Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Ecological Civilization and
Water Environment Protection
Strategies
Prof. Meng Wei
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences
June 2014
Outline
2
Environment and Development from the
Perspective of Ecological Civilization1
3China’s Major of Water Environment
Protection Strategies
Current Status and Challenges of Water
Environment in China
4 Case Studies: Liaohe River and Er’hai Lake
Rapid economic development – China has experienced rapid economic
growth over the past 30 years, with per capita GDP passed the two
critical points: US $1000 and US $3000. China has become a middle-
income country.
•Economic growth in China
China’s GDP in 2011 ranked
the second in the world, but
per capita GDP was only 89th
GDP increased by 3.77 times
Average GDP increased by
3.44 times
Per capita net income of
urban citizens increased by
2.04 times
Per capita net income of rural
citizens increased by 1.63
times
2001
US $1000
2006
US $2000
2008
US $3000
South Korea
1990
South Korea
1987
UK, Japan
1973
UK
1979
U.S.A.
1962
U.S.A.1973
France
1975
France
1971
Japan
1977
1. China is at a Special Development Phase
GDP per capita
Year
GD
P (
Unit: 10 b
illio
n U
SD
)
GD
P p
er c
apita
(Unit: U
SD
)
Conflicts between development and environmental protection
Average per capita GDP US$1,000 US$3,000 US$6,000 US$10,000
Industrialization Early stage Mid-stage Mid- and late stage Late or post-stage
Urbanization Accelerating Continued increase (>50%)Relevant steady development
(>75%)
Steady development
(>75%)
Economic
developmentContinued rapid growth
Continuing high-speed
growth (>8%）Steady development Steady growth
Industrial
structureHeavy industries Tertiary industry>45% Tertiary industry >50%
Dominated by tertiary
industry
Enhanced environmental
awareness;
Environmental quality starts to improve
Aggravated resource constraints;Increasing environmental pressure
Rising public concerns;Continued environmental degradation
Reduction in energy consumption; improvement in ecological environment
Economic Growth
En
viro
nm
enta
l degra
datio
n
Tipping point of environment
improvement
USA：US$50,000
EU： US$35,000
Japan: US$45,000
Australia：US$66,000
1. China is at a Special Development Phase
1. China’s Ecological Environmental Problems
Present2000 2049
Well-off
level
All-round
well-off
society
Realization of
Modernization
20211978
1. Public concerns
of PM2.5
2. Water pollution
in watershed “still
serious”
3. Weak environmental
protection
infrastructure in rural
areas
4. Consequences of environmental
risks mushroomed
Reform &
opening-up
Since the development still remains
unbalanced, non-environmentally friendly
and unsustainable, China is in a transitional
phase in which social conflict and
environmental risk interact. The
environmental problems that appeared at
different stages of industrialization in
developed countries occur all at once in
China. The main features of China’s
environmental problems are structural,
compact and combined.
Problems
Ecological
environment is the
biggest constraint to
the construction of a
well-off society
Features
Structural
Compact
Combined
5. Ecological degradation
“We must fully implement the overall plan for promoting economic,
political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction, ensure
coordinated progress in all areas of endeavors in the modernization
drive……”
— Report to the 18th National Congress of the
Communist Party of China, 2012
“optimization of spatial development structure; promote all-around resource conservation; intensify
protection of the ecosystems and the environment; enhance institutional construction of ecological
civilization.”
1. Requirements for Ecological Civilization Construction
To promote ecological civilization, we must establish complete and integrated
institutions and systems with which the ecological environment is protected,
establish the strictest possible systems for managing water resources and improve
the system of accountability for ecological and environmental protection and the
system of compensation for environmental damage. ….To improve environmental
treatment and ecological restoration institutions that guarantee environmental
conservation.”
——Communiqué of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China
Adopt economic incentives instruments to tackle
environmental externalities
Secure the smooth implementation of environmental
protection with institutions and legal systems
1. Main Tasks of Ecological Civilization Construction
8
The total volume of pollutants discharged
has significantly exceeded the carrying
capacity of water environment. Water
pollution appears to be watershed-specific,
structural, combined and long-lasting.
2. Main Features of Water Pollution in China
Huge pollution discharge, the largest COD and ammonia emitter in the
world, with amounts of new emerging contaminants being detected;
Serious urban air pollution;
One of the areas with serious aquatic ecosystem degradation.
Aquatic biodiversity threat ( 2010, Nature)
Survey on Fishes in the Yangtze River: Some experts claim that
the ecosystem of the Yangtze River is now facing severe
challenges.
It is warned in the 2013 Joint Research Report of
the Upper Stream Yangtze River, that the fishery
resource in the upper stream of Yangtze River is now
seriously degrading, with certain special rare fish
endangering. There is red alert in the ecological
protection of the Yangtze River.
2. Main Features of Water Pollution in China
• Er’hai Lake remains
“excellent’.
• Haihe River basin, Heihe
River basin are “very
poor” and “poor”.
• The rest seven
watersheds are “fair”.
2. Ecological Health Report Cards of Ten Major Watersheds of China
Fish, macroinvertebrate, algae,
water chemistry, nutritional status
Huge pressure to reduce water pollution due
to the high pollution load
COD 740.9万吨氨氮 29.8 万吨
COD 1414.2 万吨
氨氮 149.8 万吨
水环境容量
污染物现状排放量
COD 30.29 million tons
Pollutants discharge exceeds the carrying capacity of water environment, and there
remains considerable pressure to reduce the discharge of pollutants.
Beyond resource
carrying capacity
Beyond environmental
carrying capacity
Unable to afford
pollution control costs
Unsustainable economic
development
2. Main Water Pollution Problems
Huge pollution load
NH3-N 1.498 million tons
COD 7.409 million tonsNH3-N 0.298 million tons
Water environmental capacity
Current pollution discharge
Reform of water environment management
2. Main Water Pollution Problems
China’s Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law states “Environmental management should
focus on improving water quality and on controlling the total amount of major contaminants
discharged into the environment.
Ecological
function
zoning
Water
quality
standards
Total
amount
control
Discharge
standards
Major
contaminants
Water
quality
assessment
Unscientific water quality-target: focusing on the reduction of total amount of pollutants and
drinking water safety, while neglecting aquatic ecosystem health;
Disparity in different water pollution control systems: environmental quality, total amount
control and discharge standards are disconnected, with the water quality-based discharge
permit system established incompletely.
Lack of integrated watershed management: water resources are not linked with water
environment, with watershed planning and regional management disconnected
Protecting water environment from the perspective of
nature and system engineering
Factors influencing water environment include: natural conditions of underlying
surface, land use pattern, discharge activities, etc.
Reforming the conventional water management system
Aim at protecting ecological integrity, while restoring environmental quality
Implementing more systematic mode with engineering
means
Promote reduce, re-use and recycle in the process of resource development,
production, circulation and consumption
3. Requirements of Ecological Civilization Construction on Water
Environmental Protection
Implementing integrated watershed management concept of
“mountain-water-forest-farmland-lake”
Mountains, waters, forests, farmlands and lakes make up of a community of life in a way that lifelines
of the people come from farmland, farmland comes from water, water comes from mountain, mountain
comes from the earth and the earth comes from tree. Management of their usage and ecological
restoration must follow the law of nature.
Ecosystem
Precipitation Variation
Human Activities
Water Pollution
1，Hydrological Process
2，Environmental FateLake pollution
Groundwater
Runoff Variation Water Shortage
Soil capacity
MountainForest
River
Lake
EvaporationEvatransporation
3. Ecological Civilization Guided Water Environment Protection Strategies in China
Key
Development
Areas
Prohibited
Development Areas
Key Ecological Function
Zones
Optimized Development
Areas
Prohibited areas for development include: national NRs, world cultural and natural heritage sites,
national scenic areas, national forest parks, national geographical parks.
3. Optimize Spatial Development Structure, Priority should be Given to
Protection
Delineate ecological protection red line, adjust spatial structure,
promote efficient production, the livability of living spaces and the
picturesque scenery of ecological spaces
Forbidden Development
Areas
3. Ecological Function Zoning and Protection of Aquatic Ecosystem Health
Based on the spatial difference of aquatic ecosystem functions,
conduct aquatic ecological function zoning, propose specific
aquatic ecosystem protection targets and implement differentiated
protection measures for aquatic ecosystem heath.
Breakthrough Class I-IV
zoning technology of
watershed water aquatic
function
Develop Class I, Class II
and Class III zoning
scheme in ten key
watersheds, such as
Liaohe River and Taihu
Lake, etc.
Established the technical
system and methods for the
development of
environmental standards;
Proposed threshold values
for 12 major pollutants of
three categories;
The new amendments to Environmental Protection Law in 2014
calls for conducting research on environmental criteria.
3. Establishment of Water Environment Criteria and Standard System
3. Establishment of Capacity-based Total Pollution Load Control System
Environmental carrying capacity is identified through the ecological
service function of watershed, so as to protect the health of water
ecosystem.
The new amendments to
Environmental Protection Law in 2014:
pollution discharge permit system
should be implemented according to
national laws
• Propose capacity-based pollution load
control of control unit system
• Demonstration in 30% of control units
in Liaohe River, Taihu Lake and
Ganjiang River
• Capacity-based pollution discharge
permit system
220 key technologies were developed for petrochemical, metallurgical,
pharmaceutical, dying, food processing industries, which were demonstrated
in more than 70 big projects. BAT technical screening for 5 industries is
proposed.
3. Establishment of Whole Process Water Pollution Control System
Mobile station for biotechnology verification
ETV procedures and
methods in China
Application-Preparation-
Test-Evaluation-Issue
An early-warning technical system for incidental, cumulative water
environment risks was established, initially realized the integration
of technical systems and the construction of business platform.
The early warning system for
water environment risks in the
Three Gorges Area supported
the water pollution emergency
drill on Dec. 16, 2010, shortening
the response time from several
days to several hours.
3. Establishment of Watershed Risk Early-warning Management System
支流汇入型湿地
河口滩涂湿地 坑塘湿地
河道湿地
3. Innovate Water Environment Management System, Integrated
Watershed Management Realized
Liaohe River Nature Reserve Management
Authority was established in March 2010. The
Ordinance on Liaohe River Protection was
issued.
The Ordinance on Er’hai Lake Management
and other associated policies, regulations and
policies were promulgated.
Dali, Yunnan Province
Regulation on the Administration of Er’hai Lake was
formulated and implemented in Yunnan Dali Bai Autonomous
Prefecture, with more than ten corresponding administrative
regulations issued. Water environmental quality of Erhai Lake has
been effectively improved.
Catchment area: 219,000 km2; length: 1,390 km
Volume of water resources: 22.19 billion m3
Surface runoff: 12.6 billion m3
Total population: 43.52 million, population
density: 199 persons/ km2
GDP: 1.43 trillion RMB, average per capita GDP:
33,000 RMB
4. Case Study: Ecological Civilization Construction
in Liaohe River BasinBasic information of
Liaohe River Basin
4. Water environment problems in Liaohe River
Main pollutants: COD, NH3-N
Water environment is restoring, changing from heavy pollution to light pollution.
Conventional aerobic pollution problems are eased, but toxic organic pollution problems are
emerging, becoming a potential risk.
NH3-N has become the outstanding conflict between water quality and water ecological
restoration.
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
mg/L River Liaohe
COD
NH3-
苯系物
21%
酚类7%
酯类16%
醚类
1%
醇类
10%
多环芳烃4%
烃类
35%
其它
5%
有机氯农药
1%
276 contaminants
detected in Liaohe
River
Establish ecological
system7
Eco-economic construction
1Restructuring of spatial
functions
Maximum discharge load
control2
Ecological restoration3
4
Establish ecological
culture6
Optimize urban living
environment5
Liaohe River
Basin:
ecological
civilization
4. Conceptual Framework of Ecological Civilization Construction in
Liaohe River
4. Three-level Aquatic Ecological Function Zoning in Liaohe River
Catchment
Machinery, building material, food
processing
Power generation, paper-making
Metallurgical, machinery,
petrochemical
Power generation, paper-making
铁岭市
营口市
盘锦市 本溪市
沈阳市 抚顺市
Metallurgical, machinery, building
materials,
Food processing, textile
Metallurgical, machinery, building
materials
Power generation, textile
Metallurgical, machinery, building materials,
Power generation, paper-making
Petrochemical
Power generation,
beverage鞍山市
辽阳市
Machinery, petrochemical, food processing,
building materials, pharmaceutical
Metallurgical, textile, paper-making
Metallurgical, machinery,
pharmaceutical, building materials,
Petrochemical, paper-making
COD reduction after restructuring
12th Five 13th Five
Year Plan Year Plan
Liaohe River -13.1% -9.9%
Hunhe River -1.9% -7.4%
Taizi River -27.2% -19.2%
Daliaohe
River -47.2% -39%
4. Upgrading and Optimization of the Industrial Structure in
Liaohe River Catchment
Tieling
Fushun
Panjin
Carrying capacity schemes for 3
control units
COD reduction: 3540.96t/a
Ammonia nitrogen reduction:
671.82t/a
Carrying capacity schemes
for 5 control units with
expected COD reduction:
8199.8t/a
Carrying
capacity of
COD
(t/yr)
Carrying capacity
of ammonia
nitrogen
(t/yr)
Liaohe
River
23,028.71 1,897.32
Hunhe
River
22,663.82 4,004.18
Taizihe
River
27,124.82 2,486.28
Carrying capacity of main pollutants
4. Capacity-based Pollution Load Control of Control Unit in Liaohe River
Carrying capacity schemes for 7
control units
COD reduction: 6393 t/a
Ammonia nitrogen reduction:
728.9 t/a
4. Whole Process Pollution Control in Liaohe River Basin
Metallurgical industry
Petrochemical industry
Pharmaceutical industry
Dyeing industry
Paper making industry
Chemical industry
Food processing industry
Sewage treatment plants
Target: reach Grade IV water quality standards in the
main stream of Liaohe River by the end of 2013;
restoration of aquatic ecology by the end of 2015
21.15 billion investment in three years, 381 engineering
projects
Three types of key projects:
1) pollution source control
2) comprehensive treatment of tributaries
3) ecological construction of main streams
Pilot projects in 6 control units:
COD removal of pilot project:
51,000 tonnes
Annual reduction in COD: 16,000
tonnes
Implementation of the above ecological civilization construction
strategies helped pollution source control and pollution reduction.
Water quality has been improving since 2009, with COD
concentration in 26 sections of 4 main streams met Grade V water
quality standard.
81
71
59
24
12
25 22 19 18 14
22 23 17 16
8 9 10 9 9 14
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Changes of COD concentration
辽河
浑河
太子河
大辽河
(mg/L)
Grade V standard
4. Achievements of Water Environment Protection in Liaohe River
99.00
9.00
25.0022.00
31.00
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1981年 2009年 2010年 2011年 2012年
鱼类种类数
(1) Experience in Liaohe River protection
and governance
Clear direction
Comprehensive catchment planning
Follow nature laws
Advance of science and technology
Innovation in Management
Pursuing Development
during environmental
protection
4. Experience in Water Environment Protection in Liaohe River
81
71
59
24
12
25 22 19 18 14
22 23 17 16
8 9 10 9 9 14
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011Changes of COD concentrations of different sections
in Liaohe River
辽河
浑河
太子河
大辽河
(mg/L)
Grade V
4. Experience in Water Environment Protection in Liaohe
River
(2) Experience in Liaohe River protection
and governance
Environmental protection
optimizes economic growth
From 2008-2011, GDP grew from 1 trillion yuan to 2.2 trillion yuan, with water quality
improved from worse than Grade V to Grade IV.
GDP of Liaoning Province in 2008 and 2011 Changes of COD concentrations in Liaoning
Province
Basic information of Erhai Lake
4. Case Study: Ecological Civilization Construction and
Water Environment Protection in Er’hai Lake
Catchment area: 2656 km2
Surface area: 251 km2
Capacity: 2.74 billion m3
Maximum water depth: 21.3 m
Mean water depth: 10.6 m
Catchment population : 882,700
Population density: 344/km2
Arable lands: 383,800 mu
Diary cows: 140,000 heads
GDP: 24.764 billion RMB, per capita GDP: 28,000
RMB
4. Experience and Innovation of the Protection and
Governance of Er’hai Lake
Experience in protection and
governance of Erhai Lake
1) Improvement of legislations: Regulation on the
Administration of Erhai Lake and corresponding regulations,
institutions and policies, etc.
2) Advance of science and technology: Highlight the leading,
promoting, demonstrating and supporting role of science and
technologies; attach importance to the work on survey,
diagnosis, R&D, integration and dissemination, etc.
3) Pollution control in key industries: Construction of
ecological agriculture, agricultural circular economy.
Pursuing development
through environmental
protection
Closing Remarks
The natural property of water environment should be
respected. The prerequisite for the utilization of water
environment is that the natural property of watersheds
shouldn’t be damaged. Socio-economic development
shouldn’t be obtained at the costs of environmental
quality degradation, watershed natural integrity loss and
ecosystem health deterioration.
Keep the harmony between human, nature and water
environment!
