Protecting the ecological environment of the Yellow River Basin is of great significance to the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. In September 2024, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized at the symposium on comprehensively promoting ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin that it is necessary to continuously improve the coordinated pattern of ecological protection and coordination in the Yellow River Basin; at the beginning of this year, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee once again emphasized the continuous improvement of the coordinated pattern of ecological protection and coordination in the Yellow River Basin. This has pointed out the direction for ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Improving the coordinated pattern of ecological protection and coordination in the Yellow River Basin is determined by its geographical environment. The Yellow River spans the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Inner Mongolia Plateau, the Loess Plateau, and the North China Plain. It has a long route and a wide basin, complex geographical conditions and fragile ecological environment. From a systematic perspective, basin governance involves both upstream and downstream, as well as both main and tributary streams; it involves both gas, soil and water, as well as left and right banks, which involves each other and influence each other. For example, soil erosion is a long-standing problem in the middle reaches of the Yellow River and an important cause of the "on-ground river" in the lower reaches. For example, pollutants in water will spread with the water flow and penetrate into the soil, causing soil pollution in a wider area. These factors determine the complexity and diversity of ecological problems in the Yellow River Basin, and the difficulty and durability of ecological governance and protection.

The Yellow River Basin ecosystem is an organic whole. It only focuses on a certain field and a certain problem will not form a good governance effect. We must focus on the overall goal of ecological protection, strengthen overall coordination, gather forces from multiple parties, and form a joint force to solve problems. For example, as early as 2021, Shandong and Henan provinces signed an agreement to jointly promote the steady improvement of water quality of cross-provincial sections of the main stream of the Yellow River, becoming a model of cross-provincial cooperation for the ecological protection of the Yellow River. In the next step, we must continue to build a cross-regional and cross-provincial coordination mechanism, strengthen policy coordination, and anchor the same goal between blocks and blocks, and strengthen mutual cooperation. We must make full use of the market, which is an invisible hand, promote the construction of trading markets such as carbon emission rights, pollution discharge rights, and water rights, and encourage enterprises to participate in the ecological governance of the Yellow River. In addition, we must focus on the Yellow River Protection Law, keep pace with the times to build supporting systems, timely improve local laws, administrative regulations and departmental regulations, etc., and improve the legal system for the protection of the Yellow River.

Anchoring the same target does not mean equal force. To improve the pattern of large-scale protection and coordinated governance, we must also have the wisdom of "playing the piano with ten fingers", grasp the main contradictions in the work of the region, and distinguish priorities, rather than "grasping the eyebrows and beards at once." The Yellow River has little water and a lot of sand and the inconsistent water and sand relationship are the crux of the complex and difficult treatment of the Yellow River, and the water and sand relationship is the focus of the Yellow River's Yellow River control work. At the same time, the up, middle and downstream have their own problems that need to be solved. For example, the upstream areas should solve problems such as early spring floods, and the downstream areas should pay attention to phenomena such as seawater backflow.

Protection is for better development, and development must be based on protection. Promoting green transformation of economic development not only contains the dialectics of protection and development, but also a methodology for achieving great protection and coordination. We must adhere to the modern path of ecological priority and green development, integrate ecological protection into all aspects of social development, and we cannot protect and destroy, destroy first and then protect. We must continue to promote the greening and low-carbonization of production methods and lifestyles. Improve the assessment mechanism oriented towards green development, first establish and then break and transform traditional industries, and develop emerging industries according to local conditions. Guide people to establish green concepts, cultivate green living habits, and contribute to the protection of the Yellow River.

The protection of the Yellow River requires the efforts of generations. We must firmly establish the development concept of "green water and green mountains are gold and silver mountains", persevere, and work hard for a long time to make green the main theme of the "Yellow River Chorus" in the new era. (Author: Jin Guanping Source: Economic Daily)