(March 2, 2011) Though much of the drought stricken areas in China have now received some precipitation, the North remains dangerously dry.
Chinese Environment Minister: Environmental degradation may cause economic ‘bottleneck’
(February 28, 2011) Reuters reports on an unusually frank essay by the Chinese environment minister on how environmental devastation could stunt economic development.
China to relocate 190,000 people for south-north water diversion project this year
(February 26, 2011) Official Chinese media reports that 190,000 more people will be relocated this year as part of the south-north water diversion project.
China plans to repair 46,400 dilapidated reservoirs over next five years
(February 25, 2011) The Chinese government is going to undertake extensive nation-wide reservoir repairs amidst flooding concerns.
PI Exclusive: The Yongding River’s lavish funeral
(February 24, 2011) Beijing-based water expert Wang Jian recounts how decades of environmental degradation have dried up Beijing’s “Mother River.”
Heavy-metals a curse on mine riches
(February 23, 2011) Chinese official media reports that deadly chemicals from mining operations are poisoning the watershed.
Beijing’s water plan doesn’t go far enough, critics say
(February 21, 2011) South China Morning Post reports on the Chinese government’s first national water plan. Probe International executive director Patricia Adams tells the Post why the plan will fall short.
Beijing building golf courses despite disastrous droughts
(February 17, 2011) The latest edition of The Economist featured an article on the golf course building frenzy that is taking place in Beijing, despite catastrophic water shortages. Below is an excerpt of The Economist piece, and links to related stories.
Beijing’s golf craze
(February 17, 2011) Beijing’s golf craze continues apace. The government’s ban on building new courses is flouted left and right while the city faces a severe water shortage.
China bids to ease drought with $1bn emergency water aid
(February 11, 2011) The Chinese government plans to spend $1 billion to divert water, construct emergency wells and improve irrigation in an effort to “head off a destabilising level of stress over water.” Current drought conditions are the worst that China has seen in 60 years.
Pollution fear cancels Beijing power plant plan
(February 11, 2011) According to Chinese official state media, plans to build a power plant near Beijing have been halted over environmental concerns. The plant would have been one kilometer from a canal that diverts water into drought stricken Beijing.
Razing the Last Refuge
(February 10, 2011) Just before the Chinese New Year, Beijing-based non-profit group Friends of Nature wrote an open letter to members of China’s top government bodies – the National People’s Congress and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – calling on them to urgently examine proposed changes to the boundaries of a national rare fish reserve on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
China’s north-south water diversion project hits 115 billion yuan according to Chinese state news agency
(January 24, 2011) The following article is reprinted from Xinhuanet, China’s state news agency.
Whitewash: Beijing uses water to create fake snow as drought continues
(January 17, 2011) As Beijing suffers through its decades-long drought—with no precipitation for the last ten weeks—officials think it wise to use water from nearby lakes to provide residents with what is becoming a novel experience: snowfall.
Dry up city’s water shortage by using less
(January 11, 2011) Wang Jian, who studies Beijing’s water consumption for the NGO Green SOS, estimated that city could save 190 million cubic meters of water annually if residents used it less extravagantly. That figure is double the capacity of the Guanting Reservoir.
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