·China has achieved historic accomplishments in green and low-carbon development, making significant contributions to global sustainable development.
　　· From the perspective of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, we must recognize and grasp the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development.
　　·The comprehensive green transition injects new momentum into high-quality economic development, adds new vibrancy to the people’s pursuit of a better life, provides new safeguards for building a beautiful China, and contributes fresh wisdom to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
　　The energy system is steadily becoming greener, with the share of clean energy consumption rising and the share of coal consumption declining. The industrial structure continues to optimize and upgrade, the new-energy industry chain is growing stronger, and emerging industries are becoming new pillars of growth. The quality of the ecological environment continues to improve, with PM2.5 concentrations falling, the number of days with severe pollution decreasing, and steady progress being made in building a Beautiful China... Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, our country has achieved historic accomplishments in green and low-carbon development.
　　Today, our country is forging ahead with determination on the path of green and low-carbon development. Not only have we achieved remarkable accomplishments domestically, but we’ve also demonstrated our responsibility as a major global player on the international stage.
　　Globally, China’s achievements in green and low-carbon development have drawn worldwide attention. Compared to 2005, China’s carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP have dropped significantly, exceeding the committed targets. The total installed capacity of wind and solar power in China has grown rapidly, enabling China to achieve its installed capacity targets ahead of schedule. Moreover, China continues to advance the construction of a green Belt and Road Initiative, making important contributions to global sustainable development.
　　Recently, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"). This marks the first time at the central level that a systematic plan has been laid out for accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, providing top-level design for China's green transition.
　　Recently, Li Zhong, Deputy Director and Researcher at the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated in an appearance on “China Economic Micro-Observer: Experts Talk” that promoting the greening and low-carbonization of economic and social development is a key hallmark of the Party’s new concepts and practices in governing the country in the new era. The “Opinions” clearly outline the overall requirements, main objectives, and implementation pathways for a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development—from the perspective of modernization characterized by harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
　　In this process, what challenges does our country face? At the same time, what new implications does a comprehensive green transition hold?
　　“As a developing country with a huge population, China faces numerous challenges on the path toward green transformation,” Li Zhong stated. On the one hand, China’s per capita resource endowment is significantly lower than the global average, which has long imposed constraints and bottlenecks on economic and social development in terms of resources and the environment. At the same time, China’s energy structure is heavily reliant on coal, and its industrial structure remains heavily dependent on traditional industries—industries that are large in scale and account for a high share of the economy. This poses enormous challenges for coordinating the green and low-carbon transformation of industries and ensuring the security of industrial and supply chains. On the other hand, the global green transformation process has been fraught with setbacks, and there is a growing trend toward the politicization of environmental and climate issues.
　　Li Zhong stated that, in the current context, the "Opinions" provide systematic planning and overall deployment for green, low-carbon, and high-quality development, while also introducing new development requirements tailored to the new situation.
　　Specifically, first, we must adhere to comprehensive transformation, integrating the requirements of green transition into the overall framework of economic and social development and promoting green transformation in a holistic, all-encompassing, and region-wide manner. Second, we must pursue coordinated transformation, fully taking into account the actual development conditions of different regions and industries, adhering to a combination of overall promotion and targeted breakthroughs, and scientifically setting timelines, roadmaps, and detailed implementation plans for green transformation. Third, we must embrace innovative transformation, strengthening innovation in science and technology, policy and institutional frameworks, and business models that support green transition, thereby providing stronger innovative impetus and institutional safeguards for green transformation. Fourth, we must ensure a safe transition by carefully balancing the relationships among development and emission reduction, the whole and the part, the short-term and the long-term, and government and market. We must also properly anticipate and address both internal and external risks and challenges, effectively safeguarding food and energy security as well as the security of industrial and supply chains, and better ensuring the production and livelihood of the people.
　　Standing at a new starting point for development, China is accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of its economy and society. What profound significance does this initiative hold?
　　Li Zhong believes that the "Opinions" not only outline a blueprint for comprehensive green transformation and development by 2035, but also, by accelerating the transition of economic and social development onto a fully green and low-carbon track, lay a solid green foundation for advancing the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.
　　Specifically, first, we must inject new momentum into high-quality economic development. Green development is the underlying tone of high-quality development, and green productivity represents a new type of productive force. China must further accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of its economic and social development. This is a vital source for continuously elevating high-quality development to new levels and sustainably fostering new forms of productive forces.
　　Second, it adds new vibrancy to the people’s pursuit of a better life. Accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, continuously expanding the supply of green products, actively supporting the growth of green consumption, and focusing on tackling ecological and environmental issues that directly affect people’s daily lives are important indicators of putting the people at the center of development. These efforts are of great significance in enhancing the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security.
　　Third, it provides new safeguards for building a Beautiful China. As China’s ecological civilization construction shifts from passive responses and targeted remediation to proactive action and systematic governance, accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development will facilitate the coordinated advancement of carbon reduction, pollution control, greening, and growth. This will broaden the pathways for transforming lucid waters and lush mountains into invaluable assets, better safeguard the establishment of a new paradigm for building a Beautiful China, and solidify the ecological foundation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
　　Fourth, we are contributing new wisdom to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. We must accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, anchoring all-round modernization on the foundation of efficient resource utilization and green, low-carbon development. By doing our own homework well, we are also offering developing countries a brand-new option for sustainable development pathways, which is of great significance for advancing the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.