Contemporary Chinese Environmental Debates and Policy: Water Resource Management Issues

1. Contemporary Chinese Environmental Debates and Policy: Water Resource Management Issues Environment and Society (ENVI1110) Monday 24 October 2005 Damian Howells damian@env.leeds.ac.uk Room 3.13, School of Chemistry

2. Map 1. China’s major river systems Available from: http://www.chinaplustour.com/images/CHINA_map.gif

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.

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

7. 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

8. 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.)

9. 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

10. 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)

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

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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