Chapter 4
China's Plans and Measures for Realisation of the Sustainable Development Strategy
Section 2 Advantages and Obstacles
I. Major AdvantagesII. Major Obstacles Confronting China4.2 China enjoys the following advantages in its pursuit of sustainable development:
The Chinese Government regards the pursuit of sustainable development as an overall strategy for national social and economic development. This strategy has been integrated into the "Ninth Five-Year Plan for National Social and Economic Development and Long-term Objectives for the Year 2010". This is a fundamental step in China's achievement of sustainable development.
The stable, healthy, and rapid growth of the national economy and the increasing national economic strength have created a solid economic, material, and technological foundation for China's future sustainable development.
Breakthroughs have been made in economic system reform. A socialist market economic system is gradually taking shape. The market-orientation and socialisation of the national economy has been successfully promoted.
China's comprehensive opening-up policy has been progressing and thus the "closed" situation of the past has been fundamentally changed. This has created a supportive environment for China's large-scale utilisation of the international markets, capital, technology, and resources.
The societal causes have been comprehensively developed. Science, technology, and education continue to progress and reform. Family planning has seen remarkable achievements with the halting of rapid population growth. Meanwhile, social security systems are being established and improved.
Environmental Protection has seen considerable progress and, as a basic national policy, has been further strengthened. Environmental legislation has been reinforced, and relevant regulations and rules for environmental management are being improved. Large-scale pollution prevention and ecosystem protection programmes have been carried out across the country. Much progress has been made in international co-operation in this regard.
The standards of living in both urban and rural areas have been remarkably improved. People are working towards the goal of a comfortable life.
4.3 China is facing dozens of difficulties and challenges in the realisation of sustainable development, which include:
The pressure of a huge population
Since the implementation of the family planning policy in the 1970s, fertility rate has been constantly declining. In 1996, the natural population growth rate decreased to 10.42°"Î. However, given the sheer size of the population, the net annual population increase is still over 14 million. The rapid population growth not only imposes great pressure on natural resources and the environment, but also seriously hinders social and economic development and the improvement of people's living standards.
Relative shortage of resources
Although China has many important natural resources and energy resources (some of which are ranked first in the world), the per capita share of resources is still far below the world average level. Due to the increase in population, the per capita land, freshwater, forest, and mineral resources will continue to decrease. At the same time, the uneven distribution of such important resources as energy and water have further aggravated the disparity between supply and demand, especially spatially and structurally.
Low development quality of the national economy
China's industrial base is still undergoing restructuring. The economic growth pattern has not shifted from the resource-extensive growth pattern, and the quality and efficiency of the economic growth are not high. China is weak in terms of international market competitiveness. Under these circumstances, the conflict between economic growth and conservation of natural resources and environment is quite outstanding.
Backward agricultural development
The problem of how to guide a smooth transition of agriculture onto the track of a socialist market economy has not been well addressed. Inadequate agricultural inputs, poor infrastructure, weak anti-disaster capabilities, and a decline in grain and cotton plantation areas have resulted in the stagnation and fluctuation of production. The development of village and township enterprises has led to the continuing deterioration of the agricultural environment. It is still a crucial question as how to protect, support, and guide agricultural production and how to resolve the conflicts between small-scale production and large market.
Unbalanced regional economic development and inadequate financial resources for development support of some underdeveloped areas
Increasing environmental pollution and continued ecological degradation
Due to the resource-extensive economic growth pattern, many industries are confronted with the problems of high energy consumption, large wastewater discharge, significant air pollutant and solid waste production, and a low rate of resources recycling. These result in the increased deterioration of the atmospheric, aquatic, and terrestrial environments. Acid rain is a very serious problem and beginning to affect new areas in some urban parts of southwestern and southern China. Most cities are faced with a severe shortage of infrastructure, especially pollution treatment facilities. China is facing a challenge of great magnitude in environmental protection and ecological conservation.
Text Browser Utilities: [ACCA21 Home Page, National Report on Sustainable Development Home Page, Back, Next]
For more information about ACCA21
contact:
Address: 109 Wanquanhe Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100089,
People's
Republic of China
Telephone: +86-10-82636193, +86-10-82634400 Ext.2401
Fax: +86-10-82636192