中欧经济社会圆桌会议-EuropeanEconomicandSocialCommittee.docVIP

PAGE PAGE 11 6th China-EU Round Table 27-28 October, Stockholm Water Resources Utilization and Sustainable Development in China Dr. Gan Hong CESC Rapporteur Deputy Director, Department of Water Resources, IWHR 1. INTRODUCTION China is a large country with an extensive territory, a huge population and rapid economic development. Situated in the eastern part of Eurasia within the westerlies in the northern hemisphere and under the control of the Pacific’s warm, humid current and the East Asian monsoon, the amount of precipitation and water resources in China are limited and vary greatly within a year and from year to year, limiting the per capita amount of water resources. China’s demands for resources, particularly water resources, have increased continuously since the start of the 1980s economic recovery. Also, the 21st century has brought more water resource problems with global climate change effects on water resources, such as water shortages, water pollution and deterioration of water environment and ecology, becoming more serious. Therefore, water resources are one important factor restricting sustainable economic development in China. Increasingly severe and frequent water-related conflicts are predicted in the 21st century as the limit on water resources grows into the most serious problem threatening human society. Throughout its history, limited water resources have troubled China’s economic development and the lives of the Chinese people. In the last 20 years, the Chinese government and various types of organizations have taken active measures, including formulating mid- to long-term strategic plans, constructing water works for water supply, flood control and ecological conservation, formulating and improving water legislation and intensifying the reform of water resources management systems to solve water problems, remedy the unfavorable conditions caused by limited water and prevent the worsening trend, which are all indispensable for achieving sus