How to promote the implementation of technological innovations in ecological and environmental protection? Ministry of Ecology and Environment: Establish diversified financing channels and strengthen central-local cooperation.

Each Daily News reporter | Zhang Huaishui    Each Daily News editor | Dong Xingsheng

On March 30, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment held its March regular press conference, focusing on hot topics such as science and technology innovation in the ecological and environmental field, industry matchmaking, and the transformation of science and technology innovation成果. Relevant heads of departments responded.

At the press conference site, a reporter from The Economic Daily (每日经济新闻) learned that in 2025, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with 15 other departments, issued the “Implementation Opinions on Strengthening Science and Technology Innovation in the Ecological and Environmental Field and Promoting the Building of a Beautiful China” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), which clarified the tasks and objectives for science and technology innovation in the ecological and environmental field for 2035. The implementation and progress of the “Opinions” have attracted widespread attention.

In response, Wang Zhibin, the director of the Science and Technology and Finance Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said that the “Opinions,” as a guiding document at the mid-level for 2035 aimed at implementing the initiatives to build a Beautiful China and a Science and Technology Powerhouse, is intended to pool the efforts of all parties, jointly promote scientific and technological development in the ecological and environmental field, and provide a basis and guidance for local governments, relevant research institutes, universities, and enterprises to advance science and technology innovation in the ecological and environmental field.

Establishing a high-level science and technology think tank for ecological and environmental engineering

Speaking about the specific implementation progress, Wang Zhibin said, “More than a year after the ‘Opinions’ were implemented, we have actively planned and promoted the rollout of related tasks. In short, it can be summarized as three ‘haves.’”

The first “have” is that key tasks are effectively broken down. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment is organizing the drafting of the “15th Five-Year Plan” (15五) ecological and environmental science and technology innovation plan. In line with the relevant arrangements of the “Opinions,” it plans to focus during the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’ period on refining and deploying more than 20 key tasks, such as multi-component, cross-media system treatment technologies for atmospheric pollutants, and more than 80 priority directions. It will carry out medium- and long-term strategic research on science and technology development in the ecological and environmental field, further break down key tasks into 27 sub-fields such as green and low-carbon technologies for key industries, conduct detailed research and discussions one by one, and form a series of thematic research reports and a general report, turning the “Opinions” into specific, actionable construction blueprints.

The second “have” is that major actions are promoted in an orderly manner. Focusing on the needs of major national strategies, we will steadily advance the predefined tasks specified in the “Opinions,” such as further strengthening the frontier layout of basic research and tackling key core technologies. We will organize the refinement of major science and technology needs, including new pollutants, system treatment of environmental pollution, and nuclear and radiation safety, and compile special proposal motions, thereby advancing the organization and implementation of major national science and technology projects in depth.

By formulating and issuing the “Guiding Opinions on Further Regulating and Promoting the Transformation of Ecological and Environmental Science and Technology Achievements,” we will deepen the construction of the national comprehensive service platform for the transformation of ecological and environmental science and technology achievements, accelerate the application of technological achievements, jointly build with the Chinese Academy of Engineering the China Ecological and Environmental Engineering Technology Development Strategy Research Institute, conduct research on strategic issues for the development of major engineering projects, and establish a high-level science and technology think tank for ecological and environmental engineering.

The third “have” is that institutions and mechanisms are guaranteed. We actively explore diversified investment mechanisms for science and technology in the ecological and environmental field, promote in-depth docking between more than ten financial institutions and units undertaking major national science and technology projects, establish diversified financing channels for investment, deepen cooperation with the National Natural Science Foundation of China, promote the establishment of an ecological and environmental joint fund, and strengthen basic research in the ecological and environmental field. In addition, we further strengthen central-local cooperation by adopting a multi-department collaborative approach involving the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Department of Ecology and Environment and the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi, with a model of coordinated central-local efforts. Focusing on major science and technology needs in typical areas such as heavy metal pollution in Hechi, we will systematically deploy project groups, conduct focused tackling and demonstrations.

Focusing on the key considerations and deployment arrangements during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, Wang Zhibin said that first, we should closely follow one main line—using support for management and leading frontier development as the main line. According to the task deployments set out in the “Opinions” and the ecological and environmental science and technology innovation plan for the “15th Five-Year Plan,” we will intensify research on key fields and direction technologies.

Second, we should clarify one guiding orientation—orienting toward standardized and efficient implementation and transformation applications. We will advance in depth the organization and implementation of major national science and technology projects, ensuring that organization becomes more efficient, achievements are more effective, and applications yield more solid results, thereby promoting deep integration between science and technology innovation and industrial innovation.

Third, we should seize one key focus—using the focus of making up for shortcomings and optimizing and upgrading. We will strengthen the building of scientific research innovation platforms and basic capabilities, and continuously enhance the supporting and service capability of platforms, bases, and talent in the building of ecological civilization.

Fourth, we should grasp one direction—taking the whole-chain and systematic innovation as the direction. We will optimize the system of rules and regulations for technological innovation, and fully leverage the incentive and guiding role of mechanism policies in technological innovation.

Achieving effective connection from the “lab” to the “production line”

Regarding how to promote deep integration between science and technology innovation and industrial innovation, Wang Zhibin said that first, on the front end of science and technology innovation, we will focus on deepening reforms in scientific research management, promote changing the mindset of “achievements first, then transformation,” and ensure that innovation starts from the source by aligning with industrial needs and national strategic needs, truly achieving integrated planning, integrated deployment, and integrated promotion of both science and technology innovation and industrial innovation.

For example, in organizing and implementing major national science and technology projects, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment widely collects needs from user units such as relevant departments, localities, and industry enterprises, using these as an important reference for deploying R&D tasks. At the same time, it also establishes a project approval and assessment mechanism of “the market sets the questions, scientific research answers the questions, and industry grades the papers,” to ensure that research directions and industry needs resonate at the same frequency, achieving an effective connection from the “lab” to the “production line.”

Second, we will stimulate innovation vitality in the midstream. “Enterprises are the intersection points of the innovation chain and the industrial chain. We support more enterprises to put forward science and technology needs, take on tackling tasks, and participate in project acceptance and evaluation, further strengthening the direct implementation and application of results. This will promote enterprises’ green and low-carbon development and form new quality productive forces. For example, in major national science and technology projects led by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the number of participating enterprises reaches more than 300, accounting for more than half of the total number of project undertaking units. Meanwhile, we also, for common problems in key industries, commission leading industry enterprises to take the lead in organizing technical R&D, working to solve industry difficulties.”

At the same time, on the back end of industrial innovation, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment adheres to combining a “government that can act” with an “effective market.” It strengthens policy and funding support to help cultivate environmental industries with core competitiveness. In March this year, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the “Application Submission Guide for Projects to Promote and Apply New Technologies in the Ecological and Environmental Field (Trial).” Central ecological and environmental funding supports the promotion and application of new technologies, including 7 categories of treatment technologies such as ultra-low emissions for multiple pollutants, and 4 categories of monitoring and supervision technologies such as comprehensive stereoscopic monitoring for air pollution. This helps create authentic application scenarios for advanced technologies, so that good technologies can find good markets and good projects can obtain strong support—thereby accelerating iteration and upgrading of environmental governance and monitoring supervision technologies.

Speaking about next-step plans, Wang Zhibin noted that we will firmly implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the deployment of the “15th Five-Year Plan” outline, continue to deepen the reform of the science and technology system in the ecological and environmental field, and focus on building a market-oriented green technology innovation system. With greater efforts, we will promote deep integration between the innovation chain and the industrial chain, accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces in the ecological and environmental field, and provide strong scientific and technological impetus for building a Beautiful China where people and nature coexist in harmony.

Cover image source: Economic Daily Media Resource Library