张高丽：大力推进生态文明　努力建设美丽中国（中英对照）

（三）以全面加强资源节约为突破口，推动资源利用方式转变

3. Comprehensively enhancing the conservation of resources in order to transform the way that resources are utilized

节约资源是保护生态环境的根本之策。必须在全社会、全领域、全过程都加强节约，采取有力措施大幅降低能源、水、土地等资源消耗强度，努力用合理的资源消耗支撑经济社会发展。

The conservation of resources constitutes the fundamental policy for the protection of ecological environments. Therefore, efforts to conserve resources must be stepped up across all walks of life, in all sectors of the economy, and throughout the entire process of our development. We need to adopt effective measures to significantly bring down the intensity of our energy, water, and land usage, and make efforts to establish our economic and social development on the basis of rational resource consumption. 

一是狠抓节能减排降低消耗。“十二五”期间我国单位国内生产总值能源消耗要降低16%，主要污染物排放总量要显著减少，化学需氧量、二氧化硫排放分别减少8%，氨氮、氮氧化物排放分别减少10%，这是硬任务、硬指标，必须确保完成。做好节能减排工作要抓主要领域，盯重点企业，实施重大工程。要加快完善重点行业、重点产品能效标准和污染物排放标准，推行能效领跑者制度，切实把能效提上去，把排放降下来。深入推进万家企业节能低碳行动和重点污染源治理行动，继续推进节能改造、节能技术产业化示范、城镇污水垃圾处理设施及配套管网建设等节能减排重点工程。

Firstly, we must engage in vigorous efforts to conserve energy, reduce emissions, and lower consumption. China has set itself the target of reducing its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16% during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan. At the same time, China will also strive to achieve a marked reduction in the overall discharge of major pollutants in this period, reducing its chemical oxygen demand and sulfur dioxide emissions each by 8%, and cutting its emissions of ammonia nitrogen and nitrogen oxides each by 10%. These are nonnegotiable targets that must be met. To perform well in our initiatives to conserve energy and cut emissions, we must focus on key sectors, keep a close eye on priority enterprises, and initiate major projects. We must work faster to improve energy efficiency standards and pollutant discharge standards for priority industries and products. At the same time, in a practical bid to raise energy efficiency and lower emissions, we should introduce a system to subsidize leaders in energy efficiency. We must continue to implement the “10,000 Enterprises Energy Efficiency and Low Carbon Program” as well as schemes for the rectification of major pollution sources. At the same time, we also need to carry on promoting key projects with regard to energy conservation and emissions reduction, such as energy efficiency renovations, demonstration projects for the industrialization of energy conserving technologies, and the construction of sewage and garbage treatment facilities as well as the supporting pipeline networks in urban areas.

二是狠抓水资源节约利用。利用率低、浪费严重是我国水资源紧张的重要原因。要实施最严格的水资源管理制度，严把水资源开发利用控制、用水效率控制、水功能区限制纳污“三条红线”，加快建设节水型社会。大力发展节水农业，着力提高工业用水效率，重点推进高用水行业节水技术改造，加强城市节水工作。积极推进污水资源化处理，提高再生水利用水平。同时继续发展海水淡化和利用。

Secondly, we must engage in vigorous efforts to use water resources economically. Low utilization efficiency and serious waste are important causes of China’s water shortages. We need to implement the strictest possible system for the administration of water resources, ensuring that we hold firmly to three “red lines” in the use of water: controlling the exploitation of water resources; controlling the efficiency of water usage; and limiting the entry of pollutants into water function zones. Through these efforts, we will accelerate China’s transformation into a water-conserving society. At the same time, we must make major efforts to develop water-conserving agriculture, strive to raise the efficiency of water usage in industry, promote water-conserving renovations in industries with heavy water consumption, and enhance efforts to strengthen water saving initiatives in cities. We should work actively to promote the utilization of sewage as a resource and raise our capacity to utilize reclaimed water. In addition, we should also continue to promote the desalination and utilization of seawater.

三是狠抓矿产资源节约利用。目前，我国矿产资源总回收率和共伴生矿产资源综合利用率比国外先进水平低20个百分点左右。要建立健全覆盖勘探开发、选矿冶炼、废弃尾矿利用全过程的激励约束机制，引导所有环节的生产企业自觉节约利用各种资源，进一步提高开采回采率、选矿回收率、综合利用率，提高废弃物的资源化水平。

Thirdly, we must engage in vigorous efforts to use mineral resources economically. At present, China’s gross mineral recovery rate and comprehensive utilization rate of associated mineral resources trail leading international standards by roughly 20 percentage points. We need to establish and develop incentive and restraint mechanisms that cover the entire process of prospecting, exploitation, mineral dressing, smelting, as well as the utilization of discarded tailings. Making use of these mechanisms, we should encourage enterprises involved in various aspects of the production process to act conscientiously in the conservation and utilization of various resources. By doing so, we will further raise our extraction rate, dressing recovery rate, and overall utilization rate while increasing our capacity to make use of waste materials as resources.

四是狠抓土地节约集约利用。我国人均耕地资源严重不足，必须按照控制总量、严控增量、盘活存量的原则，推进土地节约集约利用。要坚持最严格的耕地保护制度，严守18亿亩耕地红线和粮食安全底线。科学确定新增建设用地规模、结构和时序，健全用地标准，从严控制各类建设用地。进一步盘活存量建设用地，加大力度清理闲置土地。强化用地节地责任考核，切实做到节约每一寸土地。

Fourthly, we must engage in vigorous efforts to use land economically. China faces a severe shortage of arable land per capita. In light of this reality, we must proceed with efforts to use land economically in accordance with the principles of capping total supply, strictly limiting supply increases, and making full use of existing supply. We must continue to implement the strictest possible system for the protection of arable land, and hold firmly to the red line of 120 million hectares of arable land, which is the minimum level that we must maintain in order to guarantee our food security. We must rationally determine the amount, the uses, as well as the timescale for the provision of new land for construction purposes. By improving standards on the usage of land, we need to impose strict controls on the supply of land for various construction purposes. We should continue with initiatives to bring existing development land into full play, and step up efforts to deal with idle land. In addition, we need to enhance performance assessments concerning the use and conservation of land, so as to ensure that every inch of land is used economically.

（四）以加强污染治理为着力点，切实提高生态环境质量和水平

4. Strengthening efforts to control pollution in order to improve the quality of ecological environments

当前，大气、水和土壤等突出的污染问题已经到了不治不行、刻不容缓的地步，必须重点突出、重拳出击、重典治污、力求实效。

We have come to the stage where urgent action must be taken without delay to address the serious problems of air, water, and soil pollution in China. In responding to these problems, we need to identify clear priorities, adopt striking measures, lay an emphasis on the rectification of pollution, and strive to attain solid results.  

一是坚决治理大气污染。党中央、国务院把加强大气污染防治作为改善民生的重要着力点，作为建设生态文明的具体行动，及时研究出台了《大气污染防治行动计划》，明确提出经过5年努力，全国空气质量总体改善，重污染天气较大幅度减少；京津冀、长三角、珠三角等区域空气质量明显好转。力争再用5年或更长时间，逐步消除重污染天气，全国空气质量明显改善。京津冀及周边地区是全国大气污染防治的重中之重，国务院专门部署这一区域大气污染防治工作，提出的治理措施更严、政策力度更大、目标设置更高，并与六个省区市政府签订了大气污染防治目标责任书。各地区、各部门要认真贯彻中央重要决策部署，积极落实各项政策措施，把环境治理同经济结构调整结合起来，同创新驱动发展结合起来，突出抓好重污染城市治理、能源结构调整、机动车污染减排、高污染行业及重点企业治理、冬季采暖期污染管控等重点工作，努力走出一条以治理污染促进科学发展、转型升级、民生改善，环境效益、经济效益和社会效益“多赢”的新路子。要密切跟踪《大气污染防治行动计划》执行情况，督促各地落实目标责任，明确时间表和路线图，全力以赴打好这场攻坚战和持久战。当前有关部门和地区要加强协调联动，特别是北方地区要做好应对冬季极端污染天气的工作，保护人民群众的身体健康。总之，我们要下大决心，尽最大力气，狠抓落实，让人民群众看到变化、见到成效。

Firstly, we must take firm action to address air pollution. The CPC Central Committee and State Council have identified the enhancement of efforts to prevent and control air pollution as an important means of improving the people’s wellbeing and as a specific scheme to promote ecological progress in China. On this basis, we have rapidly formulated and issued the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution. As stipulated in the plan, China will devote the next five years to raising the overall quality of air nationwide and to achieving a significant decrease in heavy air pollution. At the same time, the plan has also set out the goal of achieving a marked improvement in air quality in Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, in the Yangtze Delta, and in the Pearl River Delta during the same period. Following this, we will devote another five years or longer to gradually eliminating heavy air pollution and to achieving a marked improvement in air quality nationwide. Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and the surrounding areas represent the number one priority in our nationwide efforts to prevent and control air pollution. The State Council has made special arrangements concerning the prevention and control of air pollution in this region. These arrangements are characterized by more stringent controls, more demanding policies, and higher targets. At the same time, the State Council has requested that the six provincial-level governments in the region enter into binding agreements to ensure that targets for the prevention and control of air pollution are met. All local governments and departments are required to conscientiously implement the major decisions of the central government. They should actively implement various policies and measures; incorporate environmental management into economic restructuring and into efforts to drive economic development through innovation; and lay special emphasis on key initiatives such as controlling pollution in heavily polluted cities, adjusting the energy structure, reducing emissions from motor vehicles, controlling pollution in high-pollution industries and enterprises, and controlling pollution during the winter period when heating is provided. Through these efforts, local governments and departments should strive to develop a new approach whereby efforts to control pollution can spur on scientific development, industrial transformation and upgrading, and the improvement of the public wellbeing. This new approach will guarantee that environmental, economic, and social benefits can all come out on top. At the same time, it is also important that we closely monitor the implementation of the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution, ensuring that local governments fulfill their targets and responsibilities, establish clear timeframes and roadmaps, and devote themselves fully to a long-term struggle against air pollution. At present, the relevant departments and local government authorities are required to enhance their coordination with one another. In northern areas particularly, effective efforts must be made to counter extreme air pollution in winter, so as to guarantee the health of the public. In summary, we need to fully commit ourselves to attaining the targets that we have set, so as to ensure that the public can feel a difference and see results.

二是大力治理水污染。我国不仅存在资源型缺水、工程型缺水，而且污染型缺水也较严重。要加强饮用水保护，全面排查饮用水水源地保护区、准保护区及上游地区的污染源，强力推进水源地环境整治和恢复，不断改善饮用水水质。要积极修复地下水，划定地下水污染治理区、防控区和一般保护区，强化源头治理、末端修复。大力治理地表水，进一步提高生活污水的处理能力和工业污水的排放标准，对企业污水超标排放“零容忍”，继续加强对重点水域、重点流域综合治理。

Secondly, we must make major efforts to tackle water pollution. China’s water shortages are not only a result of insufficient resources and inadequate water conservancy facilities, but are also due to the effects of pollution. Greater efforts must be made to protect drinking water sources. We need to comprehensively search for pollution sources in water source protection zones, quasi-protection zones, and upstream areas, take strong action to promote the rectification and recovery of environments in areas that serve as water sources, and make constant efforts to improve the quality of drinking water. We must engage in active efforts to restore groundwater, designate rectification areas, prevention areas, and standard protection areas to tackle the pollution of groundwater, and strengthen both control at the source and reparation at the destination. In addition, we should engage in major efforts to control the pollution of surface water. We need to further increase our capacity to treat domestic wastewater, raise standards pertaining to the discharge of industrial wastewater, exercise an attitude of “zero tolerance” towards enterprises whose wastewater discharges exceed standards, and continue to strengthen comprehensive pollution control in key water bodies and watersheds. 

三是加紧治理土壤污染。土壤是食品安全的第一道防线。要着力控制污染源，严格执行高毒、高残留农药使用的管理规定，在抓好现有重污染企业达标排放的同时，对土壤环境保护优先区域实行更加严格的环境准入标准，禁止新建有色金属、化工医药、铅蓄电池制造等项目。要强化重点区域土壤污染治理，搞好土壤污染环境风险管理，经评估认定对人体健康有影响的污染地块要及时治理，防止污染扩散。调整严重污染耕地用途，有序实现耕地休养生息。

Thirdly, we must act more quickly to tackle soil pollution. Soil represents the very first line of defense in food safety. For this reason, major efforts need to be made to control sources of pollution. We must strictly enforce administrative regulations with regard to the use of highly toxic pesticides that leave high levels of residues. In addition to ensuring that heavily polluting enterprises meet discharge standards, we also need to enforce more stringent environmental restrictions in priority areas for the protection of soil environments, and prohibit new projects involving non-ferrous metals, chemical medicines, and lead-acid battery production in these areas. We need to strengthen efforts to control soil pollution in priority areas, and conduct effective environmental risk management with regard to soil pollution. Polluted land plots deemed to pose a health risk to humans should be rectified promptly in order to prevent pollution from spreading. Also, alternative uses should be assigned to arable land that has been seriously polluted, thereby allowing such land to recover in a controlled fashion.    

四是切实保护生态系统。良好美丽、功能强大的自然生态系统是生态文明的重要标志。要在重要生态功能区、陆地和海洋生态环境敏感区、脆弱区划定并严守生态红线，下决心退出一部分人口和产业，降低经济活动强度。要大力构建以青藏高原生态屏障、黄土高原—川滇生态屏障、东北森林带、北方防沙带和南方丘陵山地带为主体的“两屏三带”生态安全屏障，稳定和扩大退耕还林、退牧还草范围，继续实施天然林保护以及荒漠化、石漠化和水土流失综合治理等工程，逐步恢复生态系统。加强防灾减灾体系建设，最大限度减轻自然灾害造成的损失。

Fourthly, we must take practical steps to protect ecosystems. Healthy, beautiful, and strong ecosystems represent an important indicator of ecological progress. It is important that we define and firmly enforce ecological “red lines” in important ecological function zones and in sensitive and fragile land and ocean ecological environments. On that basis, we must make a commitment to lowering the intensity of economic activities in these areas by withdrawing a certain proportion of the local population as well as industry. We should devote major efforts to building an ecological barrier for China that consists primarily of “two shields and three belts,” namely: an ecological shield on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau; an ecological shield spanning the Loess Plateau, Sichuan, and Yunnan; a forest belt in the northeast; a sand entrapment belt in the north; and a hilly and mountainous belt in the south. At the same time, we need to consolidate and expand the scope of our initiatives to revert farmland back to forest land and grazing land back to natural grasslands; continue to carry out projects for the protection of forest land; and proceed with comprehensive projects to control desertification, stony desertification, and soil erosion, so as to promote the gradual recovery of ecosystems. We also need to step up our efforts to build disaster prevention and reduction systems, so as to reduce the damage caused by natural disasters to a minimum.

五是积极应对气候变化。我国已经向世界承诺，到2020年，单位国内生产总值二氧化碳排放比2005年下降40%—45%，非化石能源占一次能源消费的比重达到15%左右，森林面积比2005年增加4000万公顷，森林蓄积量比2005年增加13亿立方米。我们必须抓紧研究国家应对气候变化长远规划，狠抓任务落实，确保如期兑现承诺。同时，要坚持共同但有区别的责任原则、公平原则、各自能力原则，积极参与推动建立公平合理的应对气候变化国际制度。

Fifthly, we must mount an active response to climate change. China has promised the world that it will meet a series of targets pertaining to climate change by the year 2020. These include the following: lowering our CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 40-45% (compared to the level in 2005); raising the proportion of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 15%; increasing the area of forest coverage in China by 40 million hectares compared to the year 2005; and increasing the forest volume by 1.3 billion cubic meters compared to the year 2005. We must lose no time in formulating long-term national plans on climate change response, and devote ourselves to completing our tasks so that we can fulfill our promises on schedule. At the same time, by upholding the principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, fairness, and respective capabilities, we should actively participate in efforts to promote the establishment of a fair and reasonable system for international cooperation on climate change.