【新唐人2013年04月01日訊】中國大陸水利部最新公布《第一次全國水利普查公報》,數據顯示中國河流正在以每年一千條的驚人速度消亡,流域面積在100平方公里及以上的河流,已銳減一半。環保專家指出,中共當局的過度開發資源,以及不可持續的發展政策,是導致中國河流消失、和水資源短缺的主要原因,而日益嚴重的環境問題也為社會不穩定埋下了禍根。
根據水利部公布的《第一次全國水利普查公報》,中國流域面積在100平方公里以上河流有22909條,而距離30年前上一次普查得出的數量還是5萬多條。這缺失的27000條河流到哪裏去了呢?中國環境問題再次引起國際關注。
北京的環保官員承認,河流數目大幅度減少的主要原因是:政府對河流資源進行的過度開發。其中主要包括過度開發地下水、和環境破壞、以及森林荒漠化。
四川省地礦局教授級總工程師、水利專家範曉認為,中國河流的問題,是整個環境惡化反應的一個方面,如果不能得到遏制,將導致不可逆轉的環境破壞,以及生物滅絕,後果非常可怕。
四川省地礦局總工程師、水利專家範曉:「現在城市不斷擴展,開發區也好,工業區也好,它都會佔用大量土地,很多就用填埋河流來做的。另外就是大部分的水電開發,大量的截水,引水,很多工程也導致河流斷流或者消亡。」
聯合國報告宣稱,中國是全球水資源短缺最嚴重的13個國家之一。「水資源問題」正在成為中國的一個巨大民生問題。官方數據顯示,由於污水排放,中國40%的河流被嚴重污染,20%的河流水質完全無法使用。
英國《泰晤士報》援引環境專家的批評說,「河流消失」顯示了草率、缺乏公共諮詢的過度開發惡果。還有批評聲音說,像三峽大壩這樣的工程也是河流消失的原因之一。
範曉認為,中共政府急功近利的過度開發政策,以及一味的追求自身利益的本質,是導致河流消失,生態環境惡化的罪魁禍首。
範曉:「因為現在中國的整個一個發展模式就是一個不可持續的模式,以過度的消耗環境和資源為代價。不光對環境帶來破壞,當然也給老百姓,給民眾的生活造成很多問題。只考慮眼前那些利益,這個當然政府是有很大責任的。」
對於中國的河流危機,其實早在十年前就有專家發出「中國河流全面告急」的警告。而一些瀕臨消失的河流,污染的嚴重程度令人怵目驚心。近期更出現黃浦江漂浮1萬6千多頭死豬、四川河流漂浮上千只死鴨等事件,當地飲水危機引發民眾不滿,3月23號,上海民眾響應微博號召,集體到外灘散步,抗議當局處理「死豬」事件不力。
而中共新總理李克強最近承諾,在環境污染問題上要更加透明。有分析認為,這是因為,當局已經發現,環境問題正在成為社會不穩定的一個因素。
範曉:「至少十幾年來,它(環境污染問題)本身就是一個不穩定一個很重要的因素,很多的 我們看到抗議的事件,公眾的一個他們叫群體事件,就是因為環境問題爆發出來的,每天都非常多的,而且也是很大的。」
《泰晤士報》發表社論指稱,環境污染已經代替過去的徵地糾紛,成為讓中國人最憤怒的問題。河流的消失,對中國既是環境問題,也是個社會問題。
採訪/張天宇 編輯/許旻 後製/陳建銘
Why Are Half of the Rivers Disappearing in China?
The first national water census was conducted
by the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.
It show that rivers in China are disappearing
at the alarming rate of 1,000 per year.
Half of the rivers with catchment areas
over 100 square kilometers have gone.
Environmentalists blame over-exploitation of natural
resources, as well as unsustainable development policies.
These policies come from the Chinese regime, and are the
main causes for rivers disappearing and water shortages.
Increasingly environmental problems
pose threat to Chinese society.
The Chinese Ministry of Water Resources’
has conducted it’s first national water census.
It revealed that there are 22,909 rivers with
catchment areas over 100 square kilometers.
This is in comparison to 30 years ago, when
there were more than 50,000 rivers of that size.
Where have the 27,000 rivers gone? This issue
has immediately drawn international attention.
Beijing’s environmental protection officials admitted
that the main reason for the decreasing number of
rivers is the excessive development of the rivers.
This includes over-usage of groundwater reserves, the
destruction of the environment, and desertification of forests.
Fan Xiao, water expert and chief engineer of Sichuan
Bureau of Geology and Mineral, commented.
Fan believes China’s river issue reflects
the larger scale damage to the environment.
If this continues, the damage will become
irreversible, and organisms will become extinct.
The consequences are frightening.
Fan Xiao, chief engineer of Sichuan
Geology and Mineral Bureau:
“With the expansion of cities, construction of businesses
and industrial parks took place on landfills over rivers.
Also, the majority of water conservancy development
is derived from intercepting rivers ,and diverting water.
These constructions either cut off
the river flow or simply kill the river.”
The United Nations has listed China as one of
the 13 countries most affected by water scarcity.
Water has become a huge livelihood issue.
Chinese official data shows that effluent discharge
has led to 40% of rivers being seriously polluted.
20% of the rivers have water
quality which is totally unusable.
The Times reported, “environmental experts say that
the disappearance of the rivers is a real and a direct
manifestation of headlong, ill-conceived development.
This is where projects are often imposed
or approved without public consultation.”
It also said that, “large hydroelectric projects such as the
Three Gorges Dam… were likely to have played a role.”
Fan Xiao believes the Communist regime’s policies
for quick success and a nature of blindly pursuing
interests have over-exploited the rivers.
They are the main culprits for rivers vanishing,
and for environmental deterioration.
Fan Xiao: “Current developments in
China are an unsustainable model.
This is at the cost of excessive
consumption of natural resources.
It destructs nature, and causes great pain to the
people. The government is responsible for it.”
More than 10 years ago, experts have warned
about the crisis China’s rivers were facing.
The pollution of some rivers nearing
disappearance is also shocking.
Recently, more than 16,000 dead pigs
were discovered in Huangpu River.
In addition, thousands of dead
ducks were found in Sichuan river.
This has triggered public discontent
over the threat to water quality.
On March 23, Shanghai residents protested
over the ineffective handling of the dead pigs incident by the authorities.
Protestors walked along the river.
The new Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
pledged more transparent pollution policies.
It is believed that the pollution issue has
become an issue of unrest for the authorities.
Fan Xiao: “For at least ten years,
pollution has been a social issue.
Many protests are because of pollution.
It is happening everyday and
getting more and more serious.”
The Times commentary has indicated that
the pollution has replaced the land grabbing
issue, and has angered the most Chinese.
It stated, “The disappearance of rivers poses
both an environmental and social threat to China.”