12.3 Key Tasks: Three Red Lines
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for lakes, reservoirs, and ground aquifers, based on their ecological requirements.
A national water ecological protection and restoration plan will be formulated. The
conservation of the key ecological protection zones, water source areas, and river
source areas and wetlands, etc. should be enhanced. The internal pollution sources of
water bodies should be controlled. Those regions and rivers with vulnerable ecosystems need to be restored. An ecological water use and river ecological system assessment indicator system will be developed to evaluate the health of rivers and lakes
regularly. A mechanism for water ecological compensation needs to be developed
and improved.
12.4 Implementation
Following the development of the strategy in 2009, a series of guiding and supporting
policies were formulated and issued.
12.4.1 Decision on Speeding Water Sector Development
and Reform, 2011
In 2011, the state issued its “Decision on Speeding Water Sector Development and
Reform.” As the only State No. 1 Document of China with a focus on water resources
management, the document highlighted the strategic role of the water sector, and
set out guiding principles, targets and tasks for its development. The document
proposed strengthening weak points in rural water resources management, speeding
up water infrastructure construction, developing stable investment mechanisms, and
implementing a strict water resources management strategy (State Council 2011).
In regard to the strategy, the document established a framework which consisted
of a total water-use control system, a water-use efficiency control system, a water
function zone pollutant control system, and a water resources management responsibility and assessment system. Of these four management systems, three of them
are referred to in the three red lines outlined above.
The last of these four systems defines that the key leader of each local government should take full responsibility for water resources management and protection
within their jurisdiction. WADs, together with other relevant departments, should
assess the implementation and achievement of key indicators of water resources
development, use, saving, and protection. The results will be passed to the government’s personnel department, as an important record to help assess local governmental leaders. Capacity building for water quality and quantity monitoring will be
improved to provide technical support for supervision and assessment.
265
for lakes, reservoirs, and ground aquifers, based on their ecological requirements.
A national water ecological protection and restoration plan will be formulated. The
conservation of the key ecological protection zones, water source areas, and river
source areas and wetlands, etc. should be enhanced. The internal pollution sources of
water bodies should be controlled. Those regions and rivers with vulnerable ecosystems need to be restored. An ecological water use and river ecological system assessment indicator system will be developed to evaluate the health of rivers and lakes
regularly. A mechanism for water ecological compensation needs to be developed
and improved.
12.4 Implementation
Following the development of the strategy in 2009, a series of guiding and supporting
policies were formulated and issued.
12.4.1 Decision on Speeding Water Sector Development
and Reform, 2011
In 2011, the state issued its “Decision on Speeding Water Sector Development and
Reform.” As the only State No. 1 Document of China with a focus on water resources
management, the document highlighted the strategic role of the water sector, and
set out guiding principles, targets and tasks for its development. The document
proposed strengthening weak points in rural water resources management, speeding
up water infrastructure construction, developing stable investment mechanisms, and
implementing a strict water resources management strategy (State Council 2011).
In regard to the strategy, the document established a framework which consisted
of a total water-use control system, a water-use efficiency control system, a water
function zone pollutant control system, and a water resources management responsibility and assessment system. Of these four management systems, three of them
are referred to in the three red lines outlined above.
The last of these four systems defines that the key leader of each local government should take full responsibility for water resources management and protection
within their jurisdiction. WADs, together with other relevant departments, should
assess the implementation and achievement of key indicators of water resources
development, use, saving, and protection. The results will be passed to the government’s personnel department, as an important record to help assess local governmental leaders. Capacity building for water quality and quantity monitoring will be
improved to provide technical support for supervision and assessment.