Water conservancy projects in China

Achievements, challenges and way forward

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12263271
AutoresJunguo Liu (0000-0002-5745-6311, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, autor correspondente), Chuanfu Zang (0000-0002-0540-3496, Beijing Forestry University), Shiying Tian (0000-0002-0574-8304, Beijing Forestry University), Jianguo Liu (0000-0001-6344-0087, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, autor correspondente), Hong Yang (0000-0003-1416-0526, International Food Policy Research Institute), Shaofeng Jia (0000-0001-7472-2434, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Liangzhi You (0000-0001-7930-8814, International Food Policy Research Institute), Bo Liu (0000-0002-6536-517X), Miao Zhang (0009-0008-4320-6232, Beijing Forestry University), Бо Лю (0000-0003-3045-628X, Beijing Forestry University)
Ano2013
Volume23
Fascículo3
Páginas633-643
Data de publicação2013-03-13
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoGlobal Environmental Change (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0959-3780 • E-ISSN: 1872-9495
EditoraElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.02.002
OpenAlexW2026602370
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas44
Referências citadas57

China's water policies in the past decades have relied heavily on the construction of massive water conservancy projects in the form of dams and reservoirs, water transfer projects, and irrigation infrastructure. These facilities have brought tremendous economic and social benefits but also posed many adverse impacts on the eco-environment and society. With the intensification of water scarcity, China's future water conservancy development is facing tremendous challenge of supporting the continuous economic development while protecting the water resources and the dependent ecosystems. This paper provides an overview of China's water conservancy development, and illustrates the socioeconomic, environmental and ecological impacts. A narrative of attitude changes of the central government towards water conservancy, as well as key measures since the 1950s is presented. The strategic water resources management plan set by the central government in its Document No. 1 of 2011 is elaborated with focus on the three stringent controlling “redlines” concerning national water use, water use efficiency and water pollution and the huge investments poised to finance their implementation. We emphasize that realizing the goals set in the strategic plan requires paradigm shifts of the water conservancy development towards maximizing economic and natural capitals, prioritizing investment to preserve intact ecosystems and to restore degraded ecosystems, adapting climate change, balancing construction of new water projects and rejuvenation of existing projects, and managing both “blue” (surface/groundwater) and “green” water (soil water)

Business · China · Environmental planning · Environmental resource management · Geography · Environmental Science · Hydropower, Displacement, Environmental Impact · Transboundary Water Resource Management · Water resources management and optimization