Project Scope and Relationship to China's Agenda 21

This project seeks to develop the Yellow River Delta basin as an open economic area incorporating environmentally sound energy development, agriculture and chemical industry. The project will also upgrade the waterworks to reduce the area's vulnerability to floods and develop a natural conservation park. The project is based on Human Resources Development and Capacity Building for the Integration of the Economy, Society and Environment as indicated in programme area 6A of China's Agenda 21 and will contribute to a number of related to Continuous Improvement of China's Agenda 21, and Improve the Mitigation of Floods, as mentioned under programme areas 6F and 17A.

1. Background

The Yellow River Delta is richly endowed with oil, gas, bittern, geothermal power, and other natural resources. The Shengli Oil Field is the second largest in the country. Wetland and marine resources, a variety of biological species, and land resources make the territory a good place for sustainable development. The geographic location in the Bohai Economic Region and good access to the Northeast Asia economic area add to its potential.

More than twenty countries have initiated economic and technical cooperation and cultural exchange programs with the Yellow River Delta Region. There are 199 joint venture enterprises presently operating there. Total investment pledges have reached US$ 172 million, with sixty million dollars in foreign investment through signed contracts. At present, this region arouses great interest from enterprises and scholars from Japan, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Australia.

Efforts over the past few decades have laid the foundation for full scale development. A breakthrough has been achieved in harnessing the mouth of the Yellow River. Experts have demonstrated that the current course of the river will remain constant for at least fifty years. Second, the local economy is strong. It is expected that the GNP value of this region will reach 9.2 billion RMB yuan and the total gross output value of agriculture and industry will reach 14.2 billion RMB yuan. Third, the investment climate is consistently being improved. Highway construction is extensive. Computerized telephone coverage and telecommunication are of high order.

The government of Shandong province is determined to sustainably develop this also, and as a result has initiated a project for the integrated development of the Yellow River Delta. The State Council granted Dongying status as an open city in 1993. The provincial government has also approved integrated land planning for the Yellow River Delta.

Major problems exist in five areas. First, the ecological balance of this region is precarious and the ability to fight natural disasters is inadequate. Second, the number of key enterprises is small and the economic infrastructure is weak. Third, cities have failed to play important roles in development. Fourth, conflicts between wetland and biodiversity conservation and economic development need to be resolved. Fifth, petroleum pollution and oil spill accidents are harming marine resources. Integrated planning and management information systems for the coordination of environmental protection and economic development should be established.

2. Objectives

• Long-term Objectives
  • To develop the Yellow River Delta basin as an open economic area aiming at environmentally sound energy, chemical industry, and agriculture development.

• Immediate Objectives
  • To build an information system for environmentally sound economic development.
  • To set up an experimental area for environmentally sound agriculture.
  • To harness the mouth of the Yellow River.
  • To establish a wetland conservation area.
  • To build a petroleum pollution monitoring and fast response network.

• 3.1 Establish planning and information systems.
  • Establish a planning and management information system for the diffusion of environmentally sound technologies, economic and social development, and the coordination of energy exploitation and energy industries. Promote the coordination of resource utilization and ecological protection.
    • Build social and economic databases, especially for the cities of Dongying and Binzhou.
    • Establish a system for data standardization and establish an information network for paid information services and data sharing.
    • Update databases using satellite and aerial information.
    • Provide information services for integrated planning and macro-economic control.
    • Plan to optimize the management and utilization of the Yellow River water resources and control dynamics, such as the South-North water transfer from the Yellow River to Qingdao, construction of plain reservoirs and other water resource projects.
    • Plan wetland conservation, beach utilization and the prevention of salinization and industrial pollution.
    • Plan disaster warning, assessment and reduction systems, with regard to sea-level rise, the inflow of sea water, storm tides, and red tides.
    • Develop modeling, simulation and prediction models of the regional economy, including environmental considerations.

    The duration of the activity will be 3 years.

• 3.2 Develop environmentally sound agriculture.
  • Conserve waste lands and salinated areas.
    • Seek methods to combine higher yields with environmental protection.
    • Involve target groups, understand their priorities and improve communication techniques.
    • Build water conservation facilities to support sixty thousand hectares of high quality crop fields, 100,000 hectares of cotton fields, fifteen thousand hectares of vegetables, and five thousand hectares for exotic products.
    • Develop 66,000 hectares of grass land and establish a livestock production base.
    • Develop 35,000 hectares of sea-water aquaculture.
    • Construct a shelter belt along the sea shore.
    • Plant trees around reservoirs, and develop economic forestry on 10,000 hectares.
    • Promote efforts for processing of agricultural and side-line products.

    The duration of these activities will be 5 years.

  • Build water conservation facilities.
    • Seek methods to combine higher yields and protect the environment.
    • Involve target groups, identify their perceptions, interests and priorities and improve communication techniques.
    • Develop 67,000 hectares of new high quality crops, ninety thousand hectares of high quality cotton fields, and eight thousand hectares of high quality vegetable fields.
    • Develop 350 special villages for fishermen.
    • Implement afforestation and exploit ten thousand hectares of forests economically.
    • Import and adapt environmentally sustainable and economically efficient techniques.
    • Promote farming-raising-processing, agriculture-industry-commercial, domestic and foreign trade, and agriculture-science-education.

    The duration of these activities will be 10 years.

• 3.3 Harness the mouth of the Yellow River to promote long-term stability of water and soil resources.

  • Set up a monitoring and forecasting system of delta dynamics and a computerized decision support system based on multi-time remote sensing and real data.
    • Develop experimental research with dynamic, physical and mathematical models of the river mouth to determine the best diversion of the water flow.
    • Engage a fleet of ships for dredging the waterways of the river mouth.
    • Investigate botanical and engineering methods to reduce coastal erosion.

      The duration of these activities will be 7 years.

  • Through increasing investment, open the river sand dams using diversion techniques to guarantee the river's route will be stable.

    The duration of this activity will be 10 years.

• 3.4 Construction of a natural conservation park in the Yellow River Delta

  • Construction project for protection, such as boundary markers, signs, observation towers, checkpoints, inspection tours.
    • Import, breed, save, protect, and raise rare species.
    • Develop afforested, forage and feed areas.
    • Construct buildings for scientific research and education and acquire necessary equipment and facilities.

    The duration of these activities will be 8 years.

  • Conduct scientific research to support management and control.
    • Implement conservation management plans.
    • Control utilization of natural resources through practising three-dimensional agricultural development: (1) planting licorice, apple trees, pear trees, wheat, soya bean, corn, and sweet clover; (2) raising cattle, sheep, and rabbits and processing milk, wool, fur and meat; and (3) developing tourist facilities.

    The duration of this activities will be 10 years.

• 3.5 Monitoring petroleum pollution of the Yellow River Delta off-shore area.

  • Build a petroleum pollution monitoring and fast response network, to provide guidance for dealing with accidents, such as oil overflow, and coordinate the activities of the various departments.
  • Establish local monitoring stations, response centres and link them together in a network.

    The duration of this project will be 16 years. The implementing agencies will be the State Planning Commission, the State Science and Technology Commission, the Shandong Provincial Government, and the China National Petroleum Corporation.

• 4.1 Chinese Inputs
  • Project management
  • Equipment and facilities
  • Case study projects
  • Data collection and processing
  • Expert appointments

• 4.2 International Cooperation
  • Expert appointments
  • Instruments and equipment
  • Case study projects and implementation

The implementation of this project will not only bring direct economic, social, and ecological benefits to the Yellow River Delta Region, but will also be of economic significance for Shandong Province and China as a whole. It will increase the annual GNP by RMB 5 billion yuan and taxes by RMB 1.25 billion yuan. The soil salinity level will be reduced to 0.3 percent, whereas the percentage of forest cover will increase to over 30 percent. Agricultural development will be promoted. Moreover, the project will build closer economic relationships with the Northeast China Economic Zone, the Central China Economic Zone, and even the Northeast Asia Economic Zone through land and sea routes.