August 14 (Xinhua) — The Ministry of Natural Resources held a special press conference on ecological protection and restoration on August 14. At the meeting, Lu Lihua, deputy director of the Department of Ecological Restoration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, answered reporters' questions and stated that on the new journey, the natural resources system must truly anchor the concept and action of ecological priority and green development in the source of resource use, earnestly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization throughout the entire process of natural resource development and utilization, and fully implement ecological protection and restoration measures. Specific requirements were put forward in the following three aspects:

　　First, strengthen full-chain management of land reclamation for construction projects. Strengthen whole-process supervision of land used for construction projects, urge construction project land users to earnestly fulfill their statutory obligation of land reclamation, and ensure that "whoever damages reclaims." Strengthen prevention and control, optimize the construction processes and construction sequencing of energy, transportation, water conservancy and other construction projects, and reduce land damage and ecological destruction. Promote unified design and coordinated implementation of land reclamation, ecological restoration and project construction, and achieve "reclamation while constructing." Improve the system for compiling, submitting and reviewing land reclamation plans, add ecological protection and restoration content and measures, and do not approve plan reviews for cases where construction occupation causes fragmentation of important habitats but no ecological protection and restoration measures such as wildlife corridors are specified. Through the above measures, effectively reduce the resource cost of development, make ecological protection and restoration a "standard feature" of major project construction, let green production methods become common practice throughout society, empower the development of new quality productive forces, and continuously enhance the potential and staying power of high-quality development.

　　Second, strengthen full-process supervision of ecological protection and restoration for producing mines. Strengthen planning control over the development and utilization of mineral resources, incorporate ecological protection and restoration requirements into all stages including the signing of mining right transfer contracts, mining right registration, mining process management, and mine closure management, consolidate the primary responsibility of mining enterprises, and ensure that "whoever destroys governs." Optimize mining methods and mining design. Improve the system for compiling, submitting and reviewing ecological restoration plans for mining areas, and promote close linkage, coordinated implementation and strict implementation of ecological restoration plans with mineral resource development and utilization plans and mine mining designs. Strengthen supervision and inspection of mining enterprises' fulfillment of ecological protection and restoration obligations, and intensify joint disciplinary action for dishonesty. Through the above measures, effectively promote "restoration while mining" for producing mines, comprehensively advance green mine construction, accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of mining, and boost the high-quality development of China's mining industry.

　　Third, strengthen ecological protection and restoration in all stages of project sea use and island use. Strictly control new reclamation and new island use, effectively strengthen prior demonstration and in-process and ex-post supervision of ecological restoration for sea use and island use projects, and urge the fulfillment of ecological protection and restoration obligations. Sea use or island use projects approved in accordance with the law shall specify targeted ecological protection and restoration measures and measures to promote ecological use. The document clearly proposes establishing a balance system between occupation and restoration of mainland natural shorelines; project construction units shall restore and form a corresponding quantity of ecologically restored shorelines, encourage restoration before occupation, and ensure that the retention rate of mainland natural shorelines in the city (or province-administered county) where the project is located does not decrease. Shoreline restoration measures shall be designed and implemented simultaneously with the project's main works. Through the above measures, minimize the damage and cost of sea-related projects to marine and shoreline resources, safeguard the retention rate of China's mainland natural shorelines, enhance the quality and stability of nearshore ecosystems, expand the public's space for enjoying and accessing the sea, and boost the high-quality development of the marine economy.