Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Water and Development

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
China's Water Resources Management

Abstract

The chapter investigates the linkage between water resources management, socioeconomic development, and environmental sustainability in China. The study focuses on the extent to which water has been exploited for accelerating the country’s unparalleled socioeconomic development in the last few decades. Discussions are made for the linkage between water and sustainable development, highlighting water’s multifaceted role for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study delves into the overall situation of China’s progress in SDG 6 Water and Sanitation since the onset of the open-door policy. The overall picture of China’s water and development will be uncovered with hints for further discussion in the ensuing chapters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Water use efficiency is defined as the value added of a given major sector divided by the volume of water used. Available Online: http://unstats.un.org (accessed 31 March 2021).

  2. 2.

    According to WHO and UNICEF (2019), safely managed drinking water services, an indicator, 6.1 of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, are defined as use of an improved drinking water source which is accessible on premises, available when needed and free from contamination. Information on the use of improved drinking water sources is combined with information on the accessibility, availability, and quality of drinking water. Basic services of drinking water do not include the elements mentioned above.

  3. 3.

    According to WHO and UNICEF (2019), safely managed sanitation services, an indicator, 6.2 of SDG6, are defined as use of an improved sanitation facility which is not shared with other households and where excreta are disposed in situ or transported and treated offsite. Information on use of different improved sanitation facilities types (sewer connections, septic tanks, and latrines and other) is combined with information on containment, emptying, transport, and treatment. Basic services of sanitation services do not include the elements mentioned above.

References

  • Ait-Kadi, M. 2016. Water for Development and Development for Water: Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Vision. Aquatic Procedia 6: 106–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Asian Development Bank. 2018. Managing Water Resources for Sustainable Socioeconomic Development: A Country Water Assessment for the People’s Republic of China. Manila: Asian Development Bank.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Barriopedro, David, Celia Gouveia, Ricardo Trigo, and Lin Wang. 2012. The 2009/10 Drought in China: Possible Causes and Impacts on Vegetation. Journal of HyDrometeorology 13: 1251–1267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). 2019a. Disasters 2018: Year in Review. CRED, USAID and UCLouvain.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). 2019b. Natural Disasters 2018. CRED, USAID and UCLouvain.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chan, Faith Ka Shun, James A. Griffiths, David Higgitt, Shuyang Xu, Fangfang Zhu, Yu-Ting Tang, Yuyao Xu, and Colin R. Thorne. 2018. “Sponge City” in China—A Breakthrough of Planning and Flood Risk Management in the Urban Context. Land Use Policy 76: 772–778.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Evelyn. 2020. China Says Its Economy Grew 2.3% in 2020, But Consumer Spending Fell. CNBC, January 17, 2021. Available Online: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/18/china-economy-release-of-fourth-quarter-full-year-2020-gdp.html (accessed 25 January 2021).

  • China Water Risk and Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). 2016. Water-Nomics of the Yangtze River Economic Belt: Strategies and Recommendations for Green Development Along the River. China Water Risk and Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, June 2016.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, W., ed. 1987. The Role of Water in Socio-Economic Development. Part 1 of IHP-II Project C1. Prepared for the International Hydrological Programme by the Working Group of Project C1 (IHP-II). Paris: UNESCO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dai, Liping. 2019. Politics and Governance in Water Pollution Prevention in China. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies, Paul, and Andrew Westgate. 2019. China Kick-Starts Investment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Latham and Watkins LLP, June 10, 2019.

    Google Scholar 

  • Global Water Partnership. 2015. China’s Water Resources Management Challenge: The ‘Three Red Lines’. A Technical Focus Paper, Global Water Partnership.

    Google Scholar 

  • Government of the People’s Republic of China. 2016. China’s National Plan on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Available Online: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/specials/China'sNationalPlanonimplementationofagenda(EN).pdf (accessed 24 January 2021).

  • Guo, Zhiliang, and Guofa Cui. 2015. Establishment of Nature Reserves in Administrative Regions of Mainland China. PLOS ONE 10 (3): 301196540. Available Online: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119650.

  • Hao, Yu, Xinlei Hu, and Heyin Chen. 2019. On the Relationship Between Water Use and Economic Growth in China: New Evidence from Simultaneous Equation Model Analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production 235: 953–965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hou, Siyu, Yu Liu, Xu Zhao, Martin Tilotson, Wei Guo, and Yiping Li. 2018. Blue and Green Water Footprint Assessment for China—A Multi-Region Input-Output Approach. Sustainability 10 (2822): 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • HSBC. 2012. Exploring the Links Between Water and Economic Growth. A Report Prepared by HSBC and Frontier Economics. Executive Summary. June 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • ICSU and ISSC. 2015. Review of Targets for the Sustainable Development Goals: The Science Perspective. Available Online: http://www.icsu.org (accessed 20 March 2019).

  • Lee, Seungho, Donghoon Kim, Joo-Heon Lee, and Ilpyo Hong. 2018. Water and Economic Development—Analysis on the Linkage Between Water Resources Management and Socio-economic Development in the Republic of Korea (물과 경제개발 - 한국의 수자원관리와 경제개발의 연계성 분석). An unpublished report. Goyang City, Geonggi Province, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, Justin, and Zhingkai Shen. 2018. Chapter 7: Reform and Development Strategy. In China’s 40 Years of Reform and Development 1978–2018, ed. Ross Garnaut, Ligang Song, and Cai Fang, 117–134. Acton: Australian National University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Min, K., T. Shin, H. Cho, W. Song, J. Kim, and S. Hong. 2013. Water and Green Growth; Beyond the Theory for Sustainable Future. Volume 2, 2015. Daejeon, K-water, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the World Water Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP). 2017. 2016 Report on the State of the Environment in China. Ministry of Environmental Protection, People’s Republic of China.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). 2019. China’s Progress Report on Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2019). September 2019. Beijing: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). 2021. Statistical Communique of the People’s Republic of China on the 2020 National Economic and Social Development. 28 February. Available Online: http://www.stats.gov.cn (accessed 2 March 2021).

  • OECD. 2018. China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Global Trade, Investment and Finance Landscape. In OECD Business and Finance Outlook 2018. Paris: OECD Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qiu, Tom. 2017. A Decade of Direct Economic Losses from NatCat Perils in China: What Does the Future Hold? General Reinsurance AG September Newsletter. September 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scott, Christopher, Fan Zhang, and Aditi Mukherji. 2019. Chapter 8: Water in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. In The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment, ed. Philippus Wester, Arabinda Mishra, Aditi Mukherji, and Arun Shrestha. Cham, Switzerland: ICIMOD, HIMAP and Springer Open.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shen, Dajun, and Juan Wu. 2017. State of the Art Review: Water Pricing Reform in China. International Journal of Water Resources Development 33 (2): 198–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SIWI. 2017. Water a Success Factor for Implementing the Paris Agreement. Policy Brief. Stockholm Water Institute, March 2017.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sunsik, J. 2015. Economic Growth and Resource Use: Exploring the Links. UN University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resource (UNU-FLORES).

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan, Debra. 2016. Beautiful China 2020: Water and the 13 FYP. China Water Risk, 16 March.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Water. 2020. WaterSure, WaterSure Plus, and WaterHelp Schemes. Available Online: http://thameswater.co.uk (accessed 22 January 2020).

  • Tianjin Water Authority. 2019. Tianjin Water Resources Bulletin 2019 (天津市水资源年鉴 2019). Tianjin: Tianjin Water Authority.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tropp, H. 2013. Chapter 3: Making Water a Part of Economic Development: The Economic Benefits of Improved Water Management and Services. In Investing in Water for a Green Economy, ed. M. Young and C. Esau. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNDESA. 2015. The Critical Role of Water in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: Synthesis of Knowledge and Recommendations for Effective Framing, Monitoring and Capacity Development. 6 February.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Qing, Rui Jiang, and Rongrong Li. 2018. Decoupling Analysis of Economic Growth from Water Use in City: A Case Study of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou of China. Sustainable Cities and Society 41: 86–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WHO and UNICEF. 2019. Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene. Updated June 2019. Available Online: http://washdata.org (accessed 22 January 2020).

  • World Bank. 2018. Watershed: A New Era of Water Governance in China—Thematic Report. Washington, DC: World Bank.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank Data on China’s Forest Coverage. Available Online: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.FRST.ZS?locations=CN (accessed 24 February 2020).

  • Xinhua. 2019. China’s Regional Development Strategies Set Example for World. Xinhua, 6 October.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xinhua. 2020. China’s Urbanization Rate Hit 60.6 pct. Xinhua, 19 January.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of International Studies, Korea University, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Seungho Lee

Authors
  1. Seungho Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seungho Lee .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Lee, S. (2021). Water and Development. In: China's Water Resources Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78779-0_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78779-0_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-78778-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-78779-0

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation