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September 27, 2007
China's Water Problem
About a month ago, we noted a piece in the NY Times about the enormous problem of environmental degradation in China. As the world's most populous country continues to explode with economic growth, pollution of China's air and water is wreaking havoc on its environment.
In an article to be published in tomorrow's Times, Jim Yardley focuses on another water crisis facing China -- dwindling supply.
The North China Plain is a booming area of the country. One of its principal cities, Shijiazhuang, is a center of economic expansion; it has grown from a city of 335,000 in 1950, to 2.3 million today, with an additional 7 million in the surrounding area. While the region's population and water use has exploded, its arid climate produces little rainfall. The area is largely dependent on groundwater, and the wells are drying up.
Similar problems are occurring throughout China's water-poor north. The government has embarked upon a massive $62 billion water-transfer project from the more water-rich south, but it is not scheduled for completion until 2050, and may create separate environmental consequences for the south.
Yardley's excellent piece is the second of a Times series titled "Choking On Growth." As China prepares to host the world in next year's Summer Olympics, we can't help but wonder about how many of these problems the government will be able to hide. What's clear is the country is on an unsustainable course. Unfettered economic growth without regard for the scarcity of natural resources or a livable environment is already causing China tremendous problems -- problems that will at some point become untenable. It is a fascinating (and frightening) situation to watch.
Posted by houtopia at September 27, 2007 09:21 PM