Challenge of China's Population and Environment and Its Countermeasures

Abstract

The overgrowth of population and deterioration of environment are two serious problems of China. They pose a strong challenge to China's economic and social development. This article discusses the challenge and proposes some countermeasures for China to cope with these problems.     

The Clean Development Mechanism and Sustainable Development in China's Electricity Sector

Abstract

The Clean Development Mechanism, a flexibility mechanism contained in the Kyoto Protocol, offers China an important tool to attract investment in clean energy technology and processes into its electricity sector. The Chinese electricity sector places centrally in the country's economy and environment, being a significant contributor to the acid rain and air pollution problems that plague many of China's cities and regions, and therefore a focus of many related energy and environmental policies. China's electricity sector has also been the subject of a number of economic analyses that have showed that it contains the highest potential for clean energy investment through the Clean Development Mechanism of any economic sector in China. This mechanism, through the active participation from investors in more industrialized countries, can help alleviate the environmental problems attributable to electricity generation in China through advancing such technology as wind electricity generation, clean coal technology, high efficient natural gas electricity generation, or utilization of coal mine methane. In this context, the Clean Development Mechanism also compliments a range of environmental and energy policies which are strategizing to encourage the sustainable development of China's economy.     

Coordinative Development in Population,Resources and Environment—China's Central Concern in Developing Science and Technology

Abstract

Population, resources and environment constitute the basis for economic and social advances. Their coordinative development is the key factor for the continuous, stable and harmonious development of economy and society. China is a developing country which needs to mobilize the whole society to coordinate among population, resources and environment and to keep publicity and research in pace so as to deepen people's understanding and improve the methods of achieving this coordination.     

Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies

Abstract

China's national sustainable development strategies were drafted under the guidance of Deng Xiaoplng's theory on socialist construction with Chinese distinguishing features and, the theory and practice of sustainable development has further enriched and perfected Deng Xiaoping's theory. An in-depth study of Deng Xiaoplng's theory is significant if we are to accurately understand our sustainable development program and how to best implement the strategies.     

China's coastal wetlands: Conservation history,implementation efforts,existing issues and strategies for future improvement

China has approximately 5.80 × 10⁶ ha coastal wetlands by 2014, accounting for 10.82% of the total area of natural wetlands. Healthy coastal wetland ecosystems play an important role in guaranteeing the territory ecological security and the sustainable development of coastal zone in China. In this paper, the natural geography and the past and present status of China's coastal wetlands were introduced and the five stages (1950s–1970s, 1980s–1991, 1992–2002, 2003–2010 and 2011–present) of China's coastal wetlands conservation from the foundation of the People's Republic in 1949 to present were distinguished and reviewed. Over the past decades, China has made great efforts in coastal wetland conservation, as signified by the implementation of coastal wetland restoration projects, the construction of coastal wetland nature reserves, the practice of routine ecological monitoring and two national wetland surveys, the promulgation of local wetland conservation statutes and specific regulations, the coordination mechanism to enhance management capacity, the wide development of coastal wetland research and public participation, and the extensive communication to strengthen international cooperation. Nonetheless, six major issues recently emerged in China's coastal wetland conservation are evidently existed, including the increasing threats of pollution and human activities, the increasing adverse effects of threaten factors on ecosystem function, the increasing threats of coastal erosion and sea-level rising, the insufficient funding for coastal wetlands conservation, the imperfect legal and management system for coastal wetlands, and the insufficient education, research and international cooperation. Although the threats and pressures on coastal wetlands conservation are still apparent, the future of China's coastal wetlands looks promising since the Chinese government understands that the sustainable development in coastal zone requires new attitudes, sound policies and concerted efforts at all levels. The major strategies for future improvement of China's coastal wetland conservation include: exploring effective measures in response to major threaten factors; improving the conservation and compensation system for coastal wetlands; strengthening coastal wetland legislation and management; increasing funds for coastal wetland conservation and research; and strengthening coastal wetland education and international cooperation.     

Cross-country income disparity and its effect on carbon emissions

This study is motivated by the interesting relationship between the income Kuznets curve and the carbon Kuznets curve.This paper focuses on the interaction effects of income distribution and income per capita on CO₂ emissions using country group panel data over the period of 1980 to 2006 by employing fixed effects（FE）,random effects（RE）and feasible generalized least squares（FGLS）estimation methods.The main findings are as follows.（1）There exists an inverted-U relationship between CO₂ emissions per capita and income per capita in all sample countries and high-income groups.（2）The cross-country income disparity has a negative effect on the average level of CO₂ emissions but a positive effect on the aggregate income elasticity of CO₂ emissions.（3）This negative effect of income disparity on the average level of CO₂emissions decreases along with the growth of per capita income.Thus,economic growth contributes to the reduction of this negative impact.     

High Environmental Cost behind Low China Price

Abstract

China has won the name of the world factory being famous for exporting a great deal of and various kinds of low-price merchandise. However, most of Chinese exports are primary goods or manufactured products that create heavy pollution and require intensive use of resources. Chinese products go abroad, but their following harms stay behind. The article analyzes many obvious low-price facts in China and their concomitant terrible environmental results in detail, and points out that there are huge hidden troubles in the way of China's sustainable development behind her seemingly flourishing economy.     

Impact of Growing Income Inequality on Sustainable Development in China: A Provincial-level Analysis

Abstract

A growing body of literature has documented the rapidly increasing income disparities that accompanied China's economic growth in the 1980s and 1990s, and the driving factors behind this. Growing income inequality in its turn may have important implications for the accumulation of physical capital, human capital, and natural capital and as a consequence for sustainable economic development. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential impact of income inequality on savings, human resources and the environment in China. It starts with an overview of the different causal mechanisms through which income inequality may affect the accumulation of physical capital, human capital, and natural capital, and discusses to what extent these causal relationships may be relevant in the case of China. Next, provincial data for the year 2002 are used to explore the relationship between income inequality and different elements of sustainable development in China. It is found that income inequality does not affect aggregate savings levels. Rising inequality, however, contributes to lower health and possibly also to higher fertility levels. It also lowers the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture and therefore is likely to reduce water pollution. Other types of environmental degradation are not affected.     

On the Laws and Causes of Socio-economic Territorial Differentiation in Minority Areas in China

Abstract

On the basis of applying quantitative and qualitative approaches as well as GIS technology, this paper established an index system to make a comprehensive evaluation on socioeconomic development of minority areas in China. The result showed that socio-economic development in minority area presents a series of characteristics that the north is high and the south is low, center-margin pattern is obvious and the areas with middle and lower development indices are distributed centrally and continuously. However, the causes of the socioeconomic characteristics mainly include natural conditions, economic development basic, population cultural quality, regional combination and development conditions of mineral and energy resources, informal institutional factors and distribution of major traffic lines.     

New Institutional Mechanism in China Facilitating the Global Sustainability—Environment to Be Counted in Officials' Performance Rating

Abstract

Having argued the importance of China's sustainable development in global sustainability, the authors review the achievements of China in sustainable development, especially its institutional construction. Environment to be counted in official's political performance rating system is thought of as a new institutional mechanism in China facilitating its sustainable development and then global sustainability. Then its significance is narrated and visions in future are envisioned. In the end, certain concrete suggestions for the rating system are given in a practical way.     

Diversification and Sustainable Development in Chinese Agriculture

Abstract

Feeding a growing population exceeding 1 billion is a big challenge to the Chinese government and has partly led to the self-sufficient policy in grain production and supply for decades. However, the efforts to push grain production everywhere have resulted in not only deterioration of the environment but also stagnation or even reduction in farmers' income as production costs continue to increase. This situation might be worsening after China's accession to the WTO that provides market access for bulk commodity imports. A sustainable development in Chinese agriculture depends on diversification, or structural adjustment, that allows Chinese farmers to fully utilize their comparative advantage in production of labor-intensive goods. Past experience has shown that diversification has contributed more than a half of the growth in Chinese agriculture during the reform period and reduced stresses on the environment at the same time. It is likely to contribute even more to Chinese agriculture in the future and in a sustainable manner.     

Research on Indicator System of Regional Eco-efficiency: A Case Study of Chengyang District

Abstract

Eco-efficiency is a valuable tool for managing and solving issues involving resource consumption and pollution emission in current production processes. Despite the popularity of the term “eco-efficiency” in business, limited attention has been paid to measuring and reporting regional eco-efficiency for local government policy makers. Based on the concept and method of eco-efficiency, an indicator system of regional eco-efficiency is established in this study. The indicator system comprises 22 indicators, which are divided in to three categories including socio-economic development, resources consumption, environmental pressure. As a promising statistical technique, principle component analysis is used to set the weight of indicators which attempts to calculate the eco-efficiency indices of Qingdao's Chengyang District. The results show that the eco-efficiency of Chengyang District has clearly improved 35.1% with small fluctuation from 1995 to 2003. Socio-economic development index and resources consumption index also represent obvious increasing trends. The correlation coefficient between soci-economic development index and resources consumption index is 0.979, which means the social progress and economic growth of Chengyang District depend on an extravagant consumption of resources. The environmental pressure index in- creased slowly before 1997 and declined gradually after 1997, due to more attention being paid to environmental protection by local government in recent years. Chengyang District still keeps the traditional economic development mode with a high consumption and high production, so the emphases of future development should put on improving the improving the efficient use of natural resources and promoting environmental management sustainability. The results show that the indicators system of regional eco-efficiency is a promising method to quantitatively evaluate resources and environmental efficiency and provide an effective decision-making support for local governments.     

Fundamental issues and solutions in the design of China's ETS pilots: Allowance allocation,price mechanism and state-owned key enterprises

This paper analyzes the three main fundamental issues in the design of China’s ETS pilots,including allowance allocation,price mechanism and state-owned key enterprises,and proposed suggested solutions.For the issue of allowance allocation,we suggest that the gradual hybrid mode could be applied at the beginning,which starts with mainly free allocation and then increases auction ratio gradually.And grandfathering is a suitable method of free allocation.For the issue of price mechanism,we suggest a price floating zone with open market operation to reduce the uncertainty of prices.For the issue of state-owned key enterprises,we suggest a good coordination with SASAC,defining the state-owned property right and supervision right when state-owned key enterprises are involved into the carbon market,and the local government can set rules of allocation and transaction to limit their potential market power.     

The Impact on Environmental Kuznets Curve by Trade and Foreign Direct Investment in China

Abstract

Based on data of trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), economic development and environmental conditions in China's 30 provinces between 1990–2002, this paper deals with the impact on Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) of trade and FDI in China. The results show no direct impact on EKC of trade, on the one hand. However, trade contributes significantly to economic growth, and has played a positive role in introducing advanced pollution prevention technology and environmental management methodology to China. Therefore, a proactive trade policy will help solve the environmental pollution problem brought by economic growth. On the other hand, there is a positive correlation between FDI and pollutant emission, which proves that FDI does have some negative influence on environment in China due to hasty introduction of foreign capital and inadequate environmental management system in China.     

Sand-dust Storm,Population and Environment in Northwest China

Abstract

Sand-dust storms are the result of the integrated influences of climate, geography, society and human factors. A theoretical framework is built to explain the coherence of population growth, agriculture change and environmental degradation. On the basis of the analysis of the causes of the sand-dust storm in terms of human factors, a discussion will be given to show that these factors are internally consistent with the theoretical framework. After that, it will look at China's Agenda 21 and try to find relevant measures to reduce such large sand-dust storms happening in Northwest China and eventually make this area develop sustainably.     

Prospering Revolution of Resource Efficiency in Northeast Industrial Area in China

Abstract

Despite its strong advantages in resource, technology and human resource, China's Northeast Industrial Area is also experiencing problems of unreasonable industrial structure, environmental pollution, and the degradation of ecological condition, etc., which prevent this area from achieving a sustainable development. Through analyzing the resource problem, the present paper proposed a strategy of circular economy for the prosperity of this are, discussed the theories of circular economy and resource recycling, and finally concluded that improving resource productivity is at the core of circular economy.     

Ecological Approaches to Urban Migration of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region

Abstract

With the approach of the second water storage of the Three Gorges Project, urban migration has become a great concern. However, being influenced by economical, social or other factors, ecological problems have apparently become pressing. All these problems are exerting great impact upon the speed and quality of new city's or town's construction. By means of ecology, urban ecology, landscape ecology, human settlement science as well as the principle of sustainable development, this paper analyzes the ecological problems in urban migration, and the corresponding approaches in order to promote ecological environment construction of new cities and give an impetus to sustainable development of the whole human settlements in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.     

Structural Adjustment of Oasis Agriculture in Xinjiang

Abstract

Xinjiang's oasis agriculture has made enormous strides over past decades. Structural adjustment of oasis agriculture sector has promoted production diversification. Xinjiang's oasis agriculture sector is entering a new era. The era means more adjustments in oasis agricultural and rural economic structure so as to realize the sustainable development of agriculture. By summing and analyzing the main problems in Xinjinag's oasis agricultural structure, such as raising farmer's income, industry structure within agriculture, rural urbanization, pressure coming from market, agricultural environment degradation, puts forward the thinking, director and countermeasures to adjust oasis agricultural structure.     

No Sustainability without Technical,Fiscal and Social Innovation

Abstract

Migration process has become increasingly important in recent research on population and the environment. A majority of the existing migration and environment literature has focused on the environmental causes and determinants of migration. With the largest rural-to-urban migration flow in world history, and growing concerns about the environmental problems accompanying its fast economic development, China provides a particularly important case for migration and environment research. This paper reviews major migration theories and recent research on environmental effects on migration, with specific attention to the influences of environmental factors on rural-to-urban labor migration in China. A comprehensive multilevel conceptual framework is developed for studying the environmental causes of rural-to-urban migration in China. The effects of land resources on household labor migration decisions in rural China are explored to illustrate the application of this framework.     

Regional Economic Types and Development Strategy of Small Towns in Suburb Beijing

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to classify the regional economic types and development dynamics of small towns in suburb Beijing by applying the classification methods developed by Nelson’s method and Location Quotient method into 183 small towns in Beijing. Four types of small towns are thus identified, including urban agriculture dominated towns, manufacturing dominated towns, service industry dominated towns and comprehensive type towns with balanced economic development. Within the environment of geographical information system, the spatial distribution pattern of four types of small towns with their evolution trend is analyzed. The results indicate that four types of small towns have obvious ‘core-periphery’ spatial structure but with different functional orientations and evolution mechanisms. Based on this, the different development strategies for each type of small towns are summarized, providing a scientific reference for the differentiating planning and development strategies of these small towns.