Personal resume

Bernhard willem boer is the vice-president of environment law committee of International Union for Conservation of Nature，distinguished professor of environment law research institute of Wuhan University through “thousand talents program”. He is the first talent who was introduced through “thousand talents program” in humanity area in Wuhan university and the world’s leading scholar of environmental law. At present，he is the distinguished and full-time professor in environment law research institute of Wuhan University and an editorial broad member of Journal of Environmental Law. In 2015，in order to approve and commend his outstanding academic contributions in the area of environmental law，environmental law academy of IUCN awarded him the honor of “ senior scholar”.

This paper argues that for the emerging concept of ecological civilization（or eco-civilization）to be fully accepted，a cultural change is required with respect to the way in which environmental law is drafted and implemented in China. There are other ways in which culture is relevant here. The first is the role of traditional culture in promoting in eco-civilization and the older，linked concept of sustainable development.1966109The second is the role of eco-civilization in promoting culture； the very essence of civilization is indeed a high appreciation of human culture. However，this paper is concerned with the promotion of a culture of eco-civilization within Chinese environmental law.

It is argued that environmental law has a vital role to play in order for of ecological civilization to be more broadly accepted and truly successful in terms of redressing the balance between national economic demands and the need for enhanced environment protection. However，for this to occur，there needs to be a change in the prevailing legal culture concerning the ethics of environmental protection on the one hand and the exploitation of natural resources on the other.

At the outset，we can recognise that ecological civilization can be broadly equated with the concept of internationally accepted concept of “sustainable development”. Sustainable development has of course been part of China’s environmental lexicon since 1994，when China’s Agenda 21 was published.1966110As noted by Professor Qin Tianbao：“In 2012，China put forward the concept ‘eco-civilization’，which is regarded as the Chinese expression of sustainable development，further promoting the development of the principle of Sustainable Development.”1966111One could argue further，that ecological civilisation certainly incorporates the concept of sustainable development，but can be seen as a deeper concept，because it goes beyond the idea of the sustainability of development activities，requiring us to examine the ethical basis of the human relationship to nature and our use of Earth’s resources.

In considering the history of the development of the concept of eco-civilization，we can note that President Hu Jintao mentioned it first in 2007.1966112 In 2012，the concept was listed as one of five goals in China’s development plan during the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. At the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee in 2013，President Xi Jinping stressed that China would implement ecological civilization reforms，by which he meant “reforms to reconcile contradictions between economic development and the environment”.1966113