National Pilot Zones for Eco-Environmental Conservation

China's national pilot zones for eco-environmental conservation are national-level platforms for the reform of the eco-civilization system.

The decision of the 18th CPC Central Committee at its fifth plenary session in October 2015, and the 13th Five-year Plan for 2016-2020 both brought the plan to establish national pilot zones for ecological conservation under a set of unified standards.

In August 2016, the central authorities issued a document on building these pilot zones. Three provinces – Fujian, Guizhou and Jiangxi, all with relatively good environment strengths in natural resources – were chosen as the first group to develop pilot zones. In May 2019, Hainan Province was added to the list.

In November 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission published a list of reform measures and positive practices for application in other parts of China. The list included 90 reform measures and successful cases in 14 areas: 

?property rights of natural resource assets, 

?territorial space development and protection, 

?environmental governance, 

?household waste sorting and treatment, 

?improvement of water resources and the water environment,

?improvement of rural living environments, 

?conservation and restoration, 

?green, circular and low-carbon development, 

?green finance, 

?eco-compensation, 

?poverty alleviation through eco-environmental programs, 

?judicial practice, 

?legislation and supervision, and 

?performance review and auditing.

The results from these pilot zones will promote other places with their reform of the eco-civilization system, and boost the building of China's eco-civilization from 2021 to 2025.

Applying top-level design to their own programs, the national pilot zones have gained valuable experience in institutional innovation and growth models, which can be applied in other areas. Their resource utilization has been increased, their eco-environment continues to improve, and there have been notable improvements in the quality and efficiency of development. With positive results in economic and social progress and environmental protection, these pilot zones have provided new opportunities for modernization with harmony between humanity and nature, and provide institutional support for boosting green development and building an eco-civilization in a beautiful China.

國家生態文明試驗區

國家生態文明試驗區，是生態文明體制改革的國家級綜合平臺。中共十八屆五中全會和“十三五”規劃《綱要》明確提出，設立統一規范的國家生態文明試驗區。2016年8月，中共中央辦公廳、國務院辦公廳印發《關于設立統一規范的國家生態文明試驗區的意見》，福建、江西和貴州三省作為生態基礎較好、資源環境承載能力較強的地區，被納入首批統一規范的國家生態文明試驗區，探索形成可在全國復制推廣的成功經驗。2019年5月，中共中央辦公廳、國務院辦公廳印發了《國家生態文明試驗區（海南）實施方案》，將海南納入試驗區范圍。

2020年11月，國家發展改革委印發《國家生態文明試驗區改革舉措和經驗做法推廣清單》，內容包括自然資源資產產權、國土空間開發保護、環境治理體系、生活垃圾分類與治理、水資源水環境綜合整治、農村人居環境整治、生態保護與修復、綠色循環低碳發展、綠色金融、生態補償、生態扶貧、生態司法、生態文明立法與監督、生態文明考核與審計等14個方面，共90項可復制可推廣的改革舉措和經驗做法。這標志著國家生態文明試驗區已取得階段性成果，將極大促進各地區進一步深化生態文明體制改革，對“十四五”時期加快推進生態文明建設具有重要意義。

建設國家生態文明試驗區，是將中央頂層設計與地方具體實踐相結合，以體制創新、制度供給、模式探索為重點，集中開展生態文明體制改革綜合試驗，率先建成較為完善的生態文明制度體系，形成一批可在全國復制推廣的重大制度成果，資源利用水平大幅提高，生態環境質量持續改善，發展質量和效益明顯提升，實現經濟社會發展和生態環境保護雙贏，形成人與自然和諧發展的現代化建設新格局，為加快生態文明建設、實現綠色發展、建設美麗中國提供有力制度保障。