The politics of eco-civilization construction generally involves the understanding and interpretation of ecological civilization, an emerging public policy issue field, from the perspective of political science. Therefore, it can be considered a subfield in comparative politics or issue-based politics. On the other hand, it also encompasses implications in the realm of political philosophy, particularly concerning the relationships between man and nature, economy and environment, individuals and society, as well as domestic and international. The politics of eco-civilization construction drives vital support both in research contents and methods from the established field of environmental politics and its theoretical achievements. Moreover, it goes beyond that foundation by significantly expanding and transforming such aspects as research domains, academic discourses, and subject perspectives. As a result, it can perceptibly depict the distinctive qualitative characteristics of China’s environmental politics in the new era in terms of theory and practice. Under the discourse system of environmental politics, there emerge discussions on political theories of ecoMarxism or eco-socialism, and the ecoMarxism social movements and party politics. These discussions present varying political understandings and public policy responses to the same ecological and environmental issues. However, from the perspective of the politics of ecocivilization construction, the debate and inquiry regarding the socialist qualitative characteristics or political philosophy become a particularly prominent issue, which not only bears relevance to the overall landscape but also shapes future directions.

Confucianists advocate the holistic cosmology of “harmony between humanity and nature and unity of all things,” the ethical pursuit of “loving all people and things and treating them as brothers, sisters and companions,” and the practical guideline of “taking from nature at the proper time and to the proper extent.” These are not only the core values of Confucian ecological culture, but also the concentrated embodiment of Confucian thinking in the ecological field. In the context of the new era, the ecological theory resources in Confucianism can provide ideological resources for reflecting on anthropocentric values. Furthermore, it can provide inspiration and reference for breaking through the bottleneck of environmental ethics, ultimately offering cultural support for the construction of ecological civilization in the new era. Under the guidance of Marxism, we should interpret the ecological cultural view of Confucianism in a modern way, realize the modern transformation of Confucian ecological culture, and advance the construction of ecological civilization in the new era with heightened cultural awareness.

Since Confucian philosophy is essentially an ecological philosophy, the concept of “ecological Confucianism” can indeed be established. Confucianism divides nature into four types of objects, namely, animals, plants, land, and mountains and rivers, and presents ecological understanding and treatment measures for these elements across the three dimensions of religion, morality, and politics and law. Ecological Confucianism features a category system composed of concepts such asqi气(a vital force), tong 通 (communication), he 和 (harmony), sheng 生 (life), shi 时 (time), dao 道 (Way) and ren 仁(benevolence). It also encompasses an ecological view composed of ecological ontology, ecological theory of kung fu, and ecological theory of visionary world. Furthermore, it carries a history of development with intrinsic logical connections. Confucian philosophy advocates for spiritual harmony, interpersonal harmony, social harmony, and international harmony, which are all based on the harmony between humanity and nature. Ecological Confucianism can not only facilitate the understanding of Confucian philosophy and even Chinese philosophy, but also contribute to advancing the breakthroughs of philosophy itself. It prompts us to reconsider the concepts of “subject” and “object,” and rebuild the theory of subject-object relationship, thus leading to the second enlightenment within the realm of world philosophy.

The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) proposed to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization. The Party underscores the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature as one of the five characteristics of Chinese modernization, assigning a new historical mission to construct ecological civilization in the new era. While industrial civilization has propelled monumental advancements in the overall productive forces of human society and generated unprecedented material wealth, it has concurrently escalated the tension in the relationship between humanity and nature. Addressing the ecological crisis and fostering the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature is not discretionary but essential for all human beings to tackle the challenges we face and build a community with a shared future. Philosophically, the philosophy of human dominance over nature is reaching its limits, and the current era necessitates the development of a philosophical framework that revolves around the harmony between humanity and nature. It is incumbent upon us, under the expansive vision of history, to persevere in “two integrations” and draw from traditional Chinese ecological wisdom, Marxist views on the relationship between humanity and nature, as well as Xi Jinping’s Thought on Ecological Civilization. These efforts aim to establish the Chinese school of environmental ethics, develop a discourse system of Chinese Marxist ecological philosophy, and ultimately guide the unfolding of a novel chapter in human civilization.

Ecological civilization, as a new model required for the sustainable development of contemporary society, has been developed on the basis of a certain ecological ethical order. The critical reflection on traditional modes of social development and ways of thinking serves as the foundation for constructing the contemporary concepts of ecological ethics. The traditional philosophical resources are the theoretical sources for the construction of the contemporary concepts of ecological ethics. Since Laozi’s philosophy is highly compatible with the contemporary concepts of ecological ethics, the content and ways Laozi used to interpret human beings and society may provide valuable ideological resources for the contemporary concepts of ecological ethics.

The essence of national governance modernization is to continuously uphold its intrinsic goodness. The goodness of national governance depends on its ethical rationality, which in turn relies on the value positioning of ecological ethics. Throughout the process of eco-civilization construction, the central objective of China’s national governance modernization is to steer China towards a path that aligns with ecological ethics. The modernization of China’s national governance is exemplified by the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) endeavor to lead the people to follow ecological rationality and govern the country in accordance with the fundamental principles and spirit of ecological ethics. As a result, the objective of achieving harmony between humanity and nature can be realized through effective governance, particularly by means of ecological good governance. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the CPC has continuously explored and practiced the ethical relationship between humanity and nature, adapting it to the Chinese context and the needs of our times. It has been steadfast in its commitment to advancing a course of ecological good governance as part of China’s endeavor to modernize its national governance. Mao Zedong emphasized initiatives such as afforestation, soil and water conservation, and resource management to enhance the human living environment. Deng Xiaoping underscored the importance of laws and systems in the effective implementation of ecological ethics. Jiang Zemin stressed the importance of coordination and harmony between humanity and nature. Hu Jintao introduced the Scientific Outlook on Development, aligning it with the needs of contemporary and future development. General Secretary Xi Jinping embraces the concepts of ecological ethics in the new era: respect for nature, ecological protection, and shared responsibilities and rights. Based on this, Xi Jinping views the natural world as a community of life that promotes harmony between humanity and nature. This perspective nurtures a world of life that upholds ecological ethics and aligns with the demands of the new era. The theoretical objective of ecological ethics with Chinese characteristics is to formulate a moral philosophy that applies to China’s contemporary endeavors in ecocivilization construction, and the practical objective is to establish normative ethics that correspond to the principles of China’s eco-civilization construction.

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