For the fourth time the industrial revolution

Since the middle of the 18th century, the history of mankind has happened three times, the industrial revolution originated in western countries and derivative, and dominated by their innovation. For the first time the industrial revolution created the "steam era" (1760-1840), marks the transition of agricultural civilization to industrial civilization, is a great miracle in the history of the development of human beings; Second industrial revolution has entered a "electric age" (1840-1950), makes the electric power, steel, railway, chemical industry, automobile and other heavy industry, oil become the new energy, and promote the rapid development of traffic, communication more frequently around the world, and gradually formed a global international political and economic system; After the two world wars started the third industrial revolution, but also created the "information age" (1950 -), the world's information and communication resources more quickly, most of the countries and regions are involved in the process of globalization, the world political and economic pattern further established, human civilization is developed to an unprecedented height. Information revolution is the third time, and also in the global spread and spread.
 

Three times before the industrial revolution makes human development entered the era of unprecedented prosperity, at the same time, also caused the huge consumption of energy, resources, a huge environmental cost and ecological cost, dramatically expanded the contradiction between man and nature. Entering the 21st century, human face an unprecedented global energy and resource crisis, the global ecological and environmental crisis, the multiple challenges of the global climate change crisis and the resulting the fourth industrial revolution - green industrial revolution, a series of characteristics of production function from the natural elements into the characterized by green elements in transition, and spread to the whole society.
 

The 21st century and innovation for the fourth time the green industrial revolution, China and the developed countries for the first time standing on the same starting line
 

In the past 200 years in the history of the world industrialization and modernization, we has lost three times the opportunity of the industrial revolution. In the first two in the process of the industrial revolution, the Chinese are marginalized, laggard, sharply decline, because the opportunity missed the industrial revolution, China's GDP accounted for the proportion of the world total, from a third in 1820 dropped to less than 1/20 in 1950. After starting point in a very low level of development, China launched a national industrialization, at the same time, the first and second industrial revolution. Even in the information revolution in the 1980 s, the last bus we are simply by luck, is still a "others", because the opening to the outside world to become "the chaser". But China to achieve the success after, has become the world's largest producer of ICT (information and communication technology), consumer and exporter, is becoming a leader. Entering the 21st century, for the first time in China and the United States, the European Union, Japan and other developed countries stand on the same starting line, accelerating information at the same time of the industrial revolution, officially launched and innovation for the fourth time the green industrial revolution.
 

This is a new green industrial revolution, the essence and characteristics of it, is rapidly increase resource productivity and economic growth and overall decoupling non-renewable resources, and carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. The Angle of view in history, with industrial perspective, we clearly realize that the world's fourth time the industrial revolution, the green revolution has come. China will catch up with the dawn of the revolutionary period, a period that is not easy, is also lucky.
 

To speed up the transformation of economic development patterns

Green industrial revolution of the first target is to realize the "decoupling" of carbon emissions, which includes the contents of three aspects: one is to have "black" or "brown" energy "greening", namely adopt the way of lower energy consumption, cleaner use of fossil energy, lowered the pollution intensity of unit energy consumption; Prompted the use of fossil energy and decoupling between the economic output, reduce fossil energy in the share of production and consumption; Three is to promote the fossil energy, renewable energy, green energy surging, and promote the use of such energy eventually dominate.
 

In carbon emissions over the foundation of the "decoupling", the green industrial revolution requirement to speed up the transformation of the mode of economic development and makes some relevant factors of ecological capital "decoupling" comprehensively, including land resources, water resources, ecological environment and resources, and so on. To achieve this goal, still need to first in technology, system, organization, and material capital investment under the joint action of various factors, improve the efficiency of resource utilization, the second step is to meet all kinds of resources to use "peak", then can promote its decline, so as to realize the "surplus" of ecological capital elements.
 

Promote from ecological deficit to ecological surplus

In the first decade of the 21st century, China has established the "promote the whole society onto the production development, life wealthy, ecology good civilization development path", the basic direction of the first countries set contains green indicators of development planning, building a resource-conserving and environmentally friendly society, implements the development strategy of green, green investment of the largest in the world, including the ecological construction, environmental governance, investment in aspects of energy conservation and emissions reduction, a share of GDP rose from 1.70% in 2001 to 3.94% in 2010. The writing of ecological civilization construction in the party's 18th conference reports and the party constitution, its ecological civilization in China. This is bound to speed up the transformation of economic development patterns, and promote the development of green, low-carbon development, promote from ecological deficit to ecological surplus, way of creating a green industrial revolution, and leading the fourth industrial revolution.
 

If we don't save, nothing can save us. But there is one thing that can be used, that is, scientific and technological progress. Although people often say that "necessity is the mother of invention", no matter how much has witnessed the great feats of invention, we still should not be misled by technological determinism of misinterpretation. We can hope for a lot from the scientific and technological progress, but can't hope too much. In this respect to do self restraint is the best attitude.
 

The paperless office has not come

It is easy to look forward to in the near future, the traffic bottleneck can be solved because of the development of science and technology have been gradually, because people don't have to waste time on commuting, but may be unlimited virtual office in the office at home or in the park.
 

Sadly, this is just a beautiful vision, not reality, reminiscent of the computer era, dawn people predict the future will achieve paperless office did not realize. The irony is that, contrary to the assertions, we are now more drown in the papers. Experts predict that 2020 will paper consumption level more than in 2000. If it is mainly due to increase of reading groups, although e-books in popularity, but people seem to prefer high quality paper print, we have reason to feel glad. But, unfortunately, is not the case. In many countries, including emerging economies, the bureaucracy in inflation, if the social development, continue to let go of the hands and feet (paper consumption) not increasing trend will continue.
 

We do, however, in close to a step by step rely on direct threshold of auditory and visual impact of science and technology - first by mobile phone, and then the special glasses and placed in the eye contact lenses. No longer do people have to get to a place for the meeting, but can be in the place of virtual party, whether in office, classroom, meeting room, and even protest rallies (continue to flag waved Shouting abuse, but no longer have each other throwing tomatoes or "home-made Molotov cocktails" incendiary). Of course, people in the academic lecture hall, best rather than gathering on the protest rally. At 2 PM on Wednesday, for example, my students will be o blink eyes to me, I also in the blink of an eye, so we just started a lecture for the future of the world together, is really interesting.
 

Technically it may, of course, but is not to say that this will be welcomed by people. Like picturephone meeting, although is "live", but often due to psychological, or other practical reasons, they still can't replace face-to-face direct communication between people. We prefer to actually see each other, the image of TV screen and can't help us to achieve this requirement. People still prefer to have a physical rather than virtual contact, we cannot underestimate the need of private dialogue or informal chat.
 

Dominate the future of the world or human

Changes in the scientific and technological progress and the emergence of new technology will no doubt affect the entire world. Although I can be seen during the living in central Europe that decades of change, but the students of central Africa cannot see the same change in their country, perhaps the next generation people as you can see, at least a generation. As though the electricity was invented in the 19th century, but the people in many parts of the world has no access to electricity; Massive computerized have pushed for half a century, but the vast majority of humans will not be able to enjoy it bring benefits; In 1879 Britain's Newcastle first street lamp is lit up the world, and wracked by civil war in mogadishu, somalia in 2012 is still dark. Any change will take time, science and technology progress, too, although its will change with the passage of time gradually to speed up.

We must try to avoid in the observations and conclusions in a short, although many of the scientists in depicting the future tend to do so. American dilemma and eurocentric is such a classic mistake. They put their thoughts from the highly developed west to other parts of the world packaging sales, due to the complexity of the world of ignorance without sleep. But things are not necessarily in eritrea in California feasible work; In Bavaria successful project to the andes mountains not feasible; In the kansai successful experience to waziristan may not long time. In this context, some of the "master" and was repeatedly cited quotes "everything can be made in any place" is clearly absurd. These plausible reason is global, but they actually are either simple generalization of rough, either in ignorance of the absurd. Whether now or in the future, may be impossible.

Dominate the future of the world or people, dominated by human values and management to decisions, rather than technology and its development level. Technology can help solve many problems, but not universal, many problems remain beyond the category of technology to solve. In addition, the future progress of science and technology will bring many new problems, like the past as well as the progress of science and technology bring many benefits to humanity brought environmental degradation as a deadly weapon. Without citing other more examples to prove, but I would like to emphasize this point: negative effects the progress of science and technology has brought about future may be even worse.