Contemporary Chinese Environmental Debates and Policy: Water Resource

Management Issues

Environment and Society (ENVI1110)Monday 24 October 2005

Damian Howells damian@env.leeds.ac.ukRoom 3.13, School of Chemistry

Map 1. China’s major river systems

Available from: http://www.chinaplustour.com/images/CHINA_map.gif

The Reform Era (1978 – present)• Launched by post-Mao leadership

• Deng Xiaoping• Disillusioned with previous economic policy• China’s economy stagnant

• Based on market economics• “To get rich is glorious” • Private enterprise in agriculture & industry

• Radical departure from previous approaches• Deng had been labelled a capitalist and purged

The Reform Era cont’d• GDP has seen phenomenal growth

• 1983 – US$256.1 billion• 1994 – US$542.5 billion• 2004 – US$1653.8 billion• 9.5%(approx) p.a.

• 7% p.a. predicted growth until 2020

• Further economic growth severely constrained

• Water shortages• Energy shortages

Water Resource Issues in China

• Widespread shortages in many regions• Particularly on the North China Plain• 400 of 668 cities suffer chronic shortages

• Adequate supplies for 650m people

• 50% of current population

• Urban demand for water increases 10% p.a.• Urban supply increases by 7% p.a.

Source: Benewick, Robert and Stephanie Donald (2000) The state of China Atlas p. 87

South/North Water Transfer Project

• Supply water to the cities of the North China Plain

• An important economic region• An important agricultural region • Home to approx ¼ of population

• The region suffers a chronic shortage of water

• Natural - climate, decreasing rainfall • Manmade – rising demand, bad management,

pollution

• Eastern route – easiest and cheapest• 18bn m3 water annually• Resettlement of 10, 000 people (est.)• Use of existing canals, rivers and lakes• Cost of construction - US$3bn (est.)

• Central route – more expensive and difficult• Phase 1 (2010) 9-13bn m3 annually• Phase 2 (20??) 20bn m3 annually• Resettlement of 250,000 people (est.)• Cost of construction - US$7bn (est.)• Resettlement costs - US$10bn (est.)

Potential problems • Existing pollution from farming and industry

• Spread of existing problem• Won’t solve the problem

• Environmental Impact?• EIA not conducted• Focus on engineering & technology

• The project is a long-held dream• Surveying began in 1950s• Insufficient expertise & technology• Political campaigns

Energy supply issues in China

• Demand is outstripping supply• Increased industrial & domestic demand• Power cuts are common in many areas• Barrier to development of inland areas

• The need for cleaner energy sources• 65% of China’s primary energy production from coal• Already the 2nd largest emitter of CO2

• Acid rain effects 30% of China• Estimated cost – 20 billion Yuan p.a. (US$1.5 billion)

Available from: http://www.ccdemo.info/landabee/ChinaTripSlideShows/512x384/16SS-3GorgesDam/slides/002ChinaMapDams2.html

Available from: http://chinacat.coastal.udel.edu/~kirby/cieg125/yangze-map.jpg

The Three Gorges Dam

• Specifications of the dam• Reservoir 372 miles / 600km long• 39.3bn m3 of water• Cost – US$24bn (est.)

• Two main elements of the TGP• Power generation to meet rising demand

• Planned output - 84bn kilowatt hours of electricity p.a.

• Flood defence

Flood Defence• The Yangtze Valley prone to flooding

• 1935 - 141,000 deaths• 1998 – 3,656 deaths (estimated)

• 5.7m homes destroyed, 7m damaged• 14m people evacuated • Economic losses £21 billion

• Future large floods are highly likely• Deforestation upstream • Land reclamation, draining of lakes downstream

Overseas Reactions to the TGP• Social costs

• 1.2m people dislocated from 100 towns/villages• Relocation funds have gone missing• Employment opportunities?

• Environmental costs • Habitat destruction• Impact of industrial pollution

• Chinese dolphin• Chinese sturgeon

• Concerns that silt will block the turbines• Production could cease early.

Domestic Reactions to the TGP

• Decision taken in post-Tian’anmen period• Political clampdown

• Civil society in China is very week• GONGOs (Govt. Organised NGOs)• Licensed by the State

• Terms of the debate are set by the State• Development & poverty alleviation prioritised (e.g.

Chongqing)

• Government pride at China’s achievements

Suggested further reading

For a general overview of China’s water resource issues see:World Commission on Dams (2000) Experience with Dams in Water and

Energy Resource Development in the People’s Republic of China Introduction pp. 1-3

<Available from http://www.dams.org/kbase/studies/cn/>

For further details on the Three Gorges Dam Project see:World Commission on Dams (2000) Experience with Dams in Water and

Energy Resource Development in the People’s Republic of China Annex 2, The Three Gorges Project pp. 89-93

<Available from http://www.dams.org/kbase/studies/cn/>

For the South/North Water Transfer Project see:Liu Changming (1999) Environmental Issues and the South-North Water

Transfer Scheme in Edmonds, Richard Louis ed. Managing the Chinese Environment Oxford: Oxford University Press pp. 175-86