Environmental Protection Attempts in the Early Days …
105
2 Twists and Turns in China’s Environmental Protection
(1958–1969)
The Great Leap Forward that began in 1958 caused huge environmental pollution
and damage within a short period of time, but efforts were still made to protect
the environment despite all challenges. There were certain achievements in environmental protection during the period of national economic adjustment, but then
serious setbacks occurred due to the Cultural Revolution.
1. Serious environmental problems caused by the Great Leap Forward and
the environmental protection efforts of the central government
During the Great Leap Forward, China’s environment deteriorated significantly for
the first time since 1949. To promote industrialization of the country, in the second
half of 1958 alone, tens of millions of laborers across the country were pulled from
agriculture into the manufacturing sector. They were encouraged to set up backyard
steel furnaces, where citizens could turn scrap metal into usable steel, and worked
in small manufacturing units. More than 600,000 backyard steel furnaces, 59,000
small furnaces, 4000 small power stations, 9000 small cement plants, and 80,000
farm tool repair plants were built across the country. The number of industrial enterprises soared from 170,000 in 1957 to more than 600,000 in 1959. The number
of small polluting enterprises with backward technologies increased rapidly, and the
seriously polluting heavy industries and chemical industry were the pillars of China’s
economy. At the same time, regulations promoting environmental protection in the
fields of industrialization and urban development were criticized and rejected. Under
the situation of chaotic management and the absence of pollution control measures,
the problem of industrial pollution became increasingly serious in the country. In the
agricultural sector, a one-sided policy of “grain is key” was implemented. During that
period, Chinese people were overly eager to catch up with industrialized countries
soon. There were many slogans that declared war on nature. This led to a significant
reduction in area of forests, grasslands, and lakes, and the country’s environment
significantly deteriorated. Environmental deterioration caused by the Great Leap
Forward quickly aroused wide attention.
In response to the environmental problems that occurred at that time, the central
government adopted a series of countermeasures, mainly to (i) prevent and control
industrial pollution and (ii) stop deforestation and restore the normal order of the
forestry economy. The prevention and control of industrial pollution were still guided
by the comprehensive utilization policy. From 1958 to 1966, the relevant departments
of the central government successively issued The Official Letter on Wastewater
Management of Small Petroleum Plants (May 1958), The Joint Circular on Enterprises’ Responsibility of Urging Their Industrial and Mining Subsidiaries to Implement the State Council’s Instructions on Disposal of Toxic Wastewater (September
1959), Report on the Hazards, Treatment and Utilization of Industrial Wastewater
(March 1960), Circular on Strengthening the Management of Domestic Wastewater and Industrial Waste Produced by Factories and Mines (April 1962), Circular
105
2 Twists and Turns in China’s Environmental Protection
(1958–1969)
The Great Leap Forward that began in 1958 caused huge environmental pollution
and damage within a short period of time, but efforts were still made to protect
the environment despite all challenges. There were certain achievements in environmental protection during the period of national economic adjustment, but then
serious setbacks occurred due to the Cultural Revolution.
1. Serious environmental problems caused by the Great Leap Forward and
the environmental protection efforts of the central government
During the Great Leap Forward, China’s environment deteriorated significantly for
the first time since 1949. To promote industrialization of the country, in the second
half of 1958 alone, tens of millions of laborers across the country were pulled from
agriculture into the manufacturing sector. They were encouraged to set up backyard
steel furnaces, where citizens could turn scrap metal into usable steel, and worked
in small manufacturing units. More than 600,000 backyard steel furnaces, 59,000
small furnaces, 4000 small power stations, 9000 small cement plants, and 80,000
farm tool repair plants were built across the country. The number of industrial enterprises soared from 170,000 in 1957 to more than 600,000 in 1959. The number
of small polluting enterprises with backward technologies increased rapidly, and the
seriously polluting heavy industries and chemical industry were the pillars of China’s
economy. At the same time, regulations promoting environmental protection in the
fields of industrialization and urban development were criticized and rejected. Under
the situation of chaotic management and the absence of pollution control measures,
the problem of industrial pollution became increasingly serious in the country. In the
agricultural sector, a one-sided policy of “grain is key” was implemented. During that
period, Chinese people were overly eager to catch up with industrialized countries
soon. There were many slogans that declared war on nature. This led to a significant
reduction in area of forests, grasslands, and lakes, and the country’s environment
significantly deteriorated. Environmental deterioration caused by the Great Leap
Forward quickly aroused wide attention.
In response to the environmental problems that occurred at that time, the central
government adopted a series of countermeasures, mainly to (i) prevent and control
industrial pollution and (ii) stop deforestation and restore the normal order of the
forestry economy. The prevention and control of industrial pollution were still guided
by the comprehensive utilization policy. From 1958 to 1966, the relevant departments
of the central government successively issued The Official Letter on Wastewater
Management of Small Petroleum Plants (May 1958), The Joint Circular on Enterprises’ Responsibility of Urging Their Industrial and Mining Subsidiaries to Implement the State Council’s Instructions on Disposal of Toxic Wastewater (September
1959), Report on the Hazards, Treatment and Utilization of Industrial Wastewater
(March 1960), Circular on Strengthening the Management of Domestic Wastewater and Industrial Waste Produced by Factories and Mines (April 1962), Circular