(August 7, 2009) In an unusual move, Beijing’s Office of Legislative Affairs has invited the capital city’s residents to comment on a proposed fee schedule for "renewable" water or recycled water.
Beijing’s water crisis and economic collapse
(July 15, 2009) Beijing consumes more water than is deposited there by rainfall and snow and has been forced into major water mining projects. In the past, around 50 years ago, the city had numerous aquifers that could be tapped by relatively shallow wells of 2 to 3 meters. Now wells of 50 metres are required to access that water. Indeed of Beijing’s consumption of almost 4 billion cubic metres of water per annum, most still comes from the disappearing aquifers. The fear is that this source of water is rapidly drying up and that has the potential to plunge the capital into major water resource crisis.
Peak water? The limits of a resource
(May 29, 2009) Wise management and sustainable development of the world’s water resources is a task that has been postponed too long. Much of the world is in crisis and parts of the United States are rapidly approaching that point. Water-poor regions can no longer expect to put off addressing the problem by pumping ever greater amounts of relict groundwater from shrinking aquifers. Geoscientists should play a leading role in designing innovative solutions such as aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) where seasonally-surplus water supplies are banked in porous underground formations for later use.
Drought plagues China’s crops
(March 1, 2009) Northern China is dry at the best of times. But a long rainless stretch has underscored the urgency of water problems in a region that grows three-fifths of China’s crops and houses more than two-fifths of its people – but gets only one fifth as much rain as the rest of the country.
PI ANALYSIS: Beijing’s on-again off-again water crisis
(October 3, 2008) Beijing’s water crisis is back in the news after a few months’ hiatus around the Olympic Games.
Water crisis plumbs new depths
(August 14, 2008) Overexploitation of underground supplies.
China conservation efforts aid aquifer levels
(August 28, 2008) China claims underground water levels in Beijing are rising this year, reversing a nearly decadelong decline, in part because of conservation efforts tied to the Olympics, reports the Wall Street Journal. Probe International and Chinese environmentalists are skeptical.
Let’s discuss water scarcity
(August 6, 2008) The Olympics have swung the focus of international attention to China’s many achievements and problems, but water shortage is not just a local issue affecting Beijing and surrounding areas.
Thirsty dragon at the Olympics
(December 6, 2007) After the Olympics, how will Beijing’s insatiable thirst for water be satisfied? asks Chinese environmentalist Dai Qing in this week’s New York Review of Books.
A global problem: How to avoid war over water
(August 23, 2006) ‘Improving the efficiency of water use and encouraging conservation through pricing and more efficient technologies in agriculture and industry would help reduce scarcity.’
Experts warn China’s water supply may well run dry
(September 1, 2003) ‘Big engineering projects only make matters worse, causing us to reach the limits of our water resources. It is time to review our water strategy,’ says environmental consultant and author Ma Jun.
A river in reverse
(January 30, 2002) Salt seeping up the Pearl River is threatening the delta. Environmentalists want local governments in the watershed to stop dam building, reforest the uplands and conserve water along the river’s 2,200-kilometre course.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
Lisa Peryman
Probe Media
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