Adjusting the economic structure and transforming the mode of economic growth are

The fundamental way to alleviate the pressure on population, resources and environment﹡

（二OOMarch 12, five years)

Hu Jintao

This meeting was held under the circumstance that the whole party and the whole country conscientiously implement the Scientific Outlook on Development and promote comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development of the economy and society. Next, I will talk about three questions.

1. Adjusting the economic structure and transforming the mode of economic growth are the fundamental ways to alleviate the pressure on population, resources, and the environment.

In recent years, our country's economy has grown at a relatively high rate and has achieved world-renowned achievements. However, at the same time, the pressure on population, resources, and the environment has also increased. If we want to alleviate the pressure on population, resources and the environment and achieve comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development of the economy and society, we must speed up the adjustment of the unreasonable economic structure and completely transform the extensive economic growth model so that economic growth is based on improving the quality of the population, efficient use of resources, reducing environmental pollution, and focusing on quality and efficiency.

When formulating the “Ninth Five-Year Plan”, the central government proposed the strategic task of implementing two fundamental changes in the economic system and economic growth mode. When formulating the “Tenth Five-Year Plan”, it proposed the requirement to strategically adjust the economic structure and promote the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure. As the understanding of adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth model continues to deepen and the work continues to advance, this task has achieved positive results. However, overall, the problem has not been fundamentally solved. The economic structure, especially the industrial structure, is still at a low level, the economic growth mode is still relatively extensive, and the problems in some fields and links are even more prominent. The main manifestations are: first, the agricultural foundation is weak, the development of the service industry is relatively lagging, the level of industrial technology is not high, and the added value of products is low; second, the proportion of investment and consumption is unbalanced, blind investment and disorderly construction are serious in some industries, and market supply and demand are experiencing structural shortages and excesses; third, economic growth is overly dependent on energy resource consumption, and energy resource utilization and allocation efficiency are not high. my country's energy resource reserves are limited, and the per capita possession of some important energy resources is much lower than the world average. However, my country's energy resource consumption per unit of output is significantly higher than the world average. Fourth, the environmental cost of economic growth is too high and pollution is serious. Our country's wastewater discharge per unit of GDP and solid waste per unit of industrial output are many times higher than those in developed countries; fifth, poor management and management, small production scale, backward equipment and technology, and low degree of intensification; sixth, the scientific and cultural quality of workers is low, the talent structure is unreasonable, and knowledge and skills do not adapt to the requirements of high-speed economic structure and transformation of economic growth methods. The consequences of these problems are: the constraints of energy resources on economic growth are increasing, coal, electricity and oil transportation companies are overloaded, and economic operations are too tight; the overall function of the ecosystem has declined, restricting economic and social development, affecting people's health, and the contradiction between population and resources and the environment has become increasingly acute. If these problems are not solved as soon as possible, it will be difficult to maintain the good momentum of my country's economic and social development for a long time, and it will be impossible for the economy to enter a virtuous cycle. It will also be difficult to improve the overall quality and competitiveness of the national economy. If they are not handled properly, it may lead to economic ups and downs. We must be clearly aware of the extreme importance of adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth model to alleviate the pressure on population, resources and the environment and achieve comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development, and truly focus our work on adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth model.

First, adjusting the economic structure and transforming the mode of economic growth are inevitable requirements for implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development. To maintain the good development momentum and development potential of my country's economy and society, we must adhere to the guidance of the Scientific Outlook on Development, strive to improve the quality and efficiency of economic growth, strive to achieve the unity of speed and structure, quality, and efficiency, coordinate economic development with population, resources, and the environment, and strive to protect and enhance the sustainability of development. It is necessary to focus on adjusting the investment structure, optimizing the proportion and mode of input of various production factors, attaching great importance to and effectively doing various tasks of saving resources, protecting the environment, and improving ecology in promoting economic and social development, and strive to find a new industrialization path with high scientific and technological content, good economic benefits, low resource consumption, less environmental pollution, and full use of human resource advantages, and promote economic and social development to achieve a virtuous cycle.

Second, improving independent innovation capabilities and accelerating technological progress are key links in adjusting the economic structure and transforming the mode of economic growth. To adjust the economic structure and transform the mode of economic growth, an important task is to continuously make breakthroughs in improving independent innovation capabilities and promoting technological progress, so as to provide strong scientific and technological support for economic development. Now, the scale of my country's industries continues to expand, and the output of many products ranks among the top in the world. However, due to imperfect organizational systems, operating mechanisms, and policy environments that support technological progress and innovation, technological progress and innovation have not yet become the main driving force for economic growth and industrial development. A considerable number of high value-added, low-consumption, low-pollution products and their core manufacturing technologies have long relied on imports. However, the production capacity of low-value-added, high-consumption, and high-pollution products is too large, and a large amount of investment is concentrated in project construction with low technical levels. In the face of increasingly fierce international competition and increasingly urgent domestic development needs, we must effectively improve the organizational system, operating mechanism, and policy environment that support scientific and technological progress and innovation, vigorously improve independent innovation capabilities, especially original innovation capabilities, vigorously develop strategic high technologies, and accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into real productivity. It is necessary to improve the technology research and development system that is supported by the government, led by enterprises, and combined with industry, academia, and research, improve the system and mechanism for the introduction of advanced technology and the integration of digestion, attraction, and innovation, focus on the systematic integration and comprehensive innovation of imported technologies, strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights, promote the construction of a technological innovation service system, and give full play to the key role of talents in technological innovation. It is necessary to establish and improve a cadre performance evaluation system that is conducive to adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth mode, and implement the scientific concept of development with a correct view of performance. In short, effective policies and measures must be adopted to put economic development on the track of relying on scientific and technological progress and improving the quality of workers as soon as possible.

Third, deepening reform and innovating systems and mechanisms are the fundamental driving forces for adjusting the economic structure and transforming the mode of economic growth. The root cause of my country's irrational economic structure and extensive economic growth model is that the economic system is not yet sound. The crux is that the relationship between enterprises, the government, and the market has not been straightened out, and the policy and legal environment is still imperfect. In accordance with the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 16th Central Committee, we must further promote reforms and improve the socialist market economic system so that enterprises, governments, and markets can complement each other and form a powerful synergy to adjust the economic structure and transform the economic growth model. It is necessary to deepen enterprise reform, transform operating mechanisms, accelerate the establishment of modern enterprise systems, and make enterprises the main body of technology development investment and technological innovation. It is necessary to speed up the construction of the market system, create a fair and just legal environment, an orderly competition market environment and an honest and trustworthy social environment, and give full play to the important role of the market mechanism in adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth mode. It is necessary to deepen reforms in the fields of finance, taxation, finance, investment and other fields, improve the macro-control system, form a flexible and effective interest-oriented mechanism through the coordinated use of various economic means and legal means, and give full play to the government's guiding and promoting role in adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth mode. In short, we must intensify our efforts and adopt comprehensive measures to eliminate the institutional root causes that lead to the downgrading of the industrial structure and the extensive economic growth model, and form an institutional mechanism that is conducive to adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth model.

2. The main tasks of current population, resources and environment work.

Through the joint efforts of the whole party and the whole country, my country's population, resources and environment work has achieved significant results. TwoOOIn four years, the natural population growth rate was 5.87 per 1,000, maintaining a stable and low fertility level. The pilot work of the reward and support system for family planning families in some rural areas and the "Fewer Births, Get Rich Faster Poverty Alleviation Project" have achieved remarkable results, and efforts to control the sex ratio at birth have been intensified. The land supply gate has been strictly controlled, the land market order has been comprehensively rectified, the protection and replenishment of cultivated land has been intensified, the work on clearing up arrears, withholding, and misappropriation of farmers' land acquisition compensation has achieved results, and the management of exploration and development of important mineral resources has been strengthened. Significant progress has been made in oceanographic and surveying work. Under the conditions of rapid economic growth, the national environmental quality situation has basically remained stable. The progress of pollution control in key river basin areas has been accelerated. Environmental management of new projects has been further strengthened. The circular economy pilot demonstration has achieved results. Remarkable results have been achieved in ecological construction, with the forest coverage rate reaching 18.21%, water and soil erosion in 11 major rivers significantly reduced, and the area of desertified land control gradually expanded. Key water conservancy construction projects such as the South-to-North Water Diversion Project and the Huaihe River Control Project are advancing steadily, and the pace of governance of major rivers has been accelerated. Construction of water-saving irrigation, soil and water conservation, and rural hydropower continues to be strengthened. The construction of a water-saving society has achieved certain results, and the ability to scientifically dispatch water resources has been improved. In the past five years, the drinking water difficulties of more than 57 million people have been solved. These achievements have laid the foundation for further improving the population, resources and environment work.

At the same time, we should be soberly aware that there are still some outstanding problems in population, resources and environmental work. Our country is still facing huge population pressure, the new labor force is at its peak, and the demand for employment is huge. The aging of the population is accelerating, the floating population is huge, and the task of promoting a balanced sex ratio at birth is arduous. The population development trend among regions is very uneven, and there is still the possibility of a rebound in fertility rates. The contradiction between resource shortages is becoming increasingly acute. The total amount of cultivated land and per capita occupancy are constantly decreasing, the ability to guarantee some important mineral resources is insufficient, and the import volume and foreign dependence on oil, iron ore, etc. are rapidly increasing. Illegal appropriation, extensive use, destruction and waste of land and mineral resources are still prominent in some places, and problems that harm the interests of the masses during land acquisition and expropriation still occur from time to time. The contradiction between environment and development is prominent, the total discharge of major pollutants is large, environmental emergencies are increasing, and environmental hazards are increasing. A long-term mechanism for environmental protection and an environmental supervision system have yet to be formed. The contradiction between water supply and demand is acute, and water shortages have become a serious constraint on the development of our country, especially in the northern region. Drinking water safety issues are prominent, and a considerable number of urban water sources are seriously polluted. Rural water conservancy infrastructure is weak. Ecological problems such as declining groundwater, shrinking rivers and lakes, reduced wetlands, and declining ecological functions in some areas are very prominent. These issues are related to the overall economic and social development of our country, and we must attach great importance to them and resolve them seriously.

At present and in the future, the work on population, resources and environment must implement the Scientific Outlook on Development, focus on key points, and advance comprehensively in accordance with the requirements of adjusting the economic structure and transforming the economic growth model, and strive to achieve greater results.

First, further stabilize the low fertility level and effectively improve the quality of the population. The pressure brought by a large population on employment, resources and the environment is a major problem that my country's economic and social development will face in the long term. We must consciously place population and family planning work in the overall economic and social development. On the basis of stabilizing low fertility levels, we should strive to improve the quality of the population, prioritize the development of human resources, improve the population structure, and guide the rational distribution of the population. It is necessary to actively explore and innovate the ideas and methods of population and family planning work under the new situation, organically combine education, management, services and benefit mechanisms, and promote the in-depth and effective implementation of population and family planning work. We must focus on the following tasks: First, we must stabilize the current fertility policy, overcome blind optimism and paralysis and laxity, strengthen basic work at the grassroots level, and resolutely prevent a rebound in fertility levels. Second, we must continue to conduct research on population development strategies, grasp the laws of population development in our country, and provide solid and reliable basic data for population and family planning work. The third is to strengthen the construction of family planning management service network, improve the level of family planning technical services, accelerate the establishment of family planning working mechanism for floating population, and effectively protect the rights and interests of the people. Fourth, we must do a good job in rural family planning work. The implementation of a reward and support system for some rural family planning families is an important measure to reduce rural fertility rates and is very popular among farmers. This year, on the basis of summarizing experience, we will standardize operations, increase investment, and intensify promotion efforts. At the same time, we must do a good job in piloting the "Poverty Alleviation Project with Fewer Births and Quickly Getting Rich", and explore the establishment of a rural social security system where conditions permit. Fifth, we must continue to comprehensively address the issue of rising sex ratio at birth. Accelerate relevant legislation, strengthen publicity and education, carry out in-depth "Caring for Girls Action", and advocate equality between men and women and a civilized culture that is equally good for boys and girls. Carry out special management to resolutely curb the rising sex ratio at birth.

Second, strictly regulate the land market and rationally develop and utilize land resources. In accordance with the requirements of building a conservation-oriented society, we must actively explore and establish new mechanisms for land and resource management to reduce resource consumption, increase resource supply, reduce resource waste, and effectively utilize resources. We must do a good job in the following tasks: First, we must continue to control the supply of non-agricultural land as an important means of macro-control and comprehensively implement various land management measures. Strictly implement national industrial policies, use land sparingly and intensively, give full play to the regulatory role of territorial planning and land use master planning in adjusting the economic structure and transforming economic growth methods, strengthen land supply management, and control the land supply gate. We will resolutely investigate and deal with the appropriation of land, especially cultivated land, in violation of laws and regulations, land use planning and national industrial policies. Effectively protect cultivated land, especially basic farmland, actively promote land development, reclamation and consolidation, and resolutely correct outstanding problems that infringe the interests of farmers during rural land acquisition. The second is to standardize the development order, strengthen resource management, improve resource utilization efficiency, and alleviate the contradiction between supply and demand of important resources. Continue to rectify and standardize the order of mineral resource development, comprehensively strengthen mineral resource management, rely on scientific and technological innovation, adopt advanced and applicable technologies, and promote the efficient utilization, comprehensive utilization and recycling of mineral resources. Make strategic plans for energy resources, vigorously strengthen strategic exploration of important energy resources such as oil, gas, and coal, actively develop and utilize renewable energy and new energy, and continuously improve domestic energy resource security capabilities. The third is to take various measures to protect and utilize my country's advantageous mineral resources. Further strengthen the regulation and management of the mining and smelting of advantageous mineral resources, and rationally regulate exports. Fourth, we must further strengthen land resources survey and evaluation and geological disaster prevention and control. Effectively carry out basic geological surveys. We should conscientiously organize and implement the geological disaster prevention and control plan in the Three Gorges Reservoir area, do a good job in the prevention and control of geological disasters in key areas and flood seasons, strive to improve the success rate of early warning and forecasting, and minimize casualties and economic losses. Further strengthen marine and surveying and mapping work.

Third, increase efforts to control pollution and develop a circular economy. The severe environmental situation urgently requires the transformation of the economic growth model, which is the fundamental solution to the contradiction between environment and development. We must effectively carry out the following tasks: First, we must vigorously promote circular economy and establish a resource-saving and environment-friendly society. It is necessary to accelerate the implementation of cleaner production and encourage and support enterprises to control pollution throughout the process. In conjunction with the adjustment of the economic structure, we will limit the development of high energy- and water-consuming industries, strengthen energy and water conservation, strengthen the comprehensive utilization of resources, and gradually establish a conservation-oriented society. Vigorously publicize the concept of circular economy, speed up the formulation of the circular economy promotion law, strengthen circular economy pilot work, and promote all-round and multi-level production and lifestyle that adapt to the requirements of establishing a resource-saving and environment-friendly society. It is necessary to use the clean development mechanism established by the "Kyoto Protocol" that has come into effect, actively carry out international cooperation, and introduce advanced foreign technologies. The second is to increase efforts to control pollution, protect the environment in accordance with the law, and strengthen environmental supervision. We must strictly implement the environmental impact assessment system for planning and construction projects and resolutely control the occurrence of new pollution and ecological damage. We must severely crack down on illegal pollutant discharge enterprises and seriously investigate and deal with environmental violations. We will eliminate a number of backward technologies, processes, equipment and production capabilities, strictly enforce the environmental access system, intensify the structural adjustment of key polluting industries, strengthen the prevention and control of pollution in key river basins, focus on solving environmental problems that are strongly reflected by the masses and affect social stability, and effectively safeguard the interests of the masses. The third is to effectively strengthen ecological protection and construction work. We will improve the legal and policy system that promotes ecological construction, formulate a national ecological protection plan, and vigorously carry out ecological civilization education throughout society. Accelerate the establishment of ecological compensation mechanisms and attach importance to the development of ecological industries. Continue to implement the forestry development strategy focusing on ecological construction, vigorously strengthen the construction of six major forestry projects, increase desertification prevention and wetland and wildlife resource protection, and prevent the recurrence of improved ecological conditions. The fourth is to launch an action plan for environmental protection in rural areas, put the prevention and control of soil pollution on the important agenda, scientifically use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increase pollution prevention and control efforts in aquaculture and livestock and poultry breeding industries, and ensure the quality of agricultural products. Increase efforts to promote rural biogas construction and enable farmers to transform into a civilized and hygienic lifestyle.

Fourth, build a water-saving society and vigorously improve the efficiency of water resource utilization. First, it is the top priority to effectively protect drinking water sources and allow the people to drink safe water. It is necessary to scientifically plan and implement measures, take overall consideration of urban and rural drinking water, overall consideration of water quantity and quality, and focus on solving the problems of high fluoride water, high arsenic water, brackish water and other drinking water quality substandard in some places, as well as the serious shortage of drinking water in some areas. The second is to build a water-saving society as the most fundamental strategic measure to solve the problem of drought and water shortage in our country. Improve the water resources management system and gradually establish a water-saving mechanism featuring government regulation, market guidance, and public participation. Actively promote advanced and practical water-saving technologies, and vigorously develop and promote water-saving appliances and water-saving production technologies. The third is to strengthen flood control, drought relief and water conservancy construction. Prioritize the safety of people's lives and minimize losses from floods and droughts. Accelerate the management of large rivers such as the Huaihe River and the removal and reinforcement of dangerous reservoirs. Further strengthen farmland water conservancy, irrigation area renewal supporting facilities and water-saving renovation, pastoral water conservancy, soil and water conservation, and rural hydropower construction to lay a solid foundation for agricultural development. Fourth, we must correctly handle the relationship between the construction of water conservancy and hydropower projects and the protection of river basin ecology. Actively explore effective mechanisms to effectively protect river ecosystems while giving full play to river functions. River basin development plans and hydropower construction projects must conduct environmental impact assessments in accordance with the law. Practical measures to protect the ecology and environment must be implemented at all stages of project planning, design, construction, and operation management.

3. Strengthen leadership, deepen reforms, and further improve population, resources and environment work.

To do a good job in population, resources and environment work, leadership is the key. Party committees and governments at all levels must further enhance their understanding of the importance and urgency of doing a good job in population, resources and environment work from the strategic perspective of promoting comprehensive economic and social development and ensuring the realization of the grand goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, deepen reforms, increase work efforts, and push population, resources and environment work to a new level.

First, clarify responsibilities, work hard, and continuously improve leadership levels. Party committees and governments at all levels must further enhance their awareness of responsibility for population, resources and environment work, continue to insist that the top leaders of the party and government personally grasp and take overall responsibility, ensure that responsibilities, measures are in place, and investments are in place, resolutely implement relevant national laws and regulations, and implement all decisions and arrangements of the central government on population, resources and environment work. When formulating the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan", we must place the solution of outstanding problems in population, resources and environment in an important position, improve the guidance of the plan through in-depth research, provide scientific ideas for promoting the harmonious development of man and nature, and continuously improve the level of planning and leadership of population, resources and environment work.

Second, connect with reality, deepen reform, and innovate the systems and mechanisms for population, resources, and environment work. It is necessary to accelerate the establishment and improvement of the population and family planning working mechanism of "legal management, village (resident) autonomy, high-quality services, policy promotion, and comprehensive management", and at the same time explore the establishment of a social security system that is conducive to family planning. It is necessary to accelerate the establishment of a national land inspection system and a new system for land and resources law enforcement and supervision that are compatible with it, and to effectively enhance land and resources investigation and management capabilities. Strengthen the planning and management of mineral resource development and resolutely put an end to indiscriminate mining and serious waste in resource development. It is necessary to study and explore and improve the environmental supervision system of national supervision, local supervision and unit responsibility, and strengthen and improve the environmental protection coordination mechanism. Establish and improve a new market-oriented mechanism for the construction and operation of environmental management facilities to promote the development of the environmental protection industry. It is necessary to improve the paid use system of land resources, water resources and important mineral resources, establish a scientific and reasonable price formation mechanism and ecological environment restoration compensation mechanism as soon as possible, and promote the conservation and rational use of various resources. It is necessary to implement various measures for the reform of the investment system, and while continuing to increase government investment, encourage and guide social funds to invest in project construction in the areas of population, resources, environment, and water conservancy.

Third, rely on scientific and technological progress to do a good job in population, resources and environment work. To break through the bottleneck constraints of energy resources on economic development, improve the ecological environment, and alleviate the contradiction between economic and social development and population, resources and the environment, we must rely on scientific and technological progress and innovation. It is necessary to vigorously develop and promote the use of advanced contraceptive devices and technologies, advanced energy technologies, environmental protection technologies and rational resource development and utilization technologies through policy guidance and increased investment, so as to effectively improve the efficiency of energy resource utilization and improve the ecological environment. It is necessary to speed up the construction of the scientific and technological support system for land and resources survey and evaluation, effectively carry out basic geological surveys, actively carry out environmental geology and geological disaster surveys and evaluations, and continuously improve management and service levels. Based on my country's natural resources and environmental endowments, we must strengthen key technology research and high-tech research and development, and strive to achieve major breakthroughs in ecological environment construction and efficient resource utilization technologies. It is necessary to study, formulate and implement more advanced and strict standards for energy conservation, material conservation and water conservation, and promote resource conservation, comprehensive utilization of resources and cleaner production in accordance with the principles of reduction, reuse and resource utilization. It is necessary to promote environmental protection by optimizing the structure, strengthen the treatment of "three wastes", and control the total amount of pollutant emissions. Accelerate the promotion of advanced and practical water resources conservation, protection and rational utilization technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of water use in the whole society.

Fourth, create a good public opinion atmosphere and mobilize all social forces to participate in population, resources and environment work. To do a good job in population, resources and environment work, we must closely rely on the people. It is necessary to strengthen publicity and education on basic national conditions, basic national policies, and relevant laws and regulations, enhance the population awareness, resource awareness, conservation awareness, and environmental protection awareness of the whole society, and organize and guide the broad masses of the people to actively participate in population, resources, and environmental work. It is necessary to give full play to the role of mass organizations such as w88 unions, the Communist Youth League, women's federations and family planning associations in promoting the development of population, resources and environmental undertakings. It is necessary to actively create conditions, improve the legal protection for public participation, build a platform for various social forces to participate in population resources and environment work, truly form a working pattern of party and government leadership, departmental guidance, cooperation from all parties, and mass participation, and constantly create a new situation in population resources and environment work.

Finally, I would like to emphasize the improvement of rural sanitation environment. Since the reform and opening up, the income and living standards of farmers in our country have been greatly improved, but the public health environment in some rural areas has not been greatly improved. Some rural areas are so dirty, chaotic, and poor that some endemic and infectious diseases that have been controlled have rebounded; in other areas, various diseases caused by environmental pollution have increased significantly, posing a threat to the health of farmers. Party committees and governments at all levels must actively take effective measures to gradually change this situation. It is necessary to increase investment and strengthen rural infrastructure construction focusing on public health. It is necessary to actively mobilize and organize farmers to participate in village environmental improvement activities, focus on the treatment of garbage, sewage, etc., and promote water and toilet improvements according to local conditions. It is necessary to guide farmers to change their ideas, change their bad living habits, and cultivate a civilized and hygienic lifestyle. This is not only a major event for the majority of farmers to improve their health and physical fitness, but also a major event for the majority of farmers to improve their civilization and strengthen the construction of socialist spiritual civilization in rural areas. We must make unremitting efforts to do a good job.

Comrades, doing a good job in population, resources and environment work is of great significance and the task is quite arduous. We must adhere to the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", conscientiously implement the spirit of the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 16th Central Committee, fully implement the Scientific Outlook on Development, continuously improve the level of population, resources and environment work, and make positive contributions to the grand goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way. (End)

﹡This is Comrade Hu Jintao’s speech at the Central Symposium on Population, Resources and Environment