A good water ecological environment is crucial for the sustainable development and ecological civilization of China. However, various problems remain for China's water ecological environment, including eutrophication, pollution of drinking water sources, contamination of groundwater and coastal waters, emerging pollutants, and shortage of ecological water. In this study, we analyzed the overall situation of the water ecological environment in China, pinpointed the major challenges, and proposed the strategic thinking and several basic principles. These principles focus on improving the water ecological environment and comprehensively consider water quality improvement, water ecological protection, and water environmental risk prevention and control. Three major scientific and technological projects were proposed pertaining to (1) coordinated governance and overall restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, grasses, and sand in key basins, (2) overall improvement of water environment and water ecology in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Collaborative Development Area, and (3) assurance of drinking water safety in the new era. Furthermore, we proposed the following four countermeasures: (1) revising the Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water to strengthen its leading role in the construction of water ecological civilization in China; (2) evaluating the spatial and temporal differences of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients in China's lakes and implementing differentiated nutrients standards; (3) assessing the current status of water ecology in China and promoting water ecology monitoring and assessment; and (4) establishing an intelligent supervision platform for drinking water safety based on big data fusion.
The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region suffers from a high bearing pressure of water resources and its water ecosystem is severely damaged. For future development, it is necessary to analyze the water security risks and propose targeted countermeasures, thus to ensure the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and build this region into a world-class urban agglomeration. In this study, we summarize the key national policies, socio-economic development trends, and ecological protection requirements of the region. In addition, we analyze the water security status and relevant major scientific issues. Our findings are as follows. (1) The contradiction between supply and demand of water resources is the primary problem that threatens water security in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and water resources in the region will probably continue to decay by 1-2 billion m3. Therefore, to guarantee the security of the regional water system, 3.9-6 billion m3 of water needs to be transferred into this region via the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. (2) To address the shrinkage and drying of regional rivers and lakes, groundwater overexploitation, and other severe water ecological problems, we propose a layout for the ecological protection and restoration of rivers and lakes and clarify the healthy groundwater levels for different areas: 8-20 m in piedmont plains, 3-5 m in central plains, 6-10 m in urban areas, and 2-3 m in the eastern coastal area. (3) To improve the weak links of the flood control system in the region such as a low pass rate of flood control standards and the difficulty in activating flood detention areas, this region needs to strengthen the routine-emergency integrated management and prepare countermeasures for over-level floods.
Drinking water safety is related to national economy and people's livelihood. China has always attached great importance to guaranteeing drinking water safety. Since China's reform and opening up in 1978, water environmental pollution has brought great challenges to drinking water safety in the Yangtze River Delta region owing to active economic development and high population density in the region. After over ten years of development, the overall level for guaranteeing drinking water safety in the Yangtze River Delta region has significantly improved, effectively promoting the coordinated and sustainable development of the region. However, as people's requirements for water quality and health gradually increase, work for guaranteeing drinking water safety in the megalopolis agglomeration of Yangtze River Delta faces various challenges. In this article, we analyze the water quality characteristics of typical water sources in the Yangtze River Delta region, and summarize the achievements in urban drinking water safety assurance of the region. Suggestions are proposed from two dimensions (i.e., management and technology) and three aspects (i.e., water source, water plant, and secondary water supply), including improving the ecological compensation mechanism, collaboratively revising water quality standards, developing green and efficient purification technologies, and innovating the water supply management model. These strategies can provide a reference for assuring drinking water safety and promoting regional integration in the Yangtze River Delta and other key regions.
Water security in the Haihe River Basin is an important component of China's ecological civilization and is vital for high-quality national development of the country. Considering the development requirement for water security in the Haihe River Basin, we analyzed the problems regarding water security assurance from the perspectives of water resources, water environment, water ecology, and flood disasters. Subsequently, we predicted the development trend of water security in the Haihe River Basin by 2035 through data simulation. On this basis, an overall idea was proposed, that is, assuring water security in the Haihe River Basin by reinforcing measures for protecting water ecology, and highlighting the role of water resources carrying capacity. Focus should be placed on developing capacities regarding (1) systematic allocation and efficient utilization of water resources, (2) comprehensive improvement in water environment, (3) governance and restoration of basin ecology, and (4) prevention and emergency response of flood disasters. Furthermore, we proposed the following suggestions from a technological perspective: (1) implementing new strategies for the conservation and efficient utilization of water resources, (2) ensuring drinking water safety and improving water governance capacities, (3) establishing a water ecological pattern that features people-water harmony, and (4) developing a flood disaster prediction and response mechanism.
Lake and reservoir ecosystems face varying degrees of eutrophication and cyanobacterial bloom against the background of global climate change, which threatens the safety of drinking water supply. In this study, we reviewed the current status of eutrophication and water quality of lake and reservoir water sources in China, and explored the challenges from the aspects of water source protection, purification process, pipe network distribution, and guarantee mechanism. Four targeted suggestions were recommended for guaranteeing drinking water safety: (1) strengthening environmental protection and ecological restoration of lake and reservoir drinking water sources, (2) promoting the construction of a scientific and technological support system for guaranteeing drinking water safety in the entire process, (3) building an intelligent supervision platform based on big data fusion, and (4) accelerating the system and mechanism innovation for guaranteeing lake and reservoir drinking water safety.
China's eco-environmental protection enters a new stage of synergizing the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Watershed bears heavy loads from economic and social development and emits a large amount of greenhouse gases and pollutants. Therefore, synergizing the reduction of pollution and carbon emissions on a watershed scale becomes an issue of concern. This study expounds on the synergistic mechanism for the reduction of greenhouse gases and pollutants, categorizes the ecosystem of a watershed into artificial and natural ecosystems, and proposes the main pathways and key technologies for these ecosystems. Using the Yellow River basin and the Yangtze River basin as examples, specific applications of the key technologies are summarized. Negative emissions technology, agricultural non-point source pollution control technology, and water eutrophication remediation technology should be further developed. Furthermore, three countermeasures are proposed: (1) refining the water ecological environment protection standards and establishing a risk prevention and control system; (2) establishing a comprehensive treatment system for pollution and greenhouse gas emission sources to improve the watershed management and control mechanism; and (3) increasing investment in science and technology and participating in international cooperation on climate change.
Pollutants have complex source-sink relationships in water and soil environments at a catchment scale, and the transformation of pollutants in water and soil environments is primarily controlled by various water-soil interface processes. Therefore, the control of water and soil environmental pollution should consider water and soil environments as a whole, identify the real pollution source through cross-medium attribution analysis, and then control the pollution with cross-medium treatment. We first analyze the cross-medium migration processes of pollutants and the major influencing factors. Then we propose the principle and key process of cross-medium regulation, namely, cross-medium attribution identification and cross-medium treatment of water and soil environmental pollution. Moreover, we expound the important role of the processes of the following interfaces in cross-medium removal of pollutants: soil-water and slope-channel interfaces outside river channels, as well as water-sediment interface (including water-solid interfaces in the riverbed and lateral shore hyporheic zones) and water-suspended particulate matter interface in river channels. Furthermore, cross-medium control of non-point source pollutants in watershed, cross-medium removal of nitrogen-containing compounds from rivers, and cross-medium removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from lakes are illustrated with practical cases. The research results can provide a scientific basis for the control and treatment of water and soil pollution.
Ecological environment big data can further support the construction of ecological civilization and the construction of a beautiful China by modernizing the ecological environment governance system and capabilities. However, China's eco-environmental big data strategy is difficult to implement because of mentality and technical bottlenecks. Facing the urgent demand of ecological environment protection for ecological environment big data during the 14th Five-Year period, this article summarizes the development status of ecological environment big data in China and analyzes the existing problems from three aspects: mechanism construction, technology research and development (R&D), and business support. Six key directions are presented: intelligent perception and problem identification of ecological environment; mining of evolution law and driving mechanism; traceability analysis of environmental pollution and ecosystem damages; scenario simulation and prediction evaluation; risk early warning and emergency decision-making; supervision and performance evaluation. Countermeasures are proposed focusing on management mechanism, data resource awareness, technology R&D and demonstration, capital investment, and talent training, thus to support the high-quality development of big data regarding ecological environment during the 14th Five-Year period.
Healthy water balance is vital for promoting water-land coordination and high-quality development of territory space. The scientific protection and efficient utilization of territory space is fundamental for constructing healthy water balance and ensuring national water security. However, in China the tempo-spatial mismatch between water and other productivity elements is extremely prominent. Meanwhile, in territorial planning and its development practice, the principle of water resources sustainability is not well implemented. Facing the demand for ecological civilization and territory space planning, we set the goal of achieving healthy water balance and high-quality development of territory space. Subsequently, an overall strategy for the coordinated development of water balance and territory space is proposed, which is based on the principle of cooperative management of land and water space as well as integrated protection and utilization of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, and grassland. There are four key points to implement this strategy. First, thresholds of healthy water balance should be clarified to optimize the objectives of territory space planning. Second, infrastructures should be improved to optimize the tempo-spatial allocation of water resources. Third, comprehensive ecological protection and restoration of territorial space should be intensified. Finally, concentrated and coordinated development of territorial space as well as intensive and efficient utilization of natural resources including water and land should be implemented. Furthermore, suggestions are proposed from the following aspects: (1) comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of the water balance state, (2) promotion of water and land compatibility, (3) rational delineation of production, living, and ecology space, and (4) practical artificial greening of territorial space.
Water resources are the fundamental natural resources and strategic economic resources demanded by urban development, and are crucial for urban ecological environment. However, the unbalanced distribution of water resources, regional structural shortage of water, and water pollution have been hindering China's urban development. Therefore, city-scale full-coverage water resource diagnosis and deduction are urgently required to reveal the status of water environment and water use characteristics of different cities in China for more rational and specific strategy-making. The study analyzes the overall characteristics of water environment and the spatial distribution of key urban elements in 369 cities within eight comprehensive economic regions, reveals the dynamic interactive relationship among the 800 mm isopluvial, total precipitation, and total water resources in China, and predicts the water balance trends of the 369 cities by 2035. On this basis, according to the types of water demand and supply contradictions, the study categorizes Chinese cities into domestic water deficient cities, water – industry mismatching cities, and flood-prone cities. The study further reveals the spatial layout and water environment characteristics of these cities and proposes urban development strategies for Chinese cities to grow in accordance with their specific water resource conditions, including water resource-based urbanization, water resource-based industrial development, and water resource-based population development.
North China has specific regional advantages in the overall economic and social development of China, and water resources are the most prominent factor that affects the sustainable development of this region. This study focuses on the land spatial layout of water-and-land-adapted planting in North China. Based on the analysis of agricultural planting structure and water and land resource layout in the current year (2018) of North China, and considering varied population, climate, and socio-economic scenarios and water resource constraints, the study proposes a scheme for optimizing the agricultural planting layout in North China that adapts to local water and land resource conditions. We suggest that the burden on production and supply of commercial grain and other commercial agricultural products in North China should be appropriately reduced. In terms of improving the regional water resource carrying capacity, Hebei Province should alleviate its water shortage through water transfer. Shanxi Province should improve the agricultural water use efficiency through agricultural mechanization and modernization. Shandong Province and Henan Province can moderately fallow the land and improve forest and grass coverage. It is also recommended to optimize the spatial layout of agricultural planting and adjust the planting structure to adapt to water. In shallow groundwater overexploitation areas as well as Tianjin City and the southeast of Hebei Plain where deep groundwater overexploitation is severe, semi-arid land planting systems and structures that adapt to precipitation should be developed, and the specific recuperation period should be determined according to the rate of groundwater recharge.
In recent years, a series of ecological protection and restoration projects has been implemented in North China, and the vegetation conditions have changed significantly. Exploring the impact of regional vegetation restoration on the water circulation process and the balance of water supply and demand is important for improving ecological restoration strategies and realizing the sustainable utilization of regional water resources. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient and Moran's I index and based on multi-source water covariate data. The spatial and temporal variation of vegetation and different water covariates is analyzed, the water resource effects of vegetation conservation and restoration are identified, and the tradeoff between water resources and vegetation restoration is discussed. The results show that the effects of ecological protection and restoration projects are remarkable, with the net primary productivity increasing at a rate of approximately 2.3 times faster than that outside the project area; the vegetation expansion and evapotranspiration show strong spatial and temporal correlations; and the increase in evapotranspiration owing to vegetation restoration is the main reason for the deficit or significant reduction in water storage. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the implementation strategy of ecological restoration while considering the restriction of water resources on vegetation conservation and restoration, strengthen the dominant position of the ecosystem's own resilience, and promote the sustainability of vegetation restoration and the sustainable use of regional water resources.
Since the Overall Planning of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project was approved 20 years ago, the supply and demand situation of water resources and water ecological environment problems in North China has undergone profound changes. Therefore, optimizing the subsequent route becomes significant for adapting to the new development situation in North China and for implementing major national strategies. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is the major water-receiving area of the follow-up project of the eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Analyses of the long-term supply and demand trend, spatial distribution, and structural characteristics of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region exhibit that from the long-term supply and demand trend, the gap of water resources in this region is 3.9×109~6×109 m3, and the growth of water demand is mainly contributed by the central and western urban areas, which are also key areas for implementing national strategies such as the construction of the Xiongan New Area. Moving water supply centers westward by establishing a new route into Beijing via Baiyang Lake while using existing river channels allows the route of the project to cover the shallow groundwater overexploitation areas to the largest extent, which is also conducive to the supply of ecological water for rivers and lakes. By this means, the eastern route can satisfy the requirement of the region for high-quality development owing to its comparative advantages of multiple series water systems, wide coverage of artesian water, strong capacity of regulation and storage, and high comprehensive benefits. Considering the new situation of the follow-up project planning and construction, we reviewed the major issues including the function positioning, overall layout, and route orientation of the project, and proposed a conception for optimizing the follow-up project of the eastern route, thereby providing a reference for promoting the high-quality development of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
Extreme events occur frequently in China against the background of global warming. Understanding the spatiotemporal variation of extreme events and predicting their future trends can provide a theoretical basis for formulating regional strategies that adapt to climate change. Using the CN05.1 grid meteorological data and eleven global climate models based on Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), we analyzed the evolution characteristics of extreme precipitation and high temperature events in China from 1975 to 2014, predicted the evolution of extreme events from 2015 to 2054, and proposes policy suggestions for dealing with these events. The results indicate that, from 1975 to 2014, the heavy precipitation exhibited an increasing-decreasing-increasing pattern from the northwest to southeast region of China, and the risk and catastrophability of extreme precipitation in regions located to the east of the Hu Line were great. Under SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 climate change scenarios, extreme precipitation in China will generally increase and become stronger by 2054, with a significant increase in North and Northeast China and a further increase in Northwest China. From 1975 to 2014, the number of warm nights and warm days in China increased significantly, and the increase in warm nights was higher than that of warm days. Under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 climate change scenarios, extreme heat events in China will increase significantly by 2054, with the greatest increase in Northwest, Southwest, and South China. To mitigate the impact of climate change and cope with the risk of extreme events in the future, China should further improve its response and emergency management capacities for dealing with flood and extreme heat risks, strengthen international cooperation, and formulate strategies adapted to local conditions.
The newly revised Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution is crucial for pollution prevention and control in China. In this paper, we first review the achievements of the law in eight aspects since its implementation on January 1, 2018. Subsequently, we analyze the issues in implementing the law from four perspectives: (1) water environment management system and mechanism, (2) supervision over water pollution law enforcement, (3) drinking water source protection and groundwater pollution prevention, and (4) water pollution prevention and control. Accordingly, four countermeasures are proposed from the aspects of management system, law enforcement capabilities, water source protection, and pollution prevention. Specifically, efforts should be put into coordinated watershed management, river chief system perfection, and water quality improvement, thus to promote the up-to-standard discharge of industrial wastewater, pollutant interception and treatment of municipal pipe networks, recycling of municipal activated sludge, low-carbon and economical treatment of rural sewage, and rural non-point source pollution prevention.
The provisions of industrial water pollution prevention and control have been well implemented since the newly revised Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution was issued on January 1, 2018. The national policies and facility construction related to industrial water pollution prevention and control have achieved significant progress. National departments and provinces have issued over 60 related policies and regulations. Outdated production facilities were eliminated to actively promote cleaner production, and over 1400 centralized sewage treatment facilities were constructed in industrial agglomeration areas. However, investigation and evaluation indicate that the progress in the implementation of some legal provisions and the control of industrial water pollution is slow. Moreover, the implementation of provisions between regions and industries is imbalanced, excessive discharge of pollution occurs, and the regulatory capacity to support new national/local emission standards is insufficient. We suggest that entire-process control should be conducted over industrial water pollution while focusing on cleaner production, and drainage indicators should be optimized to further promote environmental information disclosure.
As a by-product of wastewater treatment, sludge has dual attributes of pollutant and resource. Proper disposal of sludge is significant for reducing pollution and carbon emissions in sewage treatment. The sludge treatment in China has shifted from emphasis on wastewater treatment over sludge treatment to equal emphasis on sludge and wastewater treatment, and the technologies and standards system have been rapidly developed. However, against the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, there remain shortcomings in sludge treatment in China. In this paper, we reviewed the current status of slug treatment in China from the aspects of urban sludge production and characteristics, slug treatment technologies, and policy and standards systems, and summarized the prominent problems of slug treatment in terms of management system, technical standards, and routes selection. Considering the development stage and international development trends, we proposed a development concept of “green and low-carbon, resource recycling, environmental friendliness, and adapting measures to local conditions”. Corresponding key measures are also proposed. Specifically, the top-level design should be strengthened to coordinate facility planning and layout, and treatment routes should adapt to local conditions. The standards system and price subsidy mechanism for sludge treatment should be improved to clarify the division of responsibilities and strengthen the supervision mechanism. The integration level of the whole chain should be promoted by strengthening the weaknesses to form a technology model that can be applied widely. Research on frontier technologies should be conducted to innovate and upgrade the technologies and equipment for sludge disposal and recycling.
Rural domestic sewage treatment is crucial for improving rural living environment, controlling agricultural and rural pollution, and implementing the rural revitalization strategy. In this paper, we evaluated the achievements of rural domestic sewage treatment from the aspects of regulations and standards, treatment scale and technology, and environmental protection education, and analyzed the problems associated with treatment capacity, technology, standards, and operation and maintenance. Rural domestic sewage treatment should adapt to local conditions, focus on resource utilization, and be economical, convenient, and scientifically planned. Key tasks were proposed from the perspectives of treatment mode, technical process, resource utilization, and operating mechanism. The development path we proposed emphasizes systematic treatment and integration of all parties. Moreover, several countermeasures are suggested. Discharge standards should be formulated scientifically for rural domestic sewage as nitrogen and phosphorus in rural sewage needs to be reused for irrigation. Ecological and simple treatment of the rural domestic sewage should be promoted based on the economical and feasible principles. The market mechanism needs to be improved to promote the specialized trusteeship of rural sewage treatment.
Groundwater is a significant source of drinking water and a strategic resource for China. However, the groundwater quality in China is unoptimistic and China faces a severe situation regarding groundwater environment protection as its groundwater pollution prevention and control started late. Therefore, problems faced by groundwater pollution prevention and control should be researched and targeted countermeasures be proposed to curb the trend of groundwater pollution and improve groundwater quality. The study reviews the existing regulations and policies, management status, and requirements of groundwater pollution prevention and control in China, and predicts the future management trend. The results indicate the following challenges. (1) The groundwater pollution status is still unclear and hierarchical and classified management of groundwater pollution is lacking. (2) The groundwater pollution forms become increasingly complex and the regulatory system requires improvement. (3) The groundwater pollution control becomes increasingly difficult and only few control technologies were applied to underground pollution treatment. (4) The requirements of groundwater environmental management are constantly improving; however, the innovation impetus is insufficient. Therefore, we proposed several countermeasures. The pollution status should be identified through continuous investigation and assessment of groundwater environment in key regions, to support the construction of a hierarchical and classified management system. Intelligent, visualized, and coordinated supervision should be achieved by establishing a multilevel groundwater environmental monitoring network and adopting supervisory measures based on information technologies. Green and sustainable models should be formed and promoted through the experimental implementation of groundwater pollution prevention and control projects and by constructing 21 pilot sites. The original innovation and management capacities should be enhanced by focusing on key technical issues such as groundwater pollution traceability, standards system construction, and development of relevant software with proprietary intellectual property rights.
Establishing a river chief system is stipulated in the newly amended Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution, which clarifies the liability of party or administrative heads at various levels for water environment rehabilitation in their own administrative regions. In this article, we analyze the implementation effects of the river chief in China, current assessment methods, and their deficiencies, and propose two quantitative assessing methods: (1) comprehensive water quality assessment for the cross sections of rivers and lakes and (2) assessment using the pollutant load intercepting rate of sewer networks, aiming to improve the scientific rationality for effect assessment of the river chief system. With Suzhou Creek rehabilitation in Shanghai as an example, application of the comprehensive water quality assessment method was introduced. By analyzing the pollutant load intercepting rate in various provinces (autonomous regions or municipalities) in China, we find that on average 34% wastewater is still discharged into water courses in an untreated state, leading to repeated occurrence of water quality deterioration. Introducing the comprehensive water quality assessment and the pollutant load intercepting rate into the river chief assessment will effectively push the government at all levels to concentrate their human, material, and financial resources onto urban drainage network correction and the interception of pollution sources discharged into watercourses.
Major science projects are significant research and development (R&D) platforms for national science and technology innovation. Studying the innovation elements and the construction of an innovation system for the entire process of science and technology R&D and project operation is crucial for exploiting the scientific benefits of major science projects. Considering the demand for constructing innovation systems for major science projects, we explored the innovation elements in the innovation activities of major science projects in different fields in China and abroad, and established an innovation system for major science projects. The Shen Guang III project of China was selected for empirical study, to provide a general paradigm for the construction of the innovation system for major science projects. The study concludes that the innovation system of major science projects is a dynamic system in which innovation subjects, innovation links, and innovation resources collaborate to achieve innovation goals under the impetus of an innovation environment; the innovation system focuses on the horizontal coordination of four innovation elements and the vertical collaboration of innovation subjects and resources. We suggest that the management practice of the innovation system for major science projects should emphasize the leading role of core innovation subjects, cross-border integration of innovation participating subjects, effective allocation of innovation resources, and dynamic changes in the innovation environment, to form an interactive innovation system with effective coordination of innovation elements and efficient implementation of innovation activities.
China's engineering practice is faced with acute and complex ethical issues in the new era. The ethical improvement of engineering management lags behind the rapid growth of engineering construction, which hinders the effective solution of ethical issues and the high-quality development of Chinese engineering. Using methods of theoretical analysis, case study, and expert interviews, and considering the significant role of engineering managers and the incomplete applicability of engineering ethics for engineers in China's engineering practice, we elaborate the demand for transforming the key ethical subject and conducting research on engineering management ethics. Moreover, we summarize the implications of engineering management ethics at the micro, meso, and macro levels, discuss the negative impacts of engineering on society and environment and the causes of corresponding ethical issues, present the dynamic development of engineering management ethical issues from the perspective of engineering evolution, and propose five basic ethical principles for engineering managers in practice. To promote the construction of engineering management ethics in China, we suggest that engineering management ethics education and training should be provided to cultivate and motivate engineering managers to enhance ethical awareness, actively undertake ethical responsibilities, improve moral competence, develop ethical leadership, and exert ethical wisdom; the promotion and application of management ethics guidelines should be supported to provide guidance for solving ethical issues in the whole lifecycle of engineering and to improve the overall ethical environment of the society.
Agricultural microbial industry belongs to a biotechnology industry with high value addition. It utilizes agricultural microbial resources and biotechnologies, involves fields such as planting, breeding, and agricultural environment, and is crucial in ensuring food security, improving cultivated land quality, and promoting agricultural emission reduction. In this study, we reviewed the development status of agricultural microbial industry in China from the aspects of microbial fertilizer, microbial feeds, microbial pesticide, and microbial enzyme preparation. Then we summarized the development trends of the agricultural microbial technology and industry. Considering the challenges faced by the industry in terms of germplasm resources, technical research, product development, and industry standards, we proposed several key measures including establishing special projects for scientific research platforms, building data information systems, strengthening innovation in the microbial seed industry, and building systems of laws and regulations. To contribute to the high-quality development of China's agricultural microbial industry, we suggest that an industrial policy system and related supporting measures should be established, the innovation system for the industry should be improved, and high-tech enterprises participating in international competition should be built.