绿色媒体的力量
曲格平
环保传播是一个新事物。在中国环境保护这项伟大而艰巨的事业进程中，大众传媒作为环境保护中的一支重要绿色力量，已经成为了绿色文明的开导者与先行者。
回顾20世纪，中国和世界的总体发展道路大体一致，在取得经济成就的同时，也留下许多创伤。中国改革开放的20年，经济快速发展，社会不断进步，环境保护也发生了积极变化。20世纪70年代初，大多数公众对“环境保护”这个词都很陌生。而今天，环境保护已成为公众的一个热门话题，这不仅反映出中华民族的环境觉醒，同时也体现了中国媒体对于环保传播的力量。
中国的环境保护，一靠立法，二靠政府的监督。但是光靠这些是不够的。舆论监督对中国的环境保护事业特别重要。开展了12年之久的“中华环保世纪行”，就极大地推动了中国环保事业的发展。“中华环保世纪行”融合了行政、司法和舆论监督三股力量，所以成为了具有中国特色的环保活动。这项活动主要是靠媒体来实现的。
中国环保事业二十几年的进步，很大程度上是靠舆论的推动力量。我多年前曾讲过：“中国的环境保护事业是靠宣传起家的。”公众是环保的原动力，媒体是环保的推动力。现在许多事情都是靠媒体推动的，环境保护更要靠媒体、公众的力量来推动。随着民主法制的推进，大众传媒必将形成不可抗拒的力量。
中国的环境保护事业是伟大的和艰巨的。在一个幅员辽阔和13亿人口的大国从事环境保护事业，它本身就具有伟大性；同时，这项事业又是艰巨的，在近代发展中，还没有哪一个国家遇到过像中国这样严重的环境问题，艰巨性正说明它的大有作为。我认为，目前中国广大公众的环境保护意识特别是各级领导的环境保护意识有了很大的提高。但是，最大的问题是公众的环境意识还要进一步提高，特别是各级领导人的环境意识还要更大地提高。
展望未来，我们国家的环境保护是有希望的。第一，我们现在西部大开发把生态恢复和建设放在经济发展同等位置。第二，中国经济的战略性调整和退耕还林、还草，最终的结果是减缓对环境的压力，将给中国生态环境带来巨大的变化。第三，最重要的是落实科学发展观，转变发展观念和经济增长方式。中国的环境正在经历一场绿色的变革！我期待中国的大众传媒，勇敢地担负起环保传播的重任。
作者通过对中国环保传播的研究，较为深入、全面地回顾和总结了中国环保传播二十多年来的历程，对中国环保传播存在的问题和挑战进行了深入的分析，并且提出了具有指导意义的建设性意见。无疑，这对于中国的环保传播理论的研究与实践，以及推动 “绿媒体”的传播力量将起到积极的作用，对人类的生存空间的思考与行为亦必将产生深远的影响。
曲格平2005年9月19日
曲格平，教授，环境科学专家，历任全国人大常务委员会委员，全国人大环境与资源保护委员会主任委员。现任中华环境保护基金会理事长。
Foreword
The Power of Green Media
Qu Geping
“Environmental Communication” is a new concept. In China’s strenuous efforts to protect its environment, mass media is assuming an increasingly important role and is now at the forefront of the advocacy for green.
When we look back at the 20th century, we find that China has repeated the path of most developed economies—its impressive growth was achieved at the expense of the environment. Over the last 20 years of reform and openup, China has undergone fundamental transformation and experienced unprecedented growth and social progress. Efforts at environment protection have recorded some positive changes here in China. In early 1970s, most of the general public would find the phrase “environment protection” a rather foreign idea, but it has now become a major concern for all segments of the society. This enhanced public awareness to a very large extend can be attributed to the growing power of mass media on influencing public perception on environment issues.
For environment protection in China, mere reliance on legislation and government regulation is not adequate. Public opinion is also of critical importance. The China Century Environment protection Campaign is an ongoing event that has been running for over 12 years and has greatly contributed to China’s environment courses. The success of this initiative is a result of its integration of the participation from administrative agencies, the judicial system and the mass media. This is a unique Chinese model in which media has played a major role in making everything visible to the general public.
China’s progress in environment protection over the last 20 years is driven by public opinion informed by the media. I made the remark many years ago that environment protection in China started with propaganda programs aimed at raising public awareness. The general public mobilized by the media is the force behind environment protection. Many things get better done here in China with the help of media. Environment protection is no exception.
Environment protection is a huge and challenging endeavor in China, an extremely large country of 1.3 billion people. In the modern history, no country has yet encountered environment challenges of a similar magnitude. The severity of the problem also indicates great potential for improvement. I think that environment awareness of the general public and leadership at different levels is much higher than before, but it has to be increased further, especially for government officials.
Looking into the future, I think China has bright prospects for its environment. First, in China’s Western Development Strategy, ecological restoration is given equal importance with growth. Second,China has also started the strategic restructuring of its economy and initiatives for returning farmland to forestation and grassland which will relieve pressures on the natural environment. Third and most importantly, the Chinese government has adopted the view of scientific development and is determined to change the country’s growth model. China is undergoing a green transformation and I hope mass media in China will shoulder its responsibilities for environment communication.
The author provides us with a comprehensive and detailed account of environmental communication over the last 20 years. She also makes indepth analysis of the problems and challenges for environmental communication in China and offers practical recommendations for their solution. Her book without doubt is a contribution to the research and practice of environmental communication in China. It is going to help green media increase its influence and prompt us to reflect on our relations with our natural habitat.
Qu Geping, September 19, 2005
Qu Geping, Professor, Environment Scientist, former member of the standing committee of National People’s Congress and member of the committee on environment and resources of the National People’s Congress. He is currently the president of China Environment Protection Foundation.
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