Marine Ecological Environment Protection in China
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The State Council Information Office released a white paper on "China's Marine Ecological Environment Protection" on the 11th. The full text is as follows:
China's Marine Ecological Environment Protection
(July 2024)
People's Republic of China
State Council Information Office
Contents
Foreword
I. Building a Harmonious Marine Ecological Environment Between Man and Sea
II. Coordinated Promotion of Marine Ecological Environment Protection
(I) Planning Guidance
(II) Protection in accordance with the Law
(III) Institutional guarantee
III. Systematic governance of the marine ecological environment
(I) Comprehensive governance of key sea areas
(II) Collaborative governance of land-based pollution
(III) Precise prevention and control of marine pollution
(IV) Strive to create a beautiful bay
IV. Scientifically carry out marine ecological protection and restoration
(I) Build a solid marine ecological barrier
(II) Implement marine ecological restoration
(III) Strictly guard the marine disaster prevention line
(IV) Carry out demonstration projects on the creation of harmonious islands
(V) Build an ecological coastal zone
V. Strengthen supervision and management of the marine ecological environment
(I) Implement space use control and environmental zoning control
(II) Conduct monitoring and investigation
(III) Strictly supervise and enforce the law
(IV) Strengthen assessment and supervision
VI. Improve the level of green and low-carbon development of the ocean
(I) Promote the efficient use of marine resources
(II) Strengthen the green foundation of the marine economy
(III) Explore the realization of the value of ecological products
(IV) Carry out green and low-carbon national actions
VII. Carry out international cooperation in marine ecological environment protection in all aspects
(I) Actively fulfill the agreement and participate in global governance
(II) Expand the "circle of friends" for maritime cooperation
(III) Expand deep-sea polar scientific research cooperation
(IV) Carry out extensive foreign aid training
Conclusion
Foreword
The ocean covers about 71% of the earth's surface area and is the cradle of life and the source of human civilization. The marine ecological environment is related to the ecological balance of the earth and the rational use of resources, the sustainable development of human civilization, and the reality and future of the community of shared future for the ocean. Protecting the marine ecological environment plays an important role in ensuring national ecological security, promoting sustainable development of the ocean, and achieving harmonious coexistence between man and the ocean. It is the common responsibility and mission of all countries to firmly protect and improve the marine environment and protect and sustainably use marine resources.
China is a firm promoter and active actor in the protection of the marine ecological environment. Protecting the marine ecological environment is related to the construction of a beautiful China and a strong maritime nation. Over the years, China has adhered to ecological priority and systematic governance, coordinated the relationship between development and protection, supported high-quality development with high-level protection, and worked hard to build a marine ecological environment that is harmonious between people and the sea.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions on marine ecological environmental protection, emphasizing that "we must care for the ocean as we care for our lives". Under the guidance of Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has adapted to the new situation, new tasks and new requirements of marine ecological environmental protection, carried out a series of fundamental, pioneering and long-term work, and promoted historic, turning point and overall changes in marine ecological environmental protection. Through unremitting efforts, the overall quality of China's marine ecological environment has improved, the ecosystem service functions of local sea areas have been significantly improved, marine resources have been orderly developed and utilized, the marine ecological environment governance system has been continuously improved, the people's sense of gain, happiness and security in being close to the sea has been significantly improved, and the work of marine ecological environmental protection has achieved remarkable results. China has actively promoted international cooperation in marine environmental protection, earnestly fulfilled its responsibilities and obligations under international conventions, put forward Chinese solutions and contributed Chinese strength to global marine environmental governance, and demonstrated the actions and responsibilities of a responsible major country.
This white paper is hereby issued to introduce the concepts, practices and achievements of China's marine ecological environment protection, enhance the international community's understanding of China's marine ecological environment protection, and promote international cooperation in marine ecological environment protection.
I. Building a harmonious marine ecological environment between man and the sea
The marine cause is related to the survival and development of the nation and the prosperity and security of the country. Protecting the marine ecological environment is related to building a modern society where people and nature coexist in harmony. China has fully implemented the new development concept, attached great importance to the protection of the marine ecological environment, based on the basic national conditions and development stage, continuously deepened the understanding of marine ecological environment protection, continuously improved the marine ecological environment protection system, and accelerated the construction of marine ecological civilization.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, with the continuous development of the marine cause, China attached great importance to marine ecological environment issues and paid great attention to marine ecological environment protection. After the establishment of the State Oceanic Administration in 1964, China's marine ecological environment management system was gradually established. The promulgation of the Marine Environmental Protection Law in 1982 marked that China's marine environmental protection cause entered the legal track. The Marine Environmental Protection Law was revised in 1999 to promote the transformation of marine environmental protection from focusing on pollution prevention and control to taking into account ecological protection. China has formulated the "China Ocean Agenda 21", implemented the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promoted the systematic and professional development of marine ecological environment protection. In 2023, the Marine Environmental Protection Law will be revised again to achieve a systematic transformation to coordinated land and sea and comprehensive governance.
Based on enhancing the coordination of land and sea pollution prevention and control and the integrity of ecological and environmental protection, China has incorporated marine ecological and environmental protection into the national ecological and environmental protection system, gradually connected land and sea, strengthened the overall coordination of land and sea ecological and environmental protection functions, and established and improved a land-sea coordinated marine ecological and environmental governance system. By continuously strengthening marine environmental pollution prevention and control, actively carrying out marine ecological protection and restoration, and deeply fighting the battle of comprehensive governance of key sea areas, China's marine environmental quality has been greatly improved, the ecosystem service functions of local sea areas have been significantly improved, and the orderly development and utilization of resources and the green transformation of the marine economy have been significantly accelerated.
China's marine ecological and environmental protection cause has developed in inheritance and innovated in exploration, striving to build a harmonious marine ecological environment between man and sea.
--Adhere to respect nature and give priority to ecology. We should firmly establish the concept of respecting, adapting to and protecting nature, objectively understand the natural laws of marine ecosystems, and strive to improve the ability of marine ecosystems to self-regulate, self-purify and self-recover from the evolution and internal mechanisms of marine ecosystems, and enhance the stability of ecosystems and ecological service functions. We should adhere to the bottom-line thinking and ecological priority, incorporate the construction of marine ecological civilization into the overall layout of marine development, build a solid marine ecological environmental protection barrier, scientifically and rationally develop and utilize marine resources, and promote harmony between man and the sea.
--Adhere to integrated protection and systematic governance. Marine ecological environmental protection is a systematic project. China adheres to the system concept and overall planning, adheres to the balance of development and protection, pollution prevention and ecological restoration, and coordinates land and sea to promote marine ecological environmental protection. Adhere to the linkage between rivers and seas, and the mutual assistance between mountains and seas, connect the shore and water, land and sea, and the upstream and downstream of the river basin, build a regional linkage, departmental coordination protection governance, supervision and law enforcement cooperation mechanism, and explore the establishment of a comprehensive governance system that integrates coastal, river basin and sea areas.
--Adhere to laws and regulations and strict supervision. China protects the marine ecological environment with the strictest system and the most stringent rule of law. Adhere to the rule of law in the sea, coordinate and promote the revision of relevant laws and regulations, establish a legal system for marine ecological environment protection, and implement the most stringent marine ecological environment governance system. Strengthen the normalized and full-process supervision and management of marine ecological environment zoning control, monitoring and investigation, supervision and law enforcement, assessment and inspection, give full play to the role of the central ecological environment protection inspection sword and the national natural resources inspection and supervision role, strike hard, punish chaos with severe punishment, and severely crack down on behaviors that damage the marine ecological environment.
--Adhere to innovation-driven and science and technology-led. China adheres to innovation-driven development, strengthens the technical system, monitoring and evaluation, and institutional mechanism innovation of marine ecological environment protection, makes scientific decisions, and implements precise policies to promote the digital and intelligent transformation and upgrading of marine ecological environment protection. Implement the "science and technology to develop the sea" strategy, give full play to the leading role of science and technology in marine ecological environment protection, strive to break through the scientific and technological bottlenecks that restrict marine ecological environment protection and high-quality development of the marine economy, and use a variety of land, sea, air, and space means to improve the monitoring, governance, supervision, emergency response capabilities and technical levels of the marine ecological environment.
--Adhere to green transformation and low-carbon development. The blue sea and silver beach are also green waters and green mountains, gold and silver mountains. China adheres to the concept of green development, explores the path of green development of the ocean, promotes the transformation of the mode of marine development to recycling, vigorously develops green industries such as ecotourism and ecological fisheries, continuously expands the path to realize the value of ecological products, and promotes high-quality economic development in coastal areas and creates high-quality life with high-level protection of the marine ecological environment. Based on the strategic goal of "dual carbon", with pollution reduction and carbon reduction as the starting point, we will coordinate the increase of carbon sinks and emission reduction in the marine field, develop new forms of green and low-carbon economy such as marine ranches and offshore wind power, promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the marine industry, and accelerate the promotion of green, low-carbon and sustainable development of the ocean.
--Adhere to government-led and multi-party co-governance. Adhere to the dominant position of the government in marine ecological environment protection, play a key role in system design, scientific planning, supervision and service, risk prevention, etc., and establish a marine ecological environment protection work mechanism with the central government coordinating, the province taking overall responsibility, and the city and county implementing. Activate business entities, trading elements and social capital to participate in marine ecological environment protection, create a sustainable model of marine environmental protection and ecological restoration, and make concerted efforts and multi-party co-governance across the whole society, and strive to build a modern marine ecological environment governance system led by the Party Committee, led by the government, and jointly participated by enterprises, social organizations and the public.
--Adhere to the people-first principle and the participation of all people. China adheres to the principle of ecological benefits for the people, ecological benefits for the people, and ecology for the people, constantly meets the people's new expectations for a good ecological environment, effectively solves prominent marine ecological and environmental problems, continuously improves the quality of people's proximity to the sea, strives to let the people eat green, safe, and reliable seafood, enjoy the blue sea, blue sky, and clean beaches, and constantly improve the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security in being close to the sea. Adhere to the principle of working for the people and relying on the people, promote the marine ecological culture of harmonious coexistence between man and the sea, form a consensus and conscious action for the active participation of all people in the protection of the marine ecological environment, and create a new pattern of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing of marine ecological and environmental protection.
--Adhere to the concept of a global vision and win-win cooperation. China adheres to the concept of a community with a shared future for the ocean, and with an open mind, an inclusive attitude, and a broad perspective, it will stand together with the people of all countries in the world through thick and thin, share honor and disgrace, jointly respond to the challenges of the marine ecological environment, resolutely safeguard the common interests of mankind, and leave a blue sea and blue sky for future generations. Adhere to the principles of mutual trust, mutual assistance and mutual benefit, promote international cooperation in marine ecological environment protection, share the fruitful results of protection and development, and contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to jointly build a clean and beautiful ocean.
II. Coordinated promotion of marine ecological environment protection
China attaches great importance to the construction of marine ecological civilization and marine ecological environment protection, strengthens top-level design, adheres to planning guidance, strengthens overall coordination, establishes and improves the legal and regulatory system, and continuously improves the system and mechanism to promote the smooth development of marine ecological environment protection.
(I) Planning guidance
Based on the new situation, new tasks and new requirements of marine ecological environment protection, China, based on the national economic and social development plan and in conjunction with the national land space plan, formulates special plans for marine ecological environment protection and plans in related fields to guide various marine ecological environment protection work.
Systematically plan marine ecological environment protection work. The relevant plans for marine ecological environment protection are the basic basis for guiding the implementation of marine ecological environment protection and promoting the construction of marine ecological civilization. The national economic and social development plan makes strategic arrangements for marine ecological environment protection. China's national land space planning makes overall arrangements for building a marine spatial pattern of coordinated land and sea, and harmonious human-sea relationship, and provides spatial strategic guidance for marine ecological environment protection in the jurisdiction of the sea area. In recent years, China has issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for Marine Ecological Environment Protection", explored the establishment of a new hierarchical governance system of "country, province, city, and bay", promoted the formation of a new pattern of comprehensive governance with bays as the basic unit and action carrier, and led the marine ecological environment protection work in the new era; issued the "14th Five-Year Plan for Scientific and Technological Innovation in the Field of Ecology and Environment", "14th Five-Year Plan for Ecological Protection Supervision", "14th Five-Year Plan for Ecological Environment Monitoring", and "China Marine Dumping Area Plan (2021-2025)" to guide scientific and technological innovation in marine ecological environment protection, marine ecological protection and restoration supervision, marine ecological environment monitoring and evaluation, marine dumping management, etc., and provide solid support for comprehensively strengthening marine ecological environment protection.
Adhere to the principle of ecological priority in the spatial layout of marine development and protection. Marine space is the basic carrier for protecting and restoring marine ecosystems, coordinating marine development and utilization activities, and implementing various tasks of marine governance. Marine space planning is an important tool for coordinating various marine space development and protection activities. Various types of spatial planning have been issued, including the "China Marine Functional Zoning", "China Marine Main Functional Zone Planning", and "China Island Protection Planning", which have played an active role in the protection and rational use of sea areas and islands at different stages. After the overall deployment of "multiple plans in one" was made in 2018, the "Several Opinions on Establishing a National Land Space Planning System and Supervising its Implementation" was issued, the "Outline of China's National Land Space Planning (2021-2035)" was issued, and the "Coastal and Nearshore Sea Spatial Planning (2021-2035)" was compiled. The national land space planning at all levels in coastal areas has been implemented in succession, forming a marine space planning system that coordinates land and sea, strengthening land and sea space coordination, and continuously deepening the comprehensive management of the coastal zone based on the ecosystem, and making overall arrangements for the protection, restoration, development and utilization of coastlines, sea areas, and islands.
Promote protection and restoration in an orderly manner. Under the spatial guidance of national land space planning, in order to coordinate the planning and design of the protection and restoration of important ecosystems in offshore and nearshore areas, China has formulated and implemented the "Plan for the Construction of Major Coastal Ecological Protection and Restoration Projects (2021-2035)" for the first time, with the core of improving the quality and stability of coastal ecosystems and enhancing coastal ecosystem services, forming an overall pattern of major coastal ecological protection and restoration projects of "one belt, two corridors, six areas and multiple points"; with the goal of improving the diversity, stability and sustainability of marine ecosystems, the "14th Five-Year Plan" Marine Ecological Protection and Restoration Action Plan, "Mangrove Protection and Restoration Special Action Plan (2020-2025)", "Spartina alterniflora Prevention and Control Special Action Plan (2022-2025)" and other documents have been issued, with scientific and reasonable layout, measures taken according to local conditions, and zoning and classification measures to coordinate the promotion of marine ecological protection and restoration, mangrove protection and restoration, Spartina alterniflora prevention and control and other work during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, forming a marine ecological protection and restoration planning system, and coordinating the promotion of integrated protection and restoration.
(II) Protection in accordance with the law
Relying on the rule of law is the fundamental principle for the protection of marine ecological environment. China has improved the legal system for marine ecological environment protection, strengthened judicial work, promoted popularization of law, and formed a good atmosphere of respecting, learning, abiding by and using the law in the whole society, so as to promote the operation of marine ecological environment protection in the track of rule of law.
Establish and improve the legal system for marine ecological environment protection. China attaches great importance to the legislation of marine ecological environment protection and has successively issued a series of relevant laws and regulations. In 1982, the Marine Environmental Protection Law was issued. After two revisions and three amendments, it has continuously adapted to the new situation and kept pace with the times. It is a comprehensive law in the field of national marine environmental protection. Focusing on the Marine Environmental Protection Law, seven administrative regulations such as the Regulations on the Management of Marine Dumping, more than 10 departmental regulations and more than 100 normative documents have been formulated, and more than 200 technical standards and specifications have been issued, basically establishing the legal system for marine ecological environment protection. In addition to the special marine environmental protection law, other important laws also make relevant provisions, such as the Law on the Management of the Use of Sea Areas and the Law on the Protection of Islands, which stipulate the sustainable use, protection and improvement of the ecological environment of sea areas and islands; the Wetland Protection Law and the Fisheries Law, which stipulate the protection of coastal wetlands and fishery resources; the Yangtze River Protection Law and the Yellow River Protection Law, which stipulate the planning, monitoring and restoration of estuaries. Coastal provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) have issued and implemented local laws or government regulations on the protection of the marine ecological environment. Guangxi, Hainan and other places have enacted special laws to protect coastal beaches and rare animal and plant resources.
Do a good job in judicial protection of the marine ecological environment. The court has actively explored the practice of judicial protection of the marine environment, and has heard a total of more than 5,000 various marine environment civil dispute cases since 1984. The Maritime Court has concluded more than 1,000 administrative litigation cases involving the marine environment since 2015, and is exploring jurisdiction over criminal cases such as pollution of the marine environment, illegal sand mining at sea, and illegal harvesting of precious and endangered aquatic wildlife. On the basis of summarizing and exploring practical experience, China has gradually formed a "three-in-one" marine environmental protection judicial system of criminal, civil and administrative litigation, as well as a marine environmental public interest litigation system with Chinese characteristics, to build a solid judicial defense line for marine ecological and environmental protection.
Carry out legal education on marine ecological environment protection. Through various forms such as holding press conferences, holding lectures and trainings, media publicity, knowledge contests, and distributing promotional materials, we promote and popularize sea-related laws and regulations such as sea areas, islands, marine environmental protection, and offshore fishing vessel management. In some areas, VR (virtual reality) Experiences, interactive games, micro-films and other forms of innovation and popularization of laws and regulations on marine ecological and environmental protection have achieved remarkable results. Increase publicity to coastal areas, sea-related enterprises and the public, urge local governments to protect and use sea areas scientifically and rationally, urge sea-related enterprises to fulfill their responsibilities, guide the public to raise awareness of marine laws and regulations, and let more sea-related units and people understand Ocean, protect the ocean, care for the ocean.
(3) Institutional guarantee
Establish a series of marine ecological environment protection systems, basically realize the overall coordination and connection of land and marine management systems and mechanisms, gradually improve the marine ecological environment protection management system, and continuously Improve the efficiency of marine ecological environment management.
Establish the "four beams and eight pillars" of the protection system. China attaches great importance to the use of systems to protect the marine ecological environment, regulates the development and utilization of marine resources, and establishes the "four beams and eight pillars" of the marine ecological environment protection system based on practice and in accordance with the law. In terms of pollution prevention and control, systems such as the registration of sewage outlets into the sea, environmental assessment approval, ocean dumping permits, and emergency response systems have been established; in terms of ecological protection and restoration, systems such as marine ecological protection red lines, natural reserves, and natural shoreline control have been established; in terms of supervision, In terms of management, systems such as land space use control, ecological environment zoning control, central ecological environment protection inspection, national natural resources inspection, target responsibility system, assessment and evaluation, monitoring and investigation have been established; in terms of green development, marine ecological protection compensation and fishing quotas have been established. and systems such as fishing licenses and paid use of sea areas.
Form a management system of "departmental coordination and top-down linkage". After years of construction and development, China's marine ecological and environmental protection management system has experienced a development process from scratch, from weak to strong. In 2018, the institutional reform of the State Council integrated the responsibility for marine environmental protection into the ecological environment department, and the responsibility for marine protection, restoration, development and utilization into the natural resources department. Departments such as transportation, maritime affairs, fishery, forestry and grassland, coast guard, and the military jointly worked together in accordance with their respective functions. Participating in marine ecological and environmental protection work has opened up land and ocean, enhanced the synergy of land and sea pollution prevention and control and the integrity of ecological and environmental protection. Set up ecological environment supervision agencies in the North Sea of the Haihe River Basin, the South China Sea of the Pearl River Basin, and the East China Sea of the Taihu Lake Basin to undertake work related to marine ecological environment supervision. Coastal provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) shall assume specific responsibilities for the management of the ecological environment in coastal waters and implement key tasks, major projects and important measures to promote the protection and management of the marine ecological environment. Over the years, China has formed a marine ecological environment protection working mechanism with multi-department collaboration and central and local linkage, and has initially established a comprehensive management system that integrates coastal, river basin and sea area collaboration.
3. Systematic governance of the marine ecological environment
Adhere to both key tasks and systematic governance, coordinate land and sea, and link up rivers and seas to carry out marine ecological environment governance. Continuously improve the quality of the marine ecological environment.
(1) Comprehensive management of key sea areas
Bohai Sea, Yangtze River Estuary-Hangzhou Bay, Pearl River Estuary and other key sea areas are located in the strategic intersection area of high-quality development along China's coast, with developed economies and dense populations. , the intensity of marine development and utilization is high, the regional marine ecological environment has obvious characteristics, and the problems are relatively concentrated and prominent. It is a key area for marine ecological environment management, and the implementation of comprehensive management is crucial.
Fight and win the battle for comprehensive management of the Bohai Sea. The Bohai Sea is a semi-enclosed inland sea in China, with poor seawater exchange capabilities and insufficient self-purification capabilities. Since 2018, China has launched the first battle to prevent and control pollution in the marine sector. The battle for comprehensive management of the Bohai Sea has been regarded as one of the landmark battles in the battle to prevent and control pollution during the ¡°13th Five-Year Plan¡±. According to the principle of ¡°one year for planning, two years for overall development, three years for overall development, The overall deployment of "Results at the Beginning of the Year" focuses on the "1+12" cities around the Bohai Sea, focusing on the proportion of excellent water quality in coastal sea areas, the "reduction" of rivers entering the sea, the investigation and improvement of sewage outlets entering the sea, and the improvement and restoration of coastal wetlands and shorelines. 5 core goals to coordinately promote the key tasks of ¡°pollution control, ecological protection, and risk prevention¡±. After three years of hard work, the core goals and tasks of comprehensive management of the Bohai Sea have all been completed with high quality, initially curbing the deterioration of the Bohai Sea's ecological environment and promoting continued improvement in the quality of the Bohai Sea's ecological environment. In 2020, the proportion of areas with excellent water quality (Class I and II) in the Bohai Sea coastal waters reached 82.3%, a significant increase of 15.3 percentage points from 2017 before the implementation of the tough battle. The 49 state-controlled sections of the 49 rivers entering the sea around the Bohai Sea ¢Ù have completely eliminated water qual