Two-Oriented Society

Proposal and Conception In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro adopted Agenda 21, which officially put forward the idea of "Environmental Friendliness". In 2004, the White Paper on Environmental Protection of Japan proposed establishing an environment-friendly society.

On Oct 11, 2005, the fifth plenary session of the 16th Central Committee of the Party passed the Suggestion of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Making the Eleventh Five-year Plan for National Economy and Social Development (hereinafter referred to as Suggestion). The Suggestion, for the first time, defined building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society as a strategic task in the long-term plan for the national economy and for social development.

The Suggestion clearly stipulated to take resource conservation as our basic national policy and quickening the pace of building such a society. The Central Committee of CPC has put forward a series of relevant policies in succession since 2007. Cities and towns throughout the country answer the call and make efforts to build such a two-oriented society.

A two-oriented society refers to a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society. A resource-conserving society means that the whole society adopts ways of production, life and consumption in favor of resource conservation. It takes comprehensive measures to improve resource utilization efficiency in production, circulation and consumption.

It maximizes the economic and social benefits with minimal resources and then realizes sustainable development of economy and society. An environment-friendly society refers to the whole society adopting ways of production, life and consumption in favor of environmental protection. Resource-conservation and environment friendliness are complementary to each other and it's necessary to combine their connotations into one concept, namely a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society.

Strategic Significance Building a two-oriented society is a requirement of carrying out the Scientific Outlook on Development and building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. It is an important strategic measure to promote sustainable utilization of resources and ensure economic security. It is a necessity for meeting economic globalization and dealing with new trade protectionism. It is also and an efficient way of increasing employment.