The Sustainable Development Forum and the Blue Book Press Conference of the "Evaluation Report on the Sustainable Development of China(2022)" Against the Backdrop of the "Dual Carbon" Strategy, Held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province

On February 24^th, 2023, the Sustainable Development Forum and the Blue Book Press Conference of the "Evaluation Report on the Sustainable Development of China(2022)" against the backdrop of the "dual carbon" strategy, held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. This event was jointly organized by he China Sustainable Development Assessment Report Research Group and the Development and Reform Commission of Wuxi City, with guidance from the China Center for International Economic Exchanges(CCIEE), the Development and Reform Commission of Jiangsu Province, and the Municipal People's Government of Wuxi City. The conference, with the theme of "Green New Wuxi, Promoting Harmony and Coexistence," brought together dozens of leading experts, scholars, and industry representatives from government departments, think tanks, universities, enterprises, financial institutions, and foreign chambers of commerce in China. They gathered to explore the path of sustainable development in China in the new era and to contribute to the promotion of a new practice of Chinese-style modernization.

Ning Jizhe, Deputy Director of the Economic Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice Chairman of the CCIEE, former Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, and former Director of the National Bureau of Statistics, Zhang Leifu, Vice Chairman of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the CPPCC, Zhao Jianjun, Mayor of the Wuxi Municipal People's Government, and Wang Limin, President of the Social Sciences Literature Press, delivered speeches at the conference. Huang Qifan, former Mayor of Chongqing and researcher, Du Ying, Vice Chairman of CCIEE and former Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Zhao Baige, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 12th National People's Congress, Chairman of the Expert Committee of the Belt and Road Initiative Think Tank of China Academy of Social Sciences, and Chairman of the Research and Development International Think Tank Expert Committee, Xu Xianchun, Special Research Fellow at the National Development Research Institute of Peking University, Liu Qiong, Deputy Director of the Resources Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, Li Zixue, Secretary of the party committee and Chairman of ZTE Corporation, Zhao Tang, President and Chief Representative of the China Office of the China-Britain Business Council, and Michael Hart, President of the The American Chamber of Commerce in the People’s Republic of China, delivered keynote speeches.

Zhang Dawei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CCIEE and former Vice Governor of Henan Province, presided over the meeting.

Ning Jizhe stated that the Sustainable Development Forum and the Blue Book Press Conference of the "Evaluation Report on the Sustainable Development of China(2022)" held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, the shining pearl of Taihu Lake, demonstrates that Wuxi is at the forefront of sustainable development in China. It also reflects the importance that the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, Provincial Government, and relevant national departments and units attach to green development, which is of great significance. Over the past 45 years of reform and opening up, China has pursued the basic national policy of environmental protection and resource conservation, implemented a strategy of sustainable development, and achieved remarkable results. In 2022, China's per capita GDP reached $12,500, approaching the threshold of high-income countries. There have also been historic, turning point, and comprehensive changes in ecological and environmental protection, with intensified efforts in pollution prevention and control and solid progress in green, circular, and low-carbon development. Currently, promoting sustainable development requires efforts to expand domestic demand, vigorously promote green and low-carbon development, accelerate green transformation through institutional innovation, and enhance global sustainable development capabilities through cooperation.

Huang Qifan pointed out that the achievement of the "dual-carbon" goals has fundamental, strategic, and revolutionary significance for China's future. It is important to accurately grasp the path and direction of China's energy structure adjustment and optimize the layout of clean energy production capacity. This includes deepening the adjustment of industrial structure, accelerating the formation of a clean energy industry cluster, building a green and low-carbon industrial system, vigorously developing strategic emerging industries such as the digital economy, and accelerating the construction of a global energy internet.

Zhang Dawei stated that the harmonious coexistence between man and nature is one of the Chinese characteristics and an important content of Chinese modernization. We still have a long way to go on the path of sustainable development. It is necessary to be guided by the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and Xi Jinping's ecological civilization thought. We need to strengthen collaboration among the government, enterprises, and all sectors of society, and provide more innovative ideas and solutions to promote the implementation of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In his speech, Zhang Lefu stated that promoting sustainable economic and social development is the theme of the present era. Thoroughly implementing the new development concept and accelerating the formation of a "dual circulation" new development pattern are the necessary paths for China to achieve its unique modernization and for Jiangsu to promote high-quality development and create a high-quality life. We hope that all parties present will engage in in-depth communication and discussion, working together to advance the Jiangsu model and Wuxi sample of sustainable development in the context of the "dual carbon" strategy.

Zhao Jianjun pointed out that in recent years, Wuxi has actively studied and implemented Xi Jinping's thought on socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era. Based on the new stage of development and the new development concept, Wuxi has taken solid steps in the construction of a "strong, prosperous, beautiful, and high-level" modernized Wuxi. It has gradually become a solid industrial base, a vibrant hotbed of innovation, and an eco-friendly place suitable for living and business. In the future, Wuxi will unwaveringly follow the path of ecological priority and green development, actively construct a green manufacturing system, strengthen the supply of green technologies, accelerate the construction of low-carbon enterprises and near-zero carbon zones, enhance sustainable development capabilities, and promote Wuxi's comprehensive entry into the "fast lane" of green and low-carbon development.

During the meeting, Zhang Huanbo, Head of the Institute of American and European Studies and Chief of the Postdoctoral Research Program of CCIEE, and Guo Dong,  director of the China Program and deputy Director of the Sustainable Development and Policy Management Program at the Earth Institute of Columbia University, along with other experts and scholars, presented and interpreted the Blue Book on Sustainable Development.

Zhang Huanbo pointed out that the data validation results of the national-level sustainable development index evaluation system show that from 2015 to 2020, China's sustainable development level has been steadily improving year by year. The economic strength has significantly increased, social well-being has been effectively improved, overall resource and environmental conditions have improved, the effectiveness of consumption and emission control has been remarkable, and the effects of governance and protection have gradually become prominent. The data validation results of the provincial-level sustainable development index evaluation system show that Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Chongqing, Fujian, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Yunnan, and Hainan are among the top 10 rankings. Jiangsu Province ranks 8th in the comprehensive ranking of sustainable development, with significant advantages in "economic development" and ranking 5th.

Guo Dong stated that cities are providers of the most efficient lifestyle and also serve as hotbeds for innovation and employment. They often represent the root of addressing sustainable development issues. The data validation results of the sustainable development index system for 101 large and medium-sized cities in China reveal that the top 10 cities in terms of sustainable development are Hangzhou, Nanjing, Zhuhai, Wuxi, Beijing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changsha, and Jinan. Among them, Wuxi City jumped from the 7th position in 2018 to the 4th position in the comprehensive ranking of urban sustainable development in 2022, becoming one of the leaders in sustainable development among Chinese cities.

The conference was a complete success, attracting high attention from various sectors of society towards the issue of sustainable development. Participants unanimously agreed that China's model of modernization is a modernization that promotes harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. They emphasized the need for persistent efforts to achieve sustainable development. It was hoped that research efforts would continue to be strengthened, attracting more individuals and institutions to focus on the cause of sustainable development and drive improvements and long-term sustainability in the field of sustainable development.