Ecological civilization construction must not leave rural areas cold while cities stay hot
"Ecology is life, the environment is people's livelihood, green mountains are beauty, and blue skies are also happiness; protecting the ecological environment is protecting productivity, and improving the ecological environment is developing productivity. Building ecological civilization concerns the well-being of the people and the future of the nation." General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of scientific expositions are profound in thought, rich in connotation, and far-sighted, pointing out the way forward for accelerating the building of "ecological civilization" and "Beautiful China" in the new era.
Practice has proved that without rural moderate prosperity, there is no China's moderate prosperity; without rural ecological civilization, there is no nationwide ecological civilization. However, for many years, in ecological civilization construction, many places have, to varying degrees, followed the approach of "valuing cities and neglecting rural areas." One-sidedly or mistakenly believing that rural areas are rich in ecological resources and have a large capacity to bear ecological pollution, that whether development is good or bad depends entirely on "nature" and "heaven," and even regarding rural areas as the "receiving station" for transferred urban pollution and a "natural garbage dump." "Pollution going to the countryside" has not yet been completely curbed, and the phenomena of rural "big trees entering the city" and "ecological relocation" still occur from time to time, leaving many "ecological wounds" in rural areas and undoubtedly intensifying the difficulty of building "Beautiful Villages" and "homesickness." We cannot turn a blind eye to this or let it spread.
Building "Beautiful Villages" is the common expectation and aspiration of the country's 900 million farmers and is also the greatest livelihood interest. According to surveys, in recent years, the prominent problems in rural ecological construction are insufficient capital investment and few and monotonous projects; "abandoned" areas for greening and beautification can be seen everywhere; there are also many "garbage villages" and "sewage villages" that need comprehensive remediation, and the task is arduous and difficult, and cannot be ignored or neglected.
It is necessary to establish the governing concept of urban and rural areas as "one chessboard." Leaders at all levels and relevant departments should establish the concept of coordinated urban-rural development, unswervingly promote urban-rural coordination, improve the ecological construction mechanism of "simultaneous urban and rural development, overall advancement, and balanced development," resolutely oppose the one-sided approach of "valuing cities and neglecting rural areas," focus on solving the problem of lagging rural ecological construction, and do everything possible to make rural ecological construction "hot," advancing side by side with cities and developing in a coordinated way, constantly opening up new prospects for rural ecological construction.
It is necessary to continuously increase investment in rural ecological construction. Governments at all levels and relevant departments should, on the basis of going deep into rural areas and helping farmers carry out ecological construction planning according to local conditions, reasonably increase the proportion of fiscal investment and concentrate it toward rural areas. At the same time, it is necessary to continuously broaden financing channels, ensure the capital needs of rural ecological construction, and prevent "half-finished" projects. It is necessary to highlight "ideological assistance," guide farmers to carry forward the traditional spirit of self-reliance and hard struggle, and overcome the lazy thinking of "waiting, depending, and asking." Assistance should hit the "key point," and practical matters should be handled in farmers' "hearts," thereby stimulating farmers' initiative and enthusiasm to participate in ecological construction.
It is necessary to strengthen the comprehensive assessment mechanism for rural ecology. In accordance with the requirements put forward by the 18th National Congress, resource consumption, environmental damage, and ecological benefits should be effectively incorporated into the economic and social development evaluation system, and a target system, assessment methods, and reward and punishment mechanisms reflecting the requirements of ecological civilization should be established and improved, with ecological construction and protection listed as important content in performance assessment and evaluation. In this way, local officials' short-sighted behavior of "valuing development and neglecting ecology" and "valuing cities and neglecting rural areas" can be constrained. Township leaders and village officials should also undergo necessary "ecological assessment" and bear responsibility for ecological damage and environmental pollution in their regions. Moreover, the centrally stipulated system of "shared responsibility of Party and government and lifelong accountability" must be implemented.
It is necessary to carry out in-depth publicity and education on the rule of law regarding ecology. To advance ecological civilization and build "Beautiful Villages," we must rely on the rule of law as a safeguard and run the major decision of governing the country according to law through the entire great practice of ecological civilization construction. All localities should face rural areas, adopt various effective forms, use positive and negative examples, and carry out full-scale, fully covered ecological rule-of-law education and warning education activities for all people with great fanfare, so that the ecological theories and concepts of the new era enter people's minds and hearts and are turned into the conscious action of the broad masses of farmers. Create a good atmosphere in rural areas and throughout society in which "everyone participates in ecological civilization construction and everyone protects the urban and rural ecological environment." It is necessary to resolutely curb all kinds of illegal acts that wantonly destroy ecological resources, create environmental pollution, and endanger the health and safety of the people, use legal weapons to safeguard rural ecological security, consolidate and develop the achievements of rural ecological civilization construction, and truly let the broad masses of farmers share the well-being brought by reform and development.