Ecological civilization received increasing focus from China's top leaders at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, which concluded Tuesday, more than once noted its importance in its report.

Pan Jiahua, director of the Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). [Photo/China.org.cn/Chen Boyuan]

In the report, the Chinese leadership proposed marking an "ecological red line" in the country's development, the first time such a notion was proposed.

Pan Jiahua, director of the Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), hailed the proposal on Tuesday, saying it was a major breakthrough in environmental protection.

Pan, at an interview with China Talk of China.org.cn, said the worsening environment and ecology in China is starting to affect both the people's livelihood and the country's further development. Under such circumstances, marking an ecological red line was a timely and imperative response.

The environment, including water and air, is also a resource, which deserves proper allocation in a mechanism determined by the market, said Pan, who added that proper government regulation would keep such a mechanism functioning well.

He also said that implementation, rather than theory, is more important in marking the red line, such as how to distinguish the main functional areas from economic development areas, and whether there should also be a red line in air quality.

"This task calls for quantitative research in combination with analysis on its social impact, before such regulations become laws," Pan said.