Socialist China’s Ecological Civilization: A New Dawn of Sustainable Development?

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

Since the late 2000s, the simultaneous convergence and deepening of structural crises within global capitalism have heightened the salience of socialism, with socialist China offering valuable lessons, particularly in confronting pressing challenges such as the environmental crisis. Using an analytical-evaluative framework, this study reveals that China’s approach to eco-civilization integrates environmental sustainability with socialist development, spearheaded by the leadership of the Communist Party of China and strengthened through Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This is also supported by a robust legal framework characterized by the creation of specialized environmental courts, public interest litigation, and environmental taxes. Against this backdrop, China launched eco-civilization pilot zones and developed its own system of ecological indicators, positioning China as a model for sustainable development tailored to its national conditions. Importantly, China’s eco-civilization policy outcomes are most evident in four key areas: a clean energy revolution, a sustainable land management revolution, a green urban revolution, and a stronger leadership in global environmental governance.