Chapter 1 The Proposal and Development of Ecological Civilization

I. The Origin of Ecological Civilization

1. What is Civilization?

Definition from Xinhua Dictionary:

The sum total of wealth created by human labor and wisdom throughout the long course of historical development.

Its functions are twofold: first, to pursue individual moral perfection; second, to safeguard public interests and social order.

Definition from Oxford Dictionary:

First, it refers to a relatively advanced stage in the development of human society, beginning after humanity emerged from ignorance and barbarism, evolving into an urban-linked lifestyle characterized by etiquette.

Second, it describes a state of refined personal behavior.

Etymology: The root of "Civilization" (civil) shares the same origin as the Latin word civitas, meaning "city."

Criteria for the Emergence of Human Civilization:

* The appearance of cities

* The emergence of writing

* The establishment of state systems

The Starting Point of Human Civilization: The Sumerians established numerous city-states and developed writing in the "Mesopotamia" region between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers around 4000 BCE, marking the dawn of human civilization.

2. The Evolution of Human Civilization

(1) Primitive Civilization

* The longest era in the history of human civilization.

* Survival was constrained by nature; humans passively adapted to and blindly worshipped nature.

* Productivity levels were low; tools included stone implements, bows and arrows, and fire-making by drilling wood.

* Subsistence relied mainly on fishing and hunting, directly utilizing natural organisms as living resources.

(2) Agricultural Civilization

* Also known as the "Yellow Civilization," termed the First Wave by Alvin Toffler.

* Humans began to actively understand, modify, and utilize nature, cultivating crops and domesticating animals.

* Simple production tools and technologies emerged; production activities centered on farming and animal husbandry.

* Activities such as deforestation and land reclamation increased soil erosion. However, nature remained dominant, and the natural ecological balance had not yet been fundamentally disrupted.

(3) Industrial Civilization

* Also known as the "Black Civilization," termed the Second Wave by Alvin Toffler.

* Industrial manufacturing replaced traditional agriculture and workshops.

* It is based on human creativity and survival needs, with a fundamental value orientation of conquering nature.

* The relationship between humans and nature is characterized by conquest and being conquered, plunder and being plundered, exploitation and utilization.

* While bringing unprecedented material enjoyment, it also led to severe environmental damage and resource crises. Natural ecosystems fell out of balance, becoming incapable of self-restoration, leading to intensified natural disasters.

II. Environmental Problems Brought by Industrial Civilization

1. Global Warming

* Over the past century, the global average temperature has shown an upward trend amidst fluctuations between warm and col

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