(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.”
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.
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.
Economic Observer on China’s hydro dam push
(February 4, 2011) This recent Economic Observer story provides a glimpse into the Chinese Government’s upcoming dam building frenzy.
Environment officials claim hydroelectric power is dirtier than thermal power, not a clean solution at all
(January 27, 2011) China’s ministry in charge of environmental protection says hydropower can be dirtier than coal power. Chinese Hydroelectric Engineering Association accuses them of slander.
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.
A new era for Tibet’s rivers
(January 17, 2011) Construction of a massive dam on the Yarlung Zangbo marks a turning point for Tibet, write He Haining and Jiang Yannan for China Dialogue.net. A development boom is coming.
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.
Scientists Push Desalination To Meet Water Shortages
(December 30, 2010) While China faces grave water shortages, researchers at institutions across the country are working on new water- saving and desalination technologies that they hope can alleviate the crisis in the crucial years to come.
China counts £130bn cost of economic growth
(December 28, 2010) The Guardian’s Jonathan Watts writes that the cost of pollution, deteriorating soil and other impacts cost China 1.3 trillion yuan, or 3.9% of the country’s GDP, in 2008.
Whispering a dirty secret: Chinese officials set to speed up construction of dams
(December 16, 2010) China is once again giving the green light to contentious hydro-electric projects.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
Lisa Peryman
Probe Media
Other News Sources
Probe International 