan civilization mysteriously disappeared. Many Maya city-states were suddenly overwhelmed by jungle and turned into ruins. Now, it is generally believed that this was caused by the huge impact of environmental change. As the Maya population increased, the demand for natural resources increased. But the weather continued to dry out, and the Maya’s life support was cut off, eventually leading to the collapse of civilization.27 Similar events took place in China. According to historical records, around 176 BC, the ancient Loulan kingdom in the Western Region (now Ruoqiang County, Xinjiang, China) reached its zenith, and until the second century AD Loulan was the most famed and powerful country in the Western Region. It was an important place along the ancient Silk Road. Loulan had a history dating back more than 800 years. However, in 630 AD, Loulan suddenly disappeared as if it had never existed. Today, Ruo’an County of Xinjiang in China, still preserves a ruin of the ancient city of Loulan. Throughout the west bank of Lop Nur, there are also ruins of Loulan. Archaeologists explain that the mysterious disappearance of the ancient kingdom of Loulan was closely related to changes in climate and environment. At that 26 Selected

from: “Economic Daily” December 5, 2019 Editor-in-Chief: Cui Guohui. Original source: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2019-12-02/remarks-openingceremony-of-cop25. 27 Zhang Xiaolu Visiting the Mysterious Maya, China Central Radio and Television China Internet Television December 16, 2011 http://jishi.cntv.cn/20111216/101014.shtml.

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time, a lot of soil erosion was caused by deforestation, which led to the deterioration of the ecological environment. After the 3rd century, the nearby rivers began to fill with sediment. Especially after the Eastern Han Dynasty, Loulan was starved of water and could no longer meet people’s daily needs. After severe depletion of water resources, a large-scale plague broke out. In order to avoid the plague, Loulan was abandoned.28 The disappearance of the Mayan civilization and the demise of the ancient Loulan kingdom represent a powerful lesson and an alarm bell for our later generations. Finally, I want to express my concerns about the rapid deterioration of the natural environment by means of art. In the “China Star” program of Oriental TV, the famous Chinese singer Tan Weiwei and Huayin Lao opera artists from Shaanxi, China, joined on stage to sing a vivid song. Titled “Give you a little color”, it expresses concerns about the ecological environment.29 The lyrics are as follows: Nu Wa Empress made the sky The remaining stones become Mount Hua A bird flies with its back to the sun Flies from east to west Why does the sky turn grey? Why is the earth not green? Why is the heart not red? Why have the snowy mountains become black? Why do rhinos have no horns? Why do elephants have no tusks? Why do sharks have no fins? Why do birds have no wings? Sky and earth accompanied The birds circle around the sun Mount Hua and the Yellow River accompanied Millet in the field smiles and bends Why is there no oasis in the desert? Why do the stars no longer blink? Why do flowers no longer bloom? Why does the world have no color? When we know what will happen, Why are we still squandering? We need to stop And return some color to the world When we know what will happen, why are we still squandering? We need to stop and return some color to the world! 28 Tencent’s Penguin “Cosmic Science Explorer”: “Why did the ancient country of Loulan disappear overnight” https://new.qq.com/omn/20190521/20190521A0FWG6.html May 21, 2019. 29 Chen Zhongshi, Lu Shujun, Tan Weiwei: “Give you a little color” Quoted from: “China Star”” Issue 3. QQ Music. 2015-12-05 https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%BB%99%E4%BD%A0%E4% B8%80%E7%82%B9%E9%A2%9C%E8%89%B2/18915471?fr=aladdin.

Chapter 2

Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: An Appeal of Global Cooperation for Building Green Civilization

2.1 Summary: Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development From 25th to 27th September 2015, as the United Nations celebrated its 70th anniversary, Heads of State and Government and High Representatives met at the UN Headquarters in New York to define new global Sustainable Development Goals. At the historic summit meeting, 193 Member States unanimously adopted the goals, and formally adopted Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (the Agenda). All the new and specific goals agreed upon in the Agenda came into effect on 1 January 2016, and they will act as policy guidelines for all nations over the next 15 years.

© Beijing Normal University Press (Group) Co., LTD 2020 X. Li, Green Civilization, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7812-0_2

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The scene as the Agenda was adopted. Copyright: The United Nations Information Centre. https://i2.wp.com/www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/upl oads/2015/09/9-pic.png?resize=700%2C400. The Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet, and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace against a backdrop of broader freedom. We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnerships, will implement this plan. The Agenda’s historical significance also lies in its reaffirmation of the outcomes of all major UN conferences and summits, which have laid a solid foundation for sustainable development and have helped to shape the new Agenda. These include the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 1 ; the World Summit on Sustainable Development; the World Summit for Social Development; the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development,2 the Beijing Platform for Action3 ; and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. The Agenda also reaffirmed the follow-up to these conferences, including the outcomes of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, and the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. Containing 91 articles and running to 15,000 words, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development details the overall vision and a set of common principles and commitments. It gives a comprehensive summary of the challenges the world faces. After careful analysis, the Agenda puts forward 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets, with follow-up and evaluating action plans. It encourages all parties throughout the world to join the transformation effort. Finally, it makes recommendations about how global partners should take on responsibilities and act at national, regional, and global levels. The Agenda has a great vision; it is rich in content, logical in structure, and details specific measures. Article 3 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states: “We resolve, between now and 2030, to end poverty and hunger everywhere; to combat inequalities within and among countries; to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies; to protect human rights and promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; and to ensure the lasting protection of the planet and its natural resources. We also resolve to create conditions for sustainable, inclusive, and sustained economic growth, shared prosperity, and decent work for all, taking into account different levels of national development and capacities.” Article 5 of the Agenda states: “This 1 Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and. Development. Rio de Janeiro, 3–14

June 1992, Volume I, Resolutions adopted by the Conference (United Nations Publications Sales No. C.93.I.8 and Corrections), Resolution I, Annex I. 2 Cairo, 5–13 September 1994, (United Nations Publications Sales No. C.95.XIII.18), Chapter. I, Resolution I, Annex. 3 Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing,4–15 September 1995 (United Nations Publications Sales No. C.96.IV.13), Chap. I, Resolution I, Annex II.

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is an Agenda of unprecedented scope and significance,” and Article 18 continues: “Never before have world leaders pledged common action and endeavor across such a broad and universal policy agenda”. The promises and opportunities laid down in the Agenda have lit a beacon of hope for people of all countries.4

2.2 The Content and Implications of the 2030 Agenda 2.2.1 Political Implications In the Agenda, we read of the United Nations’ noble history and grand ideals: “…seventy years ago, an earlier generation of world leaders came together to create the United Nations. Today we are also taking a decision of great historical significance. We resolve to build a better future for all people. We can be the first generation to succeed in ending poverty; just as we may be the last to have a chance of saving the planet. Our journey will involve Governments as well as parliaments, the United Nations system and other international institutions, local authorities, indigenous peoples, civil society, business and the private sector, the scientific and academic community—and all people. What we are announcing today—an Agenda for global action for the next 15 years—is a charter for people and planet in the twenty-first century. The world will be a better place in 2030 if we succeed in our objectives.”5 (1) Consensus on Achieving the World’s ‘Grand Union’ In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, declared the great idea of a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”, in the Gettysburg Address, following the Union’s victory in battle. His idea requires governance to be ‘people-centred’. Dr Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of China’s democratic revolution, emphasized that in proposing and furthering the ‘Three Principles of the People’ (San-Min Doctrine), he was enlightened by Lincoln’s idea. Today, 150 years after Lincoln’s speech, it is exciting to hear the principle being once more highlighted in this globally agreed Agenda. Great statesmen pursue prosperity and happiness for their people, but the road to success is uneven. The Agenda’s ‘Preamble’ states: “We are determined to end poverty and hunger, in all their forms and dimensions, and to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity and equality and in a healthy environment.” Under ‘Vision’, Article 7 proclaims: “We envisage a world free of poverty, hunger, disease and want, where all life can thrive. We envisage a world free of fear and 4 The

final sentence was from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the opening ceremony of the ‘UN Summit on Sustainable Development’ held at UN Headquarters in New York on 25 September 2015. The UN Development Summit formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: http://world.people.com.cn/n/2015/0926/c1002-27637353.html. 5 This part summarises the eighth part of the Agenda, ‘A call for action to change our world’, Articles 49–53.

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violence. A world with universal literacy. A world with equitable and universal access to quality education at all levels, to health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured. A world where we reaffirm our commitments regarding the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation and where there is improved hygiene; and where food is sufficient, safe, affordable and nutritious. A world where human habitats are safe, resilient and sustainable and where there is universal access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.” Article 52 comments on the Agenda, saying that it is “an Agenda of the people, by the people and for the people—and this, we believe, will ensure its success.” Two thousand years ago, ‘Li Yun’, a chapter in the Confucian classic Book of the Rites (Liji), described an idealised world termed ‘the Grand Union society’: “When the Grand course was pursued, a public and common spirit ruled all under the sky; they chose men of talent, virtue, and ability; their words were sincere, and what they cultivated was harmony. Thus, men and women did not love their parents only, nor treat as children only their own sons. A competent provision was secured for the aged till their death, employment for the able-bodied, and the means of growing up to the young. They showed kindness and compassion to widows, orphans, childless people, and those who were disabled by disease, so that they were all sufficiently maintained. Men had their proper work, and women had their homes. (They accumulated) articles (of value), disliking that they should be cast away upon the ground, but not wishing to keep them for their own gratification. (They laboured) with their strength, disliking that it should not be exerted, but not exerting it (only) with a view to their own advantage. In this way (selfish) schemes were repressed and found no development, rebellious traitors did not show themselves, and hence the outer doors remained open, and were not shut. This was (the period of) what we call the Grand Union.” Karl Marx’s classic works proclaimed that the theoretical communist society should operate under public ownership. Production and distribution of goods would be such that ‘from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.’ Exploitation disappears. The people are prosperous and equal, forming a free union. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pointed out that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development shines a light on a future of promise and opportunity, noting that “the Agenda compels us to look beyond national boundaries and short-term interests and act in solidarity for the long-term.” On September 26, 2015, at the UN Sustainable Development Summit, China’s President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech entitled ‘Seek Common and Sustainable Development and Forge a Partnership of Win-win Cooperation’. He emphasized that by taking the post-2015 development agenda as a new starting point, the international community should work together to seek an equitable, open, comprehensive and innovation-driven development path in an effort to achieve common development for all countries. Therefore, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development formulates a practical, modern, and global ‘Grand Union’ for all of humanity.

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(2) Focus on the Needs of the Poor and Vulnerable6 In any society, the poor and the vulnerable have the greatest need of help. Great works of classical writing have produced thorough discussions about this group’s needs. Who are the Poor and Vulnerable? The Agenda gives a specific definition. They are the hungry, persons with disabilities (of whom more than 80% live in poverty), refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants, indigenous peoples, people living with HIV/AIDS, and children. Karl Marx was particularly concerned about labour, and the Agenda follows his lead. Goal 8.8 states that the world should “protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment”, and goal 27 states that “…we will eradicate forced labour and human trafficking and end child labour in all its forms. End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. All countries stand to benefit from having a healthy and well-educated workforce with the knowledge and skills needed for productive and fulfilling work and full participation in society.” How to Help the Poor and the Vulnerable? The first requirement is to end hunger, achieve food security, and resolve to eliminate all forms of malnutrition. Further, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development elucidates ways to support the least developed countries and the most vulnerable people in achieving health and education targets. To achieve gender equality, the Agenda emphasizes protection and access to opportunities for all women and girls. It also directs attention to safety and transportation. Goal 11.2 proposes “expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons”; and Goal 11.7 promises that by 2030, we will “provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.” (3) Maintaining Equal Access to Economic Resources and Property Over the years, we have learned that equal ownership of the means of production is the prerequisite to end exploitation and achieve equality. In Goal 1.4, we find “by 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services, including microfinance.” Also for 2030, Goal 2.3 commits to “double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers, including through secure and equal access to land, other productive resources and inputs, knowledge, financial services, markets and opportunities for value addition and non-farm employment.” Nations 6 The

statement summarises the Agenda’s Goals 8.8, 11.7, 16.2, 23, 24, and 27.

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must set up laws to safeguard this process. Goal 5.a emphasizes that nations should “undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws.” (4) Agreements for Supporting Backward and Poor Countries7 In various places, the Agenda emphasizes the need to support and help backward and poor countries for humanitarian reasons and in line with international protocol. The Chinese have long believed that one person’s wealth does not amount to prosperity; prosperity must be mutual and general. Therefore, helping other countries equates to helping our own, especially from a resource and environmental perspective. How do we define backward and poor countries? The Agenda provides an all-encompassing definition in Articles 22 and 56: African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States deserve special attention, as do countries in situations of conflict and postconflict countries, and certain middle-income countries. Understandably, the Agenda mentions middle-income countries less since these are not strictly ‘poor’ and not the main focus. In summary, the countries in need of support fall under five categories. The Agenda’s many provisions stated that these countries are ‘developing countries, particularly the least developed countries’. So we narrow down to four categories, excluding ‘all developing countries’ as a category. Out of the four categories, the Agenda refers to the least developed countries most often and makes them the designated recipient of all the support and aid available. How can we help and support these backward and poor countries? Many Articles propose suitable channels: financial support, international cooperation and capacitybuilding, water protection, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies, technical support for fisheries, aquaculture and tourism, expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology, providing sustainable modern energy services, enhancing the use of information and communications technology, and strengthening the capacity of national statistical offices and data systems. Two items are particularly worth noting: first, in providing economic and trade assistance, the Agenda aims to realise timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries; second, getting developed countries to implement in full their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7% of gross national income for official development assistance (ODA/GNI) to developing countries and 0.15– 0.20% of ODA/GNI to least developed countries. ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20% of ODA/GNI to least developed countries. In addition, the world should ensure enhanced representation and a stronger voice for developing countries in decision-making in global international economic and financial institutions, and implement the principle of special and differential treatment for developing countries, in particular the least developed countries. 7 The statement summarises the Agenda’s Goals 6.a, 7.b, 8.a, 9.a, 10.b, 13.b, 14.7, 17.2, 17.8, 17.11,

17.12, 22, and Articles 56 and 76.

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(5) The Agenda’s Dedication to Good Governance and Rule of Law8 Laws and their enforcement are imperative to maintain domestic and international order and safeguard economic development. If the world is to achieve the Global Sustainable Development Goals in the next 15 years, all countries must abide by international law and respect each other’s existing internal laws and regulations. The Agenda is explicit about this point. At the National Level: The new Agenda recognizes the need to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies that provide equal access to justice and are based on respect for human rights (including the right to development), on effective rule of law and good governance at all levels, and on transparent, effective and accountable institutions. It acknowledges also the essential role of national parliaments through their enactment of legislation and adoption of budgets and their role in ensuring accountability for the effective implementation of our commitments, and urges the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, access to justice for all, and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. At the International Level: The new Agenda is guided by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including full respect for international law. We reaffirm the outcomes of all major United Nations conferences. These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international human rights treaties, the Millennium Declaration, the Declaration on the Right to Development, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and the Beijing Platform for Action. Consistency Between the National and the International: The Agenda promotes the rule of law at national and international levels, to ensure equal access to justice for all. It emphasizes the responsibilities of all States, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability or other status. It envisages a world in which democracy, good governance and the rule of law, as well as an enabling environment at the national and international levels, are essential for sustainable development, including sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development, environmental protection and the eradication of poverty and hunger. States are strongly urged to refrain from promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures, not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries. It envisages a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity, the rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination; of respect for race, ethnicity and cultural 8 The statement summarises the Agenda’s Articles 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 30, 35, 45, and Goal 16 (16.3,

16.10).

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diversity; and of equal opportunity permitting the full realization of human potential and contributing to shared prosperity.

2.2.2 The Implications of the Agenda for Humanity’s Sustainable Development The Agenda sets 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets. With a concrete definition of sustainable development and a plan for 15 years, it is a document of considerable importance. The goals and targets are integrated and indivisible, covering all three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental. The Introduction states: “We are committed to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions—economic, social and environmental— in a balanced and integrated manner.” The Preamble notes: “Prosperity: We are determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.” Sustainable development means the integrated development of the economy, society and environment. We shall analyse this concept from these three perspectives. (1) Promote Sustainable Economic Development9 The Agenda is essentially a 15-year plan for sustainable economic, social, and environmental development, with its 17 sustainable goals, making it clear that “…we will seek to build strong economic foundations for all our countries. Sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth is essential for prosperity. A world in which consumption and production patterns and use of all natural resources—from air to land, from rivers, lakes and aquifers to oceans and seas—are sustainable.” Goals 2, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 focus on making demands and planning for economic development. Their main points are summarised below. To Promote Sustained, Inclusive, and Sustainable Economic Growth: countries should: • sustain per capita economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, in particular, at least 7% gross domestic product growth per annum in the least developed countries; • achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation; • promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation; • by 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products; 9 The statement summarises the Agenda’s Articles 2, 3, 9, 21, and 27, and Goals 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12.

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• strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all. In short, the Agenda encourages countries to form sustainable consumption and production patterns. Promote Inclusive and Sustainable Industries: by 2030: • upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities; • significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, and double the share in least developed countries; • develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being; • substantially increase the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending; by 2020: • strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries; • increase the access of small-scale industrial enterprises to financial services. Develop Sustainable Agriculture, Pastoralist and Fisheries: by 2030: • double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, pastoralists and fishers; • ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production; • by 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels; • increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks; • correct and prevent trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets, including through the parallel elimination of all forms of agricultural export subsidies; • adopt measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets, in order to help limit extreme food price volatility. The Agenda also promotes sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products, to achieve sustainable development.

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Build a Reliable, Sustainable, and Modern System in Providing Energy: by 2030: • increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix; • build up advanced energy infrastructure; • expand investment in renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology; • ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services; • progressively improve global resource efficiency in consumption and production; • rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption. The aim is to achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030. Make Cities Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable: by 2030: • enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization; • support countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings; • provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces; • ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services; • provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all; • plan and manage integrated and sustainable human settlements; • support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, periurban and rural areas. (2) Promote Sustainable Social Development10 In the Preamble and the Declaration, the Agenda expresses determination to promote sustainable social development. “We are determined to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence… We envisage a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity, the rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination; of respect for race, ethnicity and cultural diversity; and of equal opportunity permitting the full realization of human potential and contributing to shared prosperity… We envisage ‘a world with universal literacy’ and ‘a world with equitable and universal access to quality education at all levels, to health care and social protection, where physical, mental and social well-being are assured… as we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.” This section will classify and summarise the sustainable development goals. End Poverty in All Forms: by 2030: • eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on