Xi Jinping pointed out that ecology is not only a unified natural system, but also an organic chain of interdependence and interrelation. Nature is indeed a community of shared life, in which different elements are all interrelated with each other. The lifeblood of man is in (the) land, the lifeblood of land is in water, the lifeblood of water is in mountains, the lifeblood of mountains is in the earth, and the lifeblood of the earth is in forests and grass. The community of shared life is the basis of both well-being and welfare. That is why the exploitation of nature and ecological restoration must follow the laws of nature.
The 8th National Conference on Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration in Mining Areas was held from November 12th to 14th in Jiaozuo, Henan Province. The conference was sponsored by the Land Reclamation and Ecological Restoration Committee, which belongs to the China Coal Society. Meanwhile, it was also co-hosted by Henan University of Technology, Henan Provincial Coal Society and Jiaozuo Coal Industry Company. International Experts on land reclamation and ecological restoration were invited to the conference, including scholars from renowned universities, professionals in research institutes or enterprises, as well as government officials.
Wang Tian, the representative of the Committee for Sustainable and Green Mining, attended the meeting along with other members. The meeting was themed on the construction of ecological civilization in mining areas and building a community of shared life in nature.
After the opening ceremony, experts from both home and abroad gave presentations on the site, including Dr. Zhang Tiegang, the academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Dr. Yu Wenju, the deputy director of Land Reclamation Center of Ministry of Natural Resources, Dr. Skousen Jeffrey Grant, Professor of West Virginia University and former Executive President of the American Society of Mining and Land Reclamation, Dr. Bai Zhongke, Professor of China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Dr. Bi Yinli, Professor of China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing).
In the following two days, thorough discussions were held on diverse topics, including the theoretical methods of land reclamation and ecological restoration in mining areas, the legal mechanism of land and ecological degradation in mining areas, land and ecological investigation, monitoring and early warning in mining areas, reclamation and restoration technology and standard system, policy mechanism and laws and regulations.
Since the 19th National Congress, the State Council of Central Committee has aimed at constructing the“Beautiful China”.
In accordance with the aim, the Committee for Sustainable and Green Mining has put importance on the conservation of the ecological environment, striving to coordinate the management of multiple natural systems, such as mountains, forests, rivers, and grasses. By actively participating in the academic conference, the Committee for Sustainable and Green Mining also showed its ambition in nature reservation.
The conference has come to a successful end. It not only presented a platform for academic communication with all the experts and scholars but also offered a valuable opportunity of international gathering, prompting academic exchanges and cooperation within the globe.
