Liu Xiaoyu
Author
Mahatma Gandhi’s adage, "earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed", resonates acutely in an era dominated by neoliberalism and consumerism, where overconsumption has become systemic. Globally, around 30% of energy is wasted due to inefficient use, such as in building heating, industrial processes, and transportation systems (external link). In China, studies reveal that urban residential energy consumption frequently exceeds rational comfort thresholds, with excessive heating supply in northern regions leading to an increase in energy use (external link).
To achieve sustainable development and align with China’s ecological civilization and dual-carbon goals, sufficiency must emerge as a cornerstone policy framework. This concept avoids the need for energy, materials, land, water and other national resources, while achieving the well-being of all people within the planetary boundary, (external link) echoing the wisdom of Confucian and Daoist philosophies.
Sufficiency and the Doctrine of the Mean (中庸)
Confucian zhongyong or the "Doctrine of the Mean" advocates equilibrium "neither excess nor deficiency" as both a moral ideal and a universal methodological principle (external link). Achieving this "harmonious balance", all things in the world can be put in their proper positions, and then all of them can grow and develop in a normal and orderly manner. Analogously, western scholar Frankfurt’s proposed sufficiency as a moral alternative to equality, emphasizing poverty eradication and universal access to basic resources (external link). Saheb’s dual-threshold theory sets minimum for well-being and maximum for resource use (external link). These ideas provide a robust foundation for China’s innovative policy approaches. Per-capita emission benchmarks could be applied in the national carbon market, to reflect Confucian idea of "grasping both extremes to apply the mean". Additionally, proposed sufficiency taxes on high-carbon products and luxuries echo Confucian values of restraint and opposition to extravagance.
Eudaimonia and Benevolent Virtue（仁德）
Confucianism places ren, which is benevolence or humaneness, at the core of moral life. He believed a benevolent person finds peace and satisfaction, which echoes de in Daoist thought, that is, virtue is what one naturally attains by aligning with the Dao. In Western philosophy, especially Aristotle’s ethics, Eudaimonia is the highest human good and can be interpreted as flourishing or self-realization. Nowadays, countries like Bhutan integrate psychological well-being, community vitality and other factors into their National Happiness Index. Thailand also adopted this approach in its Sufficiency Economy. It is suggested that indicators for individual well-being and social fairness should likewise be considered in national policies.
Planetary Boundary and Harmony between Nature and Humanity（天人合一）
Mencius’s doctrine of "timely utilization" advocates for a moderate and appropriate use of natural resources, reflecting the principle of harmony between humanity and nature. This concept aligns with contemporary ecological science, particularly the “planetary boundaries” framework (Rockström model), which defines a safe operating space for human activities, it is essential to establish sustainable limits for water, land, energy, and other key resources-requiring advanced technologies and region-specific policies.