Chinese Future Nu—jiang Hydropower Construction

黃雅屏

【Abstract】Southwestern China contains rich hydropower resources and a high concentration of impoverished people. Nujiang River is one significant International river which sustain the life of not only local communities both within and downstream of Chinese borders， but also the life of many non-human species. Whether Dam building is the best way to change the regional situation？Whether Dam building can provide jobs， fortune as well as power continuously？Whether Dam is so “Green” which has no influence on the CO2 emission？

【Key words】International Rivers； utilization； Hydropower Construction

1. Summary statement

Designed to meet growing Chinese and regional power demands， bringing fantastic continuing financial benefits to some State-owned hydropower enterprises as well as local and national governments， many dams have already been built and being called by some experts a “necessary evil”：necessary to national and regional development， but harmful to important rivers like the Mekong， and the livelihoods that are tied to their natural ebbs and flows. Dam building always has irreparable and grave impacts on the earths surface and crust structure， ecological environment， ecosystem in and around the river， natural landscape， and most importantly local communities.

Just as a famous saying goes：“Earth provides enough to satisfy every mans need， but not every mans greed”， according to my understanding， the difference between a want and greed is when you forget to set a standard or limit to ones want， it becomes a greed.

Nujiang is the only “survivor” in all International rivers， should the “evil” be continued？Is it still “necessary”？Should we leave at least one natural river to our offspring？Firstly， China has the ability and get down to utilize nuclear power to satisfy our and even neighbors power demand. Secondly， there are many projects especially tourism opportunities for local government as well as local people to get access to money and development. Thirdly， the fragile ecological environment conditions of Nujiang River have become the first consideration in many cases. Fourthly， local people such as Lisu women are not eager to change their life through Dam building；instead they prefer more tourists to promote local economy. Their life is getting better and better， with most of them being satisfied and content.

2. Current sacrifice

We are building Dams for whose benefits？Who has got the power？Who has really made the decision？Who has got the compensations？Where is the balance between harms and advantages？

Duties， responsibilities and entitlements， rights should be the both sides of a balance. If we shoulder our responsibility with big sacrifice， should we also get the right to get compensation and benefits from those downstream countries？

We have spent much money， time and energy in working out the plan of Dams building along Nujiang River. We have finished all the exploitation jobs and handled all technological problems. We are also confident to get the support and understanding from local people. All of these have been suspended because of international pressure and environmental consideration. We hope to shoulder certain special responsibilities as an upstream country and a superpower.

3. Policy Suggestions

—Water Resources Ministry of China and relevant authorities

1.“We wont start any hydropower development projects on Nujiang River before we have state approval and pass an environmental impact assessment， ” Qin said when asked about the projects by overseas media at a panel discussion held on the sidelines of the Chinese parliaments ongoing annual session. —Do not start any hydropower development projects on Nujiang River.

2. Help the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress to set up relevant laws， especially Environmental Impact Assessment Law， and Decision making procedure law.

3. Develop institutional capacity at the domestic and regional levels to enforce regulations and improve corporate accountability for （transboundary） environmental harm. Emphasis and pay due attention to environmental harm and local community life hood.

4. Achieve institutionalization of operative water-sharing norms （e.g. prior notification and consent）， letting our neighbors know our efforts and sacrifices. On the basis of bilateral， share hydrological data and information which is related to common interests.

5. Resolve to build on mutual bilateral responsibilities to deal effectively with common threats of water recourses shortage， Climate change， population explosion， environment decay， ecological damage etc. in Nujiang region.

—local governments of Yun Nan province

1. Guarantee public participation in decision-making processes， and protect the interests of local minority people especially women.

2. Promote the development of project investment and tourism；to provide migrant workers with introductions and help， to do logistical work， to take care of children left behind and the elderly.

3. Protect the environment and ecological conditions of Nujiang River.

—Water Conservancy Enterprises

1. Stop and tear down Small Hydropower Projects， and do environment assessment before any project or conduct.

2. Pay relevant compensation to local people.