China's sustainable development hopeful: Earth Council chairman

Home>>China

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 24, 2004

China's sustainable development hopeful: Earth Council chairman

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Maurice F. Strong, special advisor to US Secretary-General and Chairman of Earth Council said in Beijing on Mar. 22 that the "concept of scientific development" put forward by China's new leaders made him full of hope for China's sustainable development.

Chinese leaders are taking China onto a track for a balanced and steadfast development, said Mr. Strong when delivering a lecture in Peking University. In this process, developed countries should help China with fair trade and power mechanism and put China into the world decision-making system while having no fear and hostility of it when China is on the rise.

The upcoming 20 years is of uttermost importance. Whether China can step onto the road for sustainable development or not will, to a great extent, determine the orientation of the world in the days to come.

China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 11 trillion yuan (US$1.33 trillion) in 2003 and the figure is expected to quadruple in 2020 to USD 4 trillion.

Mr. Strong held the toughest environmental problems ahead for China are the land deterioration and water pollution. The downfall of the productivity of China's soil will incur serious results for China is now nourishing 22 percent of the world's population with only 7 percent of the world's land, said Mr. Strong. In addition, China is urged to enhance the water utility and establish environmental evaluation mechanism for super water conservation projects. He also suggested that a set of "earth indexes" be established for a comprehensive evaluation of achievements in development so as to put an end to current behavior mode of simply seeking for economic growth.

Qu Geping, Chairman of China Environmental Protection Foundation, who joined Mr. Strong in giving lectures said, raising the utility of energy resources is an urgent task for China to solve environmental problems. He said, if the means of development as high input and heavy pollution with low efficiency continues, environmental loss will be four to five times as much as that at present.

Qu pointed out, environmental problems should finally be solved through system. Only correct decision-making mechanism can help prevent irreversible loss incurred by random decisions.

China enacted "Environment Impact Assessment Law" in 2003 which stipulates that new projects can not be put into practice unless evaluated in line with the criteria in terms of possible impact on environment by the public, experts and environmental protection departments.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Ecological legislation urged for man-nature harmony

Vice-premier vows to boost sustainable development

UN special advisor: China's scientific development strategy lightens a sustainable future

Indian navy to have two aircraft carriers by 2011 ( 116 Messages)

What's the meaning of Bush & Blair nominated as candidates for Nobel Peace Prize? ( 112 Messages)

Study: Americans eating themselves to death ( 80 Messages)

Japanese PM's remark on shrine visit leads to long-term cold relations with China: Kyodo ( 136 Messages)

French Presidents' China complex ( 73 Messages)