By Wu Ping, DRC

2017-01-18

Ocean is known as the cradle of life. Being a maritime power, China has a continental shoreline as long as 18,000 kilometers, with a rich maritime biodiversity, and various marine ecosystems such as coastal wetlands, islands, gulfs and estuaries. The following issues need to be addressed.

First, China faces multiple challenges in maritime ecological management. 1. The development of marine industry remains to be strengthened with a green concept and maritime ecological protection is in dire need of binding regulations. Currently, the maritime economy has contributed nearly one tenth to China’s total GDP and serve as a major pillar to shore up national economy. However, its development approach is still extensive and the administration of maritime sector by law remains to be strengthened. 2. Due to the segmented system for maritime and continental management, the coordination mechanism for law enforcement between departments of environmental protection, public security, legislation, supervision and inspection is incomplete, thus making maritime environmental protection departments have their eyes only on consequences, while neglecting the reasons leading to pollution. 3. The capability for maritime ecological management remains to be improved.

Second, we need to improve the maritime ecological management in a multi-pronged approach. 1. Maritime legislation needs to be fleshed out to improve the marine ecological management system. 2. It is necessary to establish an accountability system based on maritime ecological and environmental protection targets and a cross-regional coordinated maritime and continental mechanism. 3. China needs to accelerate the green transformation of maritime economy, promote ecological breeding, develop clean ocean energy, and combine the exploitation and protection of maritime resources with continental economic development. 4. Maritime ecological recovery should be effectively advanced, and maritime ecological and maritime environmental monitoring should be reinforced. 5. We need to bring into full play the role of science and technology, talents as well as capital, build up people’s maritime awareness, and participate in global maritime governance. China needs to strengthen basic maritime research and enhance frontier maritime technology, and make breakthroughs in deep-water, green and safe maritime hi-tech fields.

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