The "Two Mountains" Concept has Changed China and Led the Times

August 15 marks the third National Ecology Day and the 20th anniversary of the "Two Mountains" concept.

Guided by the "Two Mountains" concept, China is becoming more beautiful every day. As the core concept of Xi Jinping's ecological civilization thought, the "Two Mountains" concept has not only profoundly changed China, but also gathered consensus and pointed out the path for global exploration on harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

The important statement that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" illustrates the relationship between economic development and ecological and Environmental Protection, reveals that protecting the ecological environment is to protect the productive forces, improving the ecological environment is to develop the productive forces, and points out a new path for achieving coordinated coexistence between development and protection.

A thriving vegetation is the wealth of a nation.

A sound ecological environment is the fairest public good and the most inclusive benefit to people's livelihood. President Xi Jinping profoundly stated: "While economic prosperity is vital for human survival, green mountains and clear waters constitute an essential component of people's happiness – something that cannot be replaced by money. Even if you earn a fortune, how can one truly feel content when the air and drinking water remain substandard?"

The "Two Mountains" concept is a scientific judgment that conforms to the law of human social development and meets people's expectations for a better life.

Different from the capitalist logic that simply obeys the development of productive forces in western modernization, the "Two Mountains" concept makes clear that ecological environmental protection and economic development are not contradictory, but dialectically unified.

"Clear waters, green mountains and gold and silver mountains are by no means opposed to each other. The key lies in people and ideas," said General Secretary Xi Jinping.

An important orientation of the "Two Mountains" concept is to abandon the development model that damages or even destroys the ecological environment, and abandon the short-sighted approach of sacrificing the environment for temporary development. At the same time, we should emphasize that only by laying a solid foundation for green development can we achieve rapid progress in future development.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that "the construction of ecological civilization is a millennium project related to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation." "There is no way for us to follow the old path of the United States and Europe in building a modern country, and even if there are several more earths, it will not be enough for the Chinese people to consume," stressing that "we must calculate the big account, the long-term account, the overall account and the comprehensive account."

Following the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping, China has greener mountains, clearer waters and a more beautiful homeland. The forest coverage rate has exceeded 25 percent; 90.4 percent of the country's Surface Water sections are classified as class I to III; and the average number of days with good air quality in cities at prefecture level and above is 87.2 percent.

Of course, protecting our clear waters and green mountains does not mean no development, but better development. The "Two Mountains" concept focuses on turning green into gold and creating new green drivers and advantages for economic development.

During the 2021 National Two Sessions, at the deliberation site of the Inner Mongolia delegation, when Representative Zhou Yizhe from the Greater Khingan Forest District mentioned the implementation achievements of the Natural Forest Protection Project, President Xi Jinping responded: "The ecological gross value you mentioned is the concept of green GDP, which shows that ecology itself has value."

The general secretary further pointed out: "It not only has the value of the trees themselves, but also the green lung effect, but also brings tourism, underforest economy and so on."

In the view of General Secretary Xi Jinping, clear waters and green mountains are not only natural and ecological wealth, but also social and economic wealth. A sound ecology itself can continuously create comprehensive benefits and achieve sustainable economic and social development.

The "Two Mountains" concept vividly illustrates the interdependent and unified relationship between ecological and environmental protection and economic development, and has become a new guide for promoting green development.

In the New Words of Zhijiang, there is an article published on September 15,2006. Comrade Xi Jinping clearly pointed out in the article: "Only by taking the road of science and technology leading, resource saving and environment-friendly development can we realize the transformation from 'environmental exchange for growth' to 'environmental optimized growth'."

Environmental protection must rely on institutions and the rule of law.

China has revised and implemented the "strictest ever" environmental protection law, while enacting multiple ecological conservation laws including the Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Law, Yangtze River Protection Law, Yellow River Protection Law, and Wetland Protection Law. Since the new era began, the country's ecological legal system has entered a "fast track" development phase, demonstrating the CPC Central Committee's determination to safeguard green mountains and clear waters through the strictest institutional frameworks and rigorous legal governance.

To tackle prominent ecological and environmental challenges, China has rolled out three landmark policies: the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, Water Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan, and Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan. These measures span multiple fronts—from phasing out outdated coal, steel, and cement production capacities to promoting clean heating systems in northern regions, while also implementing source control measures, advancing comprehensive water environment management, reducing chemical fertilizer and pesticide use, and controlling soil environmental risks. Through sustained efforts and long-term commitment, these initiatives demonstrate China's persistent dedication to environmental governance.

Thanks to a series of measures, China has become the country with the fastest improvement in air quality in the world, and its rivers and lakes have also undergone fundamental changes.

More greenery is spreading across the country. From ecological products to ecotourism, from horizontal ecological compensation to the establishment of trading mechanisms for carbon emission rights, Pollution Discharge rights, water use rights, and carbon sink rights, the path to realizing the value of ecological products has been explored and deepened, and the road to turning green into gold has become wider and wider.

In the face of the severe challenge of global warming, President Xi Jinping solemnly promised to the world that China will strive to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

China has incorporated carbon peaking and carbon neutrality into the overall layout of ecological civilization construction, successively released the "1+N" policy under the "double carbon" target, accelerated the development of wind power, photovoltaic and other new energy, and made efforts to promote green and low-carbon production and life style to become the conscious pursuit of the whole society.

The "Two Mountains" concept belongs to China and the world.

On July 14 local time, a special event on China's "Two Mountains" concept to promote sustainable development was held under the framework of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the UN Headquarters in New York. Representatives of many countries and international organizations attended the event to listen to China's voice on harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

In recent years, China's ecological civilization concept represented by the "Two Mountains" concept has been widely recognized and highly praised in the international community.

—— In 2013, the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme adopted a draft decision on promoting China's ecological civilization concept.

—— In 2016, the United Nations Environment Programme released the report "Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Golden Mountains and Silver Mountains: China's Ecological Civilization Strategy and Action", which introduced China's ecological civilization.

—— In 2018, Solheim, then Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, expressed high appreciation for the "Two Mountains" concept after visiting Zhejiang province: "We hope to bring these experiences to countries around the world and use them to encourage countries to improve their ecological environment."

The "Two Mountains" concept has fostered greater resonance between China and the global community. "On the path toward global ecological civilization transformation, China is emerging as a trailblazer," stated Andrew Schwartz, Vice President of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization Studies. He noted that China has integrated the philosophy of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" into all aspects of ecological development, offering a compelling alternative model for sustainable growth. "This leadership is timely, visionary, and truly inspiring," he concluded

"In this era of climate crisis, biodiversity loss and ecological stress, 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets' should become the universal creed of global ecological governance. This is not only Chinese wisdom, but also the consensus of mankind," said Patrick Nees, former Belgian ambassador to China.

"We want both lucid waters and lush mountains, and mountains of gold and silver. We would rather have lucid waters and lush mountains than mountains of gold and silver, for lucid waters and lush mountains are themselves mountains of gold and silver." President Xi Jinping's solemn declaration has enlightened hearts and illuminated the future. Through grand practice, the "Two Mountains" concept has demonstrated powerful truth and practical strength.

The "Two Mountains" concept, which originated in China and is open to the world, has guided the realization of the dream of a beautiful China featuring harmonious coexistence between man and nature. It will also make new contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind and protecting the earth.