Today, over 97 percent of villages in Zhejiang have transformed their polluted waterways into clean rivers with potable water, benefiting around 30 million residents. The rivers have become so clean that you can ask your child to take a bath, go for a swim, or even swallow some water.
by Erik Solheim
Zhejiang is a historical province south of the Yangtze River. It was one of the richest and most developed places in the world during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 A.D.). The amazing cultural center of Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, has witnessed former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai restart U.S.-China cooperation and change world history.
The Yangtze River basin feeds around one third of the Chinese population and produces over 40 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Yet its ecosystem has been seriously affected by rapid and unsustainable economic growth.
As part of the basin, Zhejiang experienced horrible pollution up to only two decades ago. Pollutants in the river dyed the water white, so they were called “milky rivers.”
Now, Zhejiang has become a shining example of how China has “waged war” on pollution in the last ten years.
Building on the experience of pilot programs in the cities of Huzhou, Quzhou, Jiaxing and Wenzhou in Zhejiang, China rolled out the plan in 2016 on a greater scale, when the top leadership decided to assign each waterway in the country a specific steward, or river chief.
Under the system, river chiefs are responsible for resource protection, pollution prevention and control, as well as ecological restoration. They are held accountable for water pollution on their watch. Their phone numbers are publicly available so that anyone can contact them about pollution-related illegal acts.
I visited Zhejiang for its rural environment program in 2017. I saw an amazing example of how to introduce a green revolution in rural communities.
Today, over 97 percent of villages in Zhejiang have transformed their polluted waterways into clean rivers with potable water, benefiting around 30 million residents. The rivers have become so clean that you can ask your child to take a bath, go for a swim, or even swallow some water.
In 2018, I had the pleasure of bestowing Champions of the Earth, the United Nation’s highest environment award, on Zhejiang’s Rural Green Revival Programme. They deserved it.
It has changed the lifestyle of local residents. Amidst the beautiful living environment, you can take a nice walk along rivers and canals. Many tourists come to see temples and beautiful scenery. Tourism drives the revival of the rural economy. A polluted landscape has been turned into a green paradise.
What is their recipe for success? Political leadership is key. The nationwide “river chief” system has been a major reform measure proposed and promoted by President Xi Jinping.
Here are the lessons that can be learned by other nations:
First, change can happen fast. Much of the same change has happened along say the Rhine or the Danube River in Europe, but progress has come over a longer time. What took 10 years to happen in Zhejiang took 40 plus years in Europe. With political will and dedicated leadership, change can happen much faster than most people think.
The good news is that when we act to protect nature, Mother Earth bounces back. The recent fishing ban in the Yangtze will have the same effect as the river cleaning in Zhejiang. Mother Nature returns in her full force and beauty.
Second, fighting pollution is a win-win situation, because the result is good for the economy and the environment. You need to put people and nature first, and not stick to old-style growth.
That is why it is so important that China now emphasizes a new growth paradigm: high-quality growth. The new growth model will lead to a better life, more jobs, and a better environment. President Xi once served as Party chief in Zhejiang and his speech in Anji County has now become legendary in China.
We do not promote economic development at the expense of the environment, he said in the speech, noting that clear waters and green mountains are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver.
I visited the room in Anji in which he made these remarks, which had a global significance to the extent that those present could not anticipate at the time.
Third, accountability is essential. That is why the river chief system is so inspiring. You know who is responsible, instead of an invisible bureaucracy. You know who to contact and ask for change.
The world is not short of polluted rivers. The Ganges running through vast areas of India with dense populations is one. The Indian government initiated the National Mission for Clean Ganga with the same rationale of restoring a beautiful waterway and preserving nature.
Many rivers running through cities in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America are covered with plastics. Zhejiang has shown how fast change can happen if you are dedicated to fixing the problem.
No nation in the world is the same as China. Most may not have governments as effective as China’s. But there is still a lot to be learned. China can use the Belt and Road Initiative to invest in green industries in other developing countries, and share experiences through people-to-people exchanges.
Water is the most precious of all resources. Without it, Humans and a vast number of species cannot survive. Protecting water bodies and wetlands is among the most important environmental issues of our time. Zhejiang has shown us the way.
Editor’s note: Erik Solheim is president of the Green Belt and Road Institute, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations and former executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Xinhua News Agency.
