Integrated Catchment Management in China

Abstract

As industries develop and waste discharge increases in China, the water quality in many rivers becomes a serious issue. Although the Chinese government has taken river pollution control as the top priority in enviornmental management, pollution still occurs in many locations regularly. One of the reasons is that the policy used for pollution control in China is more or less like “cure the problems, but not take radical measures.” An integrated catchment management (ICM) approach has been implemented in Australia as a fundamental measure for resource management and water pollution control since the 1980s. The ICM approach has been proved to be an effective means for pollution control in Australia. Is it possible to use the ICM approach in China? This paper describes an investigation on the possibility by comparing the conditions for implementing ICM programs in Australia and China. It is suggested that the Australian ICM model cannot be directly used in China because of: (1) difficulty of coordinating authorities at different levels, (2) unclear ownership of resources, (3) small farming scales, and (4) poor education of resources users. However, it may be possible to implement the ICM approach in China by: (1) establishing a clear ownership system of resources (land, water, and vegetation), (2) extending the function of existing catchment management committees, (3) establishing strong acts of catchment management, and (4) establishing monitoring and audit systems for resource use andconservation. The detailed implementation procedure for China needs to be further studied.