On August 27, 2020, a seminar on "Telling China's Environmental Stories" series of books was held at Multimedia Press, Open University of China. Participants included leaders and experts in the field of forestry, wildlife protection and biodiversity protection, as well as media reporters.
At the seminar, CCTV senior investigative reporter Tong Ying described the environmental pollution incidents she had reported and the thrilling process of fighting against polluting companies and expressed her eyes on the changes in China's ecological environment in the past two decades. Tong Ying used the investigation experience of the field interview as the material and completed and published the book "Smoke of Gunpowder".
As the invited guest, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, the Secretary-General of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) expressed his views at the seminar. Dr. Zhou highly appreciated Tong Ying's contribution and dedication in reporting on China's ecological changes and believed that Tong Ying was sowing seeds for the dawn of a new civilization with practical actions. Dr. Zhou believes that the expression "smoke of gunpowder" is brilliant. It embodies the violent conflict between industrial civilization and ecological civilization. The prohibition of hunting pangolins is a typical example of the conflict between two civilizations. The CBCGDF has a deep understanding of this in the process of protecting pangolins. The hunting and killing of pangolins is driven by money and profit. Legislation must be used to prohibit them and clarify legal responsibilities. In many years of ecological protection work, there are many anti-ecological civilization cases mastered by CBCGDF. Dr. Zhou believes that more cases should be disseminated like the book "Smoke of Gunpowder" to alert the society and the importance of protecting the ecology.
As a social public welfare organization, CBCGDF has been working hard to practice China's biodiversity conservation and has achieved some valuable results. Using the takeaway platforms’ providing disposable tableware as an example, Dr. Zhou shared the work of CBCGDF in promoting the reform of the rule of law. In the summer of 2017, CBCGDF launched the "Walk the Chopsticks" initiative to the society, calling on takeaway platforms not to actively provide disposable tableware. Although at that time, many departments believed that this requirement of CBCGDF was not in compliance with the rules and was excessive, but after only two years, the CBCGDF initiative showed results, and corresponding regulations were issued across the country. Major takeaway platforms no longer actively provide disposable tableware, which has a positive significance for protecting China's forestry resources and protecting the animals and plants in the forest.
Many years of work experience has made Dr. Zhou deeply aware that, whether it is ecological engineering construction or civilization construction, it is not enough to just talk about it. It requires extensive media dissemination and national legislation. As a member of the Executive Committee of the Club of Rome, Dr. Zhou once again expressed his agreement with the ideas in the book during a seminar on the 50th anniversary of the birth of the masterpiece "The Limits to Growth". Human civilization is changing, and industrial civilization is unsustainable. Mankind must enter a new civilization. A new civilization and a new era will begin like seeds, and will eventually come through the evolution of policies, laws, and ideas.
Combined with the work of CBCGDF in biodiversity conservation, Dr. Zhou also shared his understanding of ecological civilization thoughts. He deeply realized that the thought of ecological civilization is a brand-new world outlook and methodology. He believes that in the special time period of 2020, it is even more necessary for us to tell the story of China's environmental protection and unremittingly promote the development of ecological civilization.
Finally, Dr. Zhou said that the book "Smoke of Gunpowder" reflects the new civilization thoughts that emerged in the duel between industrial civilization and ecological civilization. This book should be an important reading for leading cadres in the era of ecological civilization.
(Photo credit: Seminar organizer)
Original Chinese article:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/13669.html
By / Julie Modified / Maggie
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