Digitalization enables greening and greening drives digitalization. Vigorously promoting the coordinated transformation of digitalization and greening will help reduce energy consumption throughout the entire supply chain. It will promote the joint improvement of production efficiency and energy efficiency, and deeply fuse digital technology with the real economy, to achieve High Quality Development.
数字化赋能绿色化，绿色化牵引数字化，大力推动数字化、绿色化协同转型，有助于降低全链条能源消耗。推动生产效率和能源效能共同提升，数字技术和实体经济深度融合，实现高质量发展。
“Digital China Construction Series (Lesson 8 of 13): Build a Green and Smart Digital Ecological Civilization,” Beijing Party Member Education Network, April 11, 2025
On April 11, 2025, the Beijing Party Member Education Network released a remarkable 13-lesson educational series on China’s national digital strategy, Digital China. Designed as a foundational introduction, the course targets Party cadre and members and is intended to raise awareness, elevate political understanding, and standardize implementation.
Lesson Eight stresses that digitalization enables greening and greening drives digitalization. The lesson also makes its central point unmistakably clear: innovation rooted in environmental sustainability improves economic performance.
Coordinated digitalization and greening
The coordinated transformation of greening and digitalization reduces energy use across the entire supply chain, enhances both production and energy efficiency, and promotes the deep integration of digital technology with the real economy. The ultimate goal is to achieve High Quality Development. Put simply, Digital Ecology seeks to drive economic performance through innovation rooted in environmental sustainability.
Smart environmental governance
The concept of “Digital Ecological Civilization” has emerged as China’s strategic framework for harmonious human-nature coexistence. This approach involves building smart environmental governance systems using big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to enable precise environmental monitoring and real-time response to ecological issues. Key initiatives include creating integrated “one map” systems for natural resources, developing digital twin river basins for smart water management, and establishing comprehensive eco-environmental data platforms that support systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, and other natural systems.
Public awareness
China’s strategy emphasizes the coordinated transformation of digitalization and greening across all sectors of society. The government has launched pilot projects in 10 regions to demonstrate how digital technologies can reduce carbon emissions while improving economic efficiency. After industrial applications, the initiative promotes green and smart lifestyles through digital platforms that encourage sustainable consumption, travel, and home management, ultimately fostering greater public awareness and participation in environmental protection while building low-carbon communities.
A Series Roadmap
If you are new to Digital China, you may want to begin with my overview of the strategy and a shortlist of key concepts that cadre are expected to master. Both will help you navigate the lessons.
Let’s continue the series with Lesson Eight:
Each lesson’s web address is linked to its original Chinese-language title. Note: Some of these links may have security certificate issues. For your safety, I’ve also embedded a clean, archived copy of each video in the corresponding post. You can choose which version to view, but I recommend using the archived copy for a safer experience.
“Digital China Construction Series 8/13: Build a Green and Smart Digital Ecological Civilization” (数字中国建设系列之八：建设绿色智慧的数字生态文明), Beijing Party Member Education Network (北京党员教育网), April 11, 2025
Archived Video
Speaker: Beijing Guoheng Zhilin Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. (北京国恒智林文化传播有限公司)
Length: 09:43
Synopsis: Chinese Style Modernization is a form of modernization characterized by harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, and Digital Ecological Civilization is a key lever for promoting this harmony. Building a green and smart Digital Ecological Civilization, through the broad application of digital technologies for the smart governance of the eco-environment, deepening the coordinated transformation and development of digitalization and greening, and popularizing a digitalized green lifestyle, is the only path to achieving harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
简介：中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化，数字生态文明则是促进人与自然和谐共生的关键抓手。建设绿色智慧的数字生态文明，将数字技术广泛应用于生态环境智慧治理，深化数字化绿色化协同转型发展，普及数字化绿色生活方式，是人与自然和谐共生的必由之路。
Terminology shortlist with footnoted definitions: Chinese Style Modernization1 (中国式现代化), Digital Ecological Civilization2 (数字生态文明).
Video Transcript and Translation
Terminology shortlist and other key terms are highlighted in blue.
00:25
More than a decade ago, smog was often a hot topic in China, especially in the capital Beijing, where air quality received much attention. Since 2013, Beijing has comprehensively monitored the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the atmosphere and announced it to the public. After that, a series of measures were implemented in succession, including “winning the battle to protect blue skies”, “fighting the tough battle to prevent and control pollution”, and “promoting carbon peak and carbon neutrality.”
十多年前的中国，雾霾经常会成为全社会热议话题，特别是首都北京，空气质量备受关注。2013年起，北京全面监测大气中细颗粒物 (PM2.5) 的浓度并向社会公布。之后，”打赢蓝天保卫战”，”打好污染防治攻坚战” ，”推进碳达峰、碳中和” 等一系列举措接连实施。
00:51
In order to accurately manage the atmosphere, Beijing has also divided its jurisdiction into different grid plots, each of which has a small monitoring station to trace the source of pollution and focus on supervision based on the level of real-time monitoring data. The innovation and use of information technology has promoted the comprehensive compliance of Beijing’s air quality. The average concentration of PM2.5 in Beijing in 2021 was 33 micrograms per cubic meter.
为了精准治理大气，北京还把辖区分成不同网格地块，每个地块都建有小微监测站，根据实时监测数据的高低进行污染源的溯源和重点监管。信息化技术的创新和使用促进了北京空气质量的全面达标。2021年北京 PM2.5平均浓度为每立方米33微克/立方米，比2013年下降63.1%。
01:22
The improvement in such a short period of time was praised by the United Nations Environment Programme as a “Beijing miracle.” Beijing’s air pollution control is a microcosm of our country’s use of modern information technology to manage the eco-environment. Not only Beijing, from 2013 to 2022, while the total GDP increased by 69%, our country’s average PM2.5 concentration decreased by 57%, achieving ten consecutive declines, and the number of days with heavy pollution has dropped by 92%.
这么短的时间达到这样的改善效果，被联合国环境规划署誉为”北京奇迹。” 北京的大气治理是我国利用现代信息技术进行生态环境治理的一个缩影。不止北京，2013年至2022年在国内生产总值总量增长了69%的情况下，我国 PM2.5平均浓度下降了57%，实现十连降，重污染天数更是下降了92%。
01:58
The application of eco-environmental informatization technology has innovated eco-environmental regulatory models and promoted the modernization of eco-environmental governance. The Baiyangdian Space-Ground Integrated Eco-Environmental Monitoring Network, Real-Time Monitoring Plan for the Hainan Gibbon, and the Gansu Water Conservancy Scientific Flood Control “Smart Brain.” Across the country, the innovative practice of ecological governance that uses digital technology to protect green waters and green mountains is booming.
生态环境信息化技术的应用，创新了生态环境监管模式，促进了生态环境治理现代化。白洋淀天地一体化生态环境监测网络，海南长臂猿实时监测方案，甘肃水利科学防汛 “智慧大脑。” 在全国各地，用数字科技守护绿水青山的生态治理创新实践正蓬勃展开。
02:27
The report of the 20th National Party Congress pointed out that Chinese Style Modernization is a form of modernization characterized by harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. We should promote the construction of Beautiful China and accelerate Building Digital China. The “14th Five-Year Plan for National Informatization” proposed to further promote the construction of a green and smart ecological civilization and create a smart and efficient Eco-Environmental Digitalized Governance System. The “Plan for the Global Layout of Digital China Construction” clearly requires that by 2025, the construction of a Digital Ecological Civilization will make positive progress.
党的二十大报告指出，中国式现代化是人与自然和谐共生的现代化，要推进美丽中国建设，加快建设数字中国。”’十四五’ 国家信息化规划” 提出，深入推进绿色智慧生态文明建设，打造智慧高效的生态环境数字化治理体系。” 数字中国建设整体布局规划” 明确要求，到2025年，数字生态文明建设取得积极进展。
03:04
Digital Ecological Civilization is a key tool to promote harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. We should build a green and smart Digital Ecological Civilization and widely apply digital technology for eco-environmental smart governance. We should strengthen the sharing and utilization of eco-environmental data, deepen the coordinated transformation and development of digitalization and greening, and promote green and low-carbon development in key industries, key regions, and key infrastructure. Popularizing a digitalized green lifestyle is the only path for humanity and nature to coexist harmoniously.
数字生态文明是促进人与自然和谐共生的关键抓手。建设绿色智慧的数字生态文明，将数字技术广泛应用于生态环境智慧治理。加强生态环境数据的共享与利用，深化数字化、绿色化协同转型发展，推动重点行业、重点区域、重点基础设施等绿色低碳发展。普及数字化绿色生活方式，是人与自然和谐共生的必由之路。
03:39
First, promote smart governance of the eco-environment. Eco-environmental governance is a systemic project, and digitalization and intelligentization provide new pathways to achieve it. Many places are empowering ecological governance with digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. These technologies support the entire process of ecological governance, enabling precise identification and real-time tracking of environmental data, as well as timely analysis and systemic solutions to ecological issues. On this basis, to further enhance the level of smart governance of the eco-environment, it is necessary to enrich digital applications in the ecological field and accelerate the construction of a smart and efficient Eco-Environmental Informatized System.
第一，推动生态环境智慧治理。生态环境治理是一项系统性工程，数字化、智能化为其提供了新路径。很多地方以大数据、云计算、人工智能等数字技术赋能生态治理。为生态治理全流程提供支撑，实现了对环境数据精准识别、实时追踪，对生态问题及时研判、系统解决。在此基础上，要进一步提升生态环境智慧治理水平，需要丰富生态领域的数字应用，加快构建智慧高效的生态环境信息化体系。
04:22
Use digital technology to promote the integrated protection and systemic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, and improve the three-dimensional “one map” of natural resources and the National Territorial Spatial Basic Information Platform. Build a Smart Water Conservancy System with digital twin river basins as the core. Building a smart and efficient Eco-Environmental Informatized System has been written into Central Committee and State Council documents and the National Informatization Plan and has become a strategic goal and key task for the informatized development of our country’s eco-environment in the “14th Five-Year Plan” and even longer.
运用数字技术推动山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理，完善自然资源三维立体 “一张图” 和国土空间基础信息平台。构建以数字孪生流域为核心的智慧水利体系。构建智慧高效的生态环境信息化体系已经写入中共中央、国务院文件和国家信息化规划，成为”十四五”乃至更长时间里我国生态环境信息化发展的战略目标和重点任务。
05:00
This includes promoting the integrated protection and systemic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, strengthening the collection and mining of eco-environmental data, and establishing a National Integrated Eco-Environmental Government Affairs Data Directory. A three-dimensional “one map” of natural resources will be built and improved to fully and truly reflect their actual status and physical geography, providing important support and safeguards for natural resource management decisions such as territorial spatial planning, land use regulation, farmland protection, and approval and oversight.
包括推动山水林田湖草沙一体化保护和系统治理，加强生态环境数据的汇聚和挖掘，建立全国生态环境一体化政务数据目录。构建完善自然资源三维立体 “一张图，” 全面真实地反映自然资源现实状况和自然地理格局，为国土空间规划、用途管制、耕地保护、审批监管等自然资源管理决策提供重要支撑和保障。
05:31
Build a National Territorial Spatial Basic Information Platform and form a unified and efficient Natural Resources Management Application and Shared Services Mechanism. Build a Smart Water Conservancy System with digital twin river basins as the core. Digital twins are models that are built in the digital world and have the same performance as physical entities and can be simulated in real time. Use sensor data from real systems to synchronize digital twins with physical entities. This technology has broad application prospects in many industries such as water conservancy, medical care, aviation, and electric power.
建设国土空间基础信息平台，形成统一高效的自然资源管理应用和共享服务机制。构建以数字孪生流域为核心的智慧水利体系。数字孪生是在数字世界中建立与物理实体性能完全一致，且可对其进行实时仿真的模型。利用安装在真实系统上的传感器数据，实现数字孪生体与物理实体的同步。这一技术在水利、医疗、航空、电力等诸多行业都有广泛的应用前景。
06:14
Second, accelerate the coordinated transformation of digitalization and greening. Eco-environmental issues are ultimately a matter of economic development methods. As two important themes of global development today, digitalization and greening are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Digitalization enables greening, and greening drives digitalization. Vigorously promoting the coordinated transformation of digitalization and greening will help reduce energy consumption throughout the entire supply chain. It will promote the joint improvement of production efficiency and energy efficiency and deeply fuse digital technology with the real economy to achieve high-quality development. It is projected that by 2030, carbon emissions reduced by digital technologies across various industries will reach 12.1 billion tons.
第二，加快数字化、绿色化协同转型。生态环境问题归根结底是经济发展方式问题。作为当下全球发展的两大重要主题，数字化和绿色化相互依存、相互促进。数字化赋能绿色化，绿色化牵引数字化，大力推动数字化、绿色化协同转型，有助于降低全链条能源消耗。推动生产效率和能源效能共同提升，数字技术和实体经济深度融合，实现高质量发展。据预测，到2030年，各行业受益于数字技术减少的碳排放量将达到121亿吨。
07:05
In mid-November 2022, five national-level departments jointly issued a notice to determine the first batch of comprehensive pilot projects for coordinated digitalized and greening transformation and development in 10 regions. On November 18, 2022, Chairman Xi Jinping stated at the 29th APEC Leaders Informal Meeting that it is necessary to accelerate the coordinated development of digitalization and greening, promote the transformation and upgrading of energy resources, industrial structure, and consumption structure, and promote green development of the economy and society.
2022年11月中旬，国家五部门联合印发通知，确定在10个地区首批开展数字化、绿色化协同转型发展综合试点。2022年11月18日，习近平主席在亚太经合组织第29次领导人非正式会议上表示，要加速数字化、绿色化协同发展，推进能源资源、产业结构、消费结构转型升级，推动经济社会绿色发展。
07:40
Accelerate the coordinated transformation of digitalization and greening. On the one hand, we should encourage key digital enterprises to take the lead in realizing green transformation and make full use of green technologies and methods. Promote green and intelligent upgrades of digital sensing, transmission networks, and application platforms, as well as improvements in process control optimization, and coordinated, fused emissions reduction, to promote the green transformation of digital enterprises.
加快数字化、绿色化协同转型，一方面要鼓励重点数字企业率先实现绿色转型，充分利用绿色技术与手段。对数字传感、传输网络、应用平台等进行绿色智能升级、过程控制优化、协同融合减排等升级改造，推动数字产业的绿色转型。
08:05
On the other hand, efforts should be made to promote the green development of traditional industries through digital empowerment. By leveraging digital technologies, information networks, data resource systems, and digital infrastructure, we can achieve optimal resource utilization and allocation, as well as minimize the generation and emission of pollutants, in key sectors such as energy, transportation, construction, industry, and agriculture, thereby promoting balanced economic and environmental development.
另一方面，要推动数字赋能传统行业绿色发展。通过数字技术手段、信息网络载体以及数据资源体系和数字基础设施。在能源、交通、建筑、工业、农业等实体经济领域，实现资源的最优利用与分配，污染物的最少产生与排放，促进经济与环境均衡发展。
08:30
Third, advocate a green and smart lifestyle. Green and smart development is not only a change in the mode of production, but also means a change in lifestyle. Relying on digital technology, application scenarios such as green consumption, green travel, and green home are becoming increasingly plentiful. While promoting energy conservation, carbon reduction, and pollution reduction, it also promotes the enhancement of the public’s awareness of conservation, environmental protection, and ecology.
第三，倡导绿色智慧生活方式。绿色智慧发展不仅是生产方式的变革，还意味着生活方式的转变。依托数字技术，绿色消费、绿色出行、绿色家居等应用场景日益丰富。在促进节能降碳减污的同时，也推动了全民节约意识、环保意识、生态意识的增强。
09:02
Advocating a green and smart lifestyle will help promote communities to improve the level of intelligentized management of water resources, garbage classification and recycling, and build green and low-carbon communities. It will help accelerate the development of Digital Families, continuously improve the level of digitalized empowerment of family life services, and help enhance citizen awareness of participation, responsibility, and digital capabilities in ecological governance.
倡导绿色智慧生活方式，有助于推动社区提升水资源、垃圾分类回收等智能化管理水平，打造绿色低碳社区。有助于加快数字家庭发展，不断提高数字化赋能家庭生活服务水平，有助于提升公民生态治理的参与意识、责任意识和数字化能力。
09:25
Guiding the public to jointly maintain a green living environment will help promote the continuous coordination and efficiency of green consumption and green supply, and foster new forms of digital consumption.
引导公众共同维护绿色生活环境，有助于促进绿色消费和绿色供给不断协同增效，打造新型数字消费业态。
Footnotes
- Chinese Style Modernization (中国式现代化). Party commentary describes the driving and leading role of Digital China (thru informatization and digitalization) in Chinese-Style (socialist) Modernization. The digital transformation of socialist modernization will give China an edge both domestically (by improving societal efficiency and social equity) and globally (by offering a superior alternative to emerging Western developmental models tied to digital capitalism). ↩︎
- Digital Ecological Civilization (数字生态文明). “Digital Ecological Civilization is a key tool to promote harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. We should build a green and smart Digital Ecological Civilization and widely apply digital technology for eco-environmental smart governance,” see “Inside Digital China (8/13): Digital Ecology,” see “Inside Digital China (8/13): Digital Ecology.” ↩︎