FOOTPRINTS OF ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION CONSTRUCTION IN NEW BOOKS*
Zheng Tie
Professor and PhD Supervisor, serves as the Dean of the Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage at Beijing Forestry University. Director of the Education, News, and Publishing Professional Committee of the China Publishing Promotion Association; Founding Chairman of the Beijing Higher Education Journalism and Cultural Communication Research Association; Vice Chairman of the China University Newspaper Association; Vice President of the Beijing News Photography Society.
With a long-standing dedication to research and education, Professor Tie specializes in ecological civilization, green communication, media management, writing and editing, science popularization, as well as cultural and natural heritage studies.
Abstract
This report highlights recent publications that showcase the progress and vision in ecological civilization construction in China and Russia. Russia released its first academic anthology on ecological civilization, advocating for a shift from industrial to ecological civilization. In China, a series of new books—including Contemporary China’s Ecological Environment, Integrated Development of Forest and Grassland National Parks, New-Type Urbanization with Chinese Characteristics, and Carbon Balance of Forest Ecosystems in China—explore ecological development from philosophical, urban, environmental, and scientific perspectives. These works emphasize the importance of cultural heritage, systemic transformation, and global cooperation in building a sustainable and harmonious relationship between humanity and nature.
Key Words: ecological civilization, sustainable development, environmental protection, green transformation, forest carbon balance
As ladders of human advancement, books play an indispensable role in fostering ecological civilization. Recent works on this theme have not only chronicled milestones and distilled insights but also charted new pathways, leaving an enduring imprint on the journey toward ecological civilization.
Russia publishes the first collection papers on ecological civilization
Russia has recently published its first academic collection of essays on ecological civilization, titled On the Path of Ecological Civilization. The Eco-Human Perspective. This marks the first Russian-language academic anthology focused on ecological civilization ever published in Russia. The book was published by the renowned Russian academic publishing house, Kogito-Center Academic Publishing House.
The book’s four chief editors are: Alexander Koptyin, editor-in-chief of Ecological Genesis magazine and professor in the Department of Psychology at the St. Petersburg Institute of Postgraduate Education, Russia;Arran Gare, professor of philosophy and cultural studies at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia;Wang Zhihe, executive director of the Institute for Postmodern Development of China;Stephen Levine, honorary professor at York University in Toronto, Canada, and dean of the doctoral program at the European Graduate School in Switzerland.
It is reported that 29 experts in ecological civilization from around the world, including internationally renowned scholars dedicated to long-term research in ecological humanities, contributed to the writing of this book. Among them is Dr. John B. Cobb Jr., a world-renowned process philosopher, a leading figure in constructive postmodern thought, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Fig. 1 The front cover of On the Path of Ecological Civilization. The Eco-Human Perspective
The book argues that, given the worsening global ecological crisis and the deepening economic, social, and political issues worldwide, many past concepts have proven ineffective after more than 30 years. What is needed now is a more proactive plan for transformation—a new type of civilization to replace industrial civilization.
Professor Alexander Koptyin points out that "industrial civilization has, in fact, exhausted its developmental potential and is becoming a dominant force in destroying the human living environment." Professor Zhihe Wang states that "To avoid the fate of self-destruction, humanity urgently needs a new form of civilization—ecological civilization."
Unlike industrial civilization, which reveres machines and tools, ecological civilization affirms life and reveres nature. Dr. John B. Cobb Jr. emphasizes, "Its goal is not the profit of a few wealthy individuals, but the common good of both humanity and nature." This new form of civilization transcends modern industrial civilization. Rooted in the principles of social and ecological justice, it gives rise to new forms of social interaction and cultural expression, enabling individuals to live more purposefully and harmoniously within the natural environment.
The authors believe that the path toward ecological civilization will not be smooth. Achieving ecological civilization requires overcoming numerous obstacles, including the constraints of vested interests, linear development thinking, mechanistic materialism, anthropocentrism, scientism, and the fragmentation and compartmentalization in academia. Despite the many difficulties and resistance, the pursuit of ecological civilization is imperative, as it concerns the fate of the Earth and the survival of humanity.
A shared understanding among the authors is that both China and Russia began large-scale industrialization in the latter half of the 20th century—later than capitalist countries. This delay provides an opportunity for China and Russia to explore alternative paths, allowing them to avoid the pitfalls of Western-style capitalist modernization and contribute valuable insights.
The rich cultural traditions of both China and Russia can play a crucial role in the construction of ecological civilization. In Dr. Cobb’s view, Chinese culture holds “great advantages” over the dominant contemporary Western modernist culture. It “offers many possibilities,” especially with its emphasis on organic process thinking, which helps resist the individualism rooted in substance-based thinking and counters the destructive tendencies of industrial thinking and expansion.
China’s vigorous efforts to build an ecological civilization today offer a source of hope. Professor Fan Meijun emphasizes that ecological civilization is a systemic project—"a profound transformation across all dimensions." As such, it demands changes across every sector and the active participation of every individual.
As Professor Arran Gare remarks, the authors of the book explore the “pioneering strategies required to build ecological civilization” from various perspectives, including philosophy, aesthetics, art, education, enlightenment, medicine, social work, and cultural activities.
The authors advocate for the ecological humanities, believing that it can counter the fragmentation of modern human knowledge, the erosion of humanistic quality in culture, and the loss of fundamental values.
Experiencing ecological change across China
Reflecting on the challenges China has faced in protecting its ecological environment and witnessing the miraculous transformation and green development across the country… the book Contemporary China’s Ecological Environment, published by Zhonghua Book Company, has received positive acclaim and become a window into the beauty of China’ green development. 
Fig. 2 The front cover of Contemporary China’s Ecological Environment
This newly released book, authored by Hu Kanping and Cao Debao, is included in the first volume of the series Understanding Contemporary China. The book is comprised of seven chapters, namely:
1. "Building a Modern China Where Humans and Nature Coexist Harmoniously"
2. "China's Ecological Protection and Governance"
3. "China's Biodiversity Conservation"
4. "Advancing the Battle Against Pollution"
5. "Unwavering Commitment to Green Development"
6. "Building a Beautiful China"
7. "Jointly Building a Beautiful Planetary Home"
Over the past half-century, especially in recent decades, China has embarked on a path of civilized development that balances economic growth, improved living standards, and ecological well-being. This book presents encouraging progress made by China in ecological and environmental protection, as well as in the broader construction of ecological civilization, from multiple perspectives.
It highlights China’s efforts, current progress, and achievements in environmental protection, aiming to respond to the keen interest of readers—particularly overseas Chinese readers—and deepen their understanding of China's responsibility, practices, and contributions. The goal is to foster broader consensus and collective strength in building a beautiful China and a better world.
Author Hu Kanping is the Director of the Research Department at the Chinese Society for Ecological Civilization, as well as a senior editor and researcher. He has led major research projects on China's environmental macro-strategy, public participation, and environmental education and outreach.
Co-author Cao Debao is a postdoctoral fellow (Boya Postdoc) and assistant researcher at Peking University, with a primary research focus on ecological civilization development.
Planning the development of forest and grassland national parks
How should forest and grassland national parks be integrated and developed? What layout and measures should be adopted? These questions are thoroughly explored in the newly published book Integrated Development of Forest and Grassland National Parks: Layout and Measures.
This book, designated as a key thematic publication by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee in 2022, is part of a major publishing project by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and funded by the National Publication Foundation. It is the first volume in the Integrated Development of Forest and Grassland National Parks series.
Fig. 3 The front cover of Integrated Development of Forest and Grassland National Parks: Layout and Measures
The chief editor of the book is Professor Chen Jiancheng from Beijing Forestry University. He told reporters that the integrated development of China's forest and grassland national parks must adhere to both tradition and innovation, with the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" as its guiding principle. The key lies in resolving the fundamental issue of balancing environmental protection and people's livelihoods, implementing new development philosophies, shaping new development patterns, and promoting high-quality green development.
In fostering harmony between humanity and nature, it is essential to respect, conform to, and protect nature, and to adhere to integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts. The construction of a Beautiful China must be actively promoted through coordinated efforts in industrial restructuring, pollution control, ecological conservation, and climate change response. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to reduce carbon emissions, cut pollution, increase green coverage, and drive sustainable growth—ultimately enhancing the biodiversity, stability, sustainability, and carbon sink capacity of ecosystems.
This book brings together recent theoretical and practical research achievements in the field of ecological civilization. It provides a comprehensive summary of the status and significance, overarching requirements, key objectives, institutional frameworks, core philosophies, theoretical connotations, guiding principles, and fundamental goals of ecological civilization. The content is grounded in real-world practices, particularly regarding the integrated development of China's forest and grassland national parks.
The book consists of three main parts, which respectively discuss the guiding principles, current demands, and practical measures for the integrated development of forest and grassland national parks.
The reporter noted that the book presents four key policy recommendations for this integration:
1. Further optimize national land-use planning to expand green space in the construction of a Beautiful China.
2. Further develop the health industry and adopt green actions to build a Healthy China.
3. Further explore sustainable financing mechanisms to generate green wealth for a Prosperous China.
4. Further strengthen national security by creating green barriers for a Safe China.
Exploring a path to new-type urbanization with Chinese characteristics
A newly published book titled New-Type Urbanization with Chinese Characteristics, which encapsulates scholars’ fresh insights and wisdom on China's urbanization path, has just been released by People’s Publishing House. It is co-authored by Chen Yanbing, President of the China Urbanization Promotion Association, and Xue Yongji, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at Beijing Forestry University.
Fig. 4 The front cover of New-Type Urbanization with Chinese Characteristics
In the preface, Jiang Zhenghua, former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, stated that this book will provide valuable insights and practical experience for policymakers, urban planners, entrepreneurs, and others involved in China's urbanization process. It shares the wisdom and experience of new-type urbanization with society, offering readers effective development approaches and helping to advance China’s urbanization with greater confidence and strength.
The book systematically reviews the current state, core concepts, and historical development of new-type urbanization in China. Based on international comparisons and theoretical analyses, it identifies the main characteristics and key tasks of urbanization with Chinese characteristics. It explores practical pathways for the high-quality development of China's new-type urbanization, aiming to contribute fresh ideas and support to both the theory and practice of this unique development model.
The authors have adopted clear and accessible language to explain new-type urbanization concepts and answer relevant questions in a light and engaging style. The book consists of ten chapters, guiding readers toward a comprehensive understanding of China’s approach to urbanization.
Chapter One outlines the current state of urbanization with Chinese characteristics. Chapter Two focuses on three core questions: "What is urbanization?", "How should we view it?", and "How should it be evaluated?", summarizing the scientific meaning and general patterns of China’s new-type urbanization. Chapters Three and Four systematically review the historical evolution of urbanization in China and abroad, drawing practical lessons. Chapter Five delves into the theoretical foundations of China's new-type urbanization. Chapters Six and Seven summarize its five key features and five major tasks. Chapter Eight examines the high-quality development of this urbanization model, emphasizing its significance for rural revitalization, the construction of a Beautiful China, common prosperity, and the broader goal of Chinese-style modernization. Chapters Nine and Ten explore the mechanisms for promoting this development path, outlining the new environment, challenges, driving forces, and trends shaping urbanization with Chinese characteristics.
Showcasing research on forest ecosystem carbon balance
For nearly 30 years, the research team led by Academician Fang Jingyun of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been dedicated to studying the carbon balance of forest ecosystems. Their comprehensive findings are now presented in the newly published book Carbon Balance of Forest Ecosystems in China, released by Science Press.
Academician Jiang Youxu shared the publication news in a WeChat group. Industry experts have praised the book as a reflection of the international academic level at various stages of development in this field. Its publication offers a valuable reference for researchers and provides a robust data and methodological foundation for the rapidly growing field of carbon neutrality studies.
Fig 5. The front cover of New-Type Urbanization with Chinese Characteristics
Forests, as the dominant component of terrestrial ecosystems, play a central role in regional and global carbon cycles. How do the different components of forest ecosystem carbon pools and carbon sinks vary across regions? What are the relationships among these components? How do environmental changes affect forest carbon balance? Over the past 30 years, scientists both in China and abroad have conducted extensive research around these key scientific questions.
Fang Jingyun’s research team is one of the earliest groups to engage in forest carbon balance studies. Experts note that the carbon balance and carbon sinks of forest ecosystems mainly include four components: forest biomass, surface litter, coarse woody debris (these two are sometimes collectively referred to as "plant residues"), and soil organic matter. In earlier large-scale studies on carbon balance, researchers primarily relied on forest inventory data and soil survey data to analyze biomass and soil organic matter, while the other components received much less attention. As a result, comprehensive assessments of all carbon components of forest ecosystems at global, national, and regional scales have remained an unresolved challenge.
Experts explain that the so-called forest ecosystem carbon balance (or carbon cycle) refers to the exchange of carbon dioxide between the forest ecosystem and the external environment. The absorption of carbon through photosynthesis is the “income,” while the release of carbon through ecosystem respiration is the “expenditure.” The status of carbon balance in forest ecosystems determines the rate at which atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations rise and directly influences the trajectory of global climate change.
(Translated by Shu Yinfang, Pu’er University, China)
* First Published in Green China, September 2024
Reference for citations
Tie, Z. (2025). Footprints of ecological civilization construction in new books. Ecopoiesis: Eco-Human Theory and Practice, 6(2). [open access internet journal]. – URL: http://ecopoiesis.ru (d/m/y)