This course is an introduction to the environmental challenges to sustainable development in China. The rapid pace of development since the 1980s has stressed the environment and dramatically increased the country’s use of critical energy and material resources. This course reviews the main environmental challenges facing China and surveys the Chinese government's environmental management structure, as well as its policy responses through environmental laws and regulations. Topics include industrial pollution and its impact on water resources and air quality, solid waste management and recycling, the utilization and management of land, water, energy and biological resources, as well as the roles of NGOs, public participation, and the global impact, such as climate change. Objectives are to have students understand the critical environmental challenges and issues of resource utilization from the perspective of sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and to consider governmental and NGOs’ efforts to promote environmental protection and improve the quality of life in China.
Prerequisites:
None
Additional student cost:
None
Attendance policy:
There will be NO unexcused absence during the term. Any unexcused absence will result in your grade being lowered one half-grade (i.e. from a B+ to a B). Proper documentation MUST be provided for all absences.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course students will:
Have an understanding of the challenges to China’s environment as a result of the country’s rapid economic development
Have experienced firsthand how several of China’s major ethnic minorities relate to the natural environment and how changes in the ecosystem are affecting local cultures
Develop a familiarity with different forms of biodiversity in one of China’s most ecologically sensitive regions
Method of presentation:
This course is conducted as a mobile classroom in Yunnan Province. In addition to lectures, seminar discussions, guest lectures, students will also carry out first hand research in the course topics while meeting with professionals in the field and interact with local communities.
Required work and form of assessment:
Class attendance and discussion participation (10%), field trip reports (20%), midterm exam (30%), research presentation (20%), research paper (20%).
Research Project: At the beginning of the third week of class, students will be given a list of possible research topics, which are selected from pressing environmental issues and key government and NGOs’
responses. The students, as a group or an individual, can select a topic from the list or identify a topic interested to themselves. The students will discuss the topic with the instructor and then begin to conduct independent research. They can interview primary sources relevant to their topics and collect secondary research from published materials. The research should identify problems/issues, describe
government and public responses and current challenges and their recommendations for solutions.
At the end of the course, the students will present their research results and defend their recommendations or suggestions. Other students will challenge the presenter(s). After the presenting and defending, the students will then finalize their papers. The research will be graded by the presentation and the paper quality.
content:
Week One: Overview of China’s development and environmental challenges and its administrative structure for environmental protection; Environmental regulations and laws
M: Overview of China’s development and environmental challenges and resources constraints Readings: R. Edmonds: “Studies on China’s Environment” pp. 1-8 (MCE)
E. Economy: “The Challenge of Greening China” pp. 91-128 (RRB)
D. Blankenship, “China’s Real Environmental Problems”, 2009
W : Administrative structure of the Chinese government for environmental protection and resources management Readings: A. Jahiel: “The Organization of Environmental Protection in China” pp. 33-63 (MCE)
TH: China’s environmental regulations and laws: history and trends Readings: R. Ferris: “Environmental Law in the People's Republic of China” Chapter 3 (CEC)
L. Ross, “China: Enviro. Protection, Domestic Policy Trends” pp. 85-111(MCE)
E. Economy: “Environmental Enforcement in China” Chapter 4 (CEC)
F: field trip to wastewater treatment facilities in Beijing. At 8:30am convening at the dry
Fountain of the main entrance in the west district of BFSU
Week Two: Water resources management, pollution, Invasive species of China, and mid- examination
M: Water pollution, treatment, and watershed restoration Readings: E. Economy: “The Death of the Huai River” pp. 1-26 (ECC)
The World Bank Research Group: “Water Resources Management And Water Pollution Trends” pp. 47-62 (ALW)
Z. Li: “China's Rivers: Frontlines for Chemical Wastes” February 23, 2006, Worldwatch Institute
T: Invasive species of China: ecology and policies Readings: Y. Xie, Z.Y. Liu, W.P. Gregg, and D.M. Li: Invasive species in China – an overview (Dequn provided copy)
H.G. Xu, S.Qiang, A.G. Han, et al.: The status and causes of alien species invaisin in China (Dequn provided copy)
H. Jiang, Q. Fan, J.T. Li, et al.: Naturalization of alien plants in China (Dequn provided copy)
TH: mid-examination (2 hours): 9:30-11:30am
F: Water resources management Readings: J. Nickum: “Is China living on Water Margin?” pp. 156-174 (MCE)
The World Bank Research Group: “Water Resources Management And Water Pollution Trends” pp. 47-62 (ALW)
C. Liu: “Environmental issues and the south-north water transfer scheme” pp. 175-186 (MCE)
Week Three: Resources utilization and management
M: Land resources management Readings: The World Bank Research Group:”Management of land resources” pp. 17- 46(ALW)
R. Ash: “China’s Land resources, environment and agricultural productions” pp. 112-155 (MCE)
T: Biodiversity and conservation in China Readings: J. Harkness: “Recent trends in forestry and conservation of biodiversity in
China” pp. 187-210 (MCE)
H. Ross: “Environmental Education in China, Development and Problems” Indiana University, Aug. 3, 2004
X. Liu: “SEPA Releases New Measure on Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment Process” February 24, 2006 Worldwatch Institute
W: Energy demands and the environmental impacts Readings: F. Wang: “Environmental Implications of China's Energy Demands: An Overview” Chapter 7 (CEC)
V. Smil: “China’s Energy and Resource Uses, Continuity and Changes”. 211- 227 (MCE)
Th: Climate change and China’s responses Readings: Information Office, State Council of China, “China’s Policies and Actions Addressing Climate Change”, October, 2008
Xinhua News, “Backgrounder: Impact of Climate Change on China”, June 2007
F: NGOs and Environmental Issues Readings: China Development Brief: “Editorial: Environmental NGOs hibernate through winter of discontent” March 2, 2006
P. He: “A Report on capacity assessment for NGOs in southwestern China” Feb. 2005. International Fund for China’s Environment
Week Four: Traditional Culture and biodiversity conservation, and final examination
M: Traditional Culture and biodiversity conservation Readings: J.C. Xu, E.T. Ma, D.J. Tashi, et al. Integrating Sacred Knowledge for Conservation: Cultures and Landscapes in Southwest China (Dequn will provide the copy)
J.C. Xu, L. Lebel, and Janet Sturgeon: Functional Links between Biodiversity, Livelihoods, and Culture in a Hani Swidden Landscape in Southwest China
(Dequn will provide the copy)
T: Final examination: research report/presentation
Required readings:
Day, Kristen A., ed. China's Environment and The Challenge Of Sustainable Development. New York: Columbia University, 2005. (CEC)
Economy, Elizabeth C. The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to China's Future. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2004. (ECC)
Edmonds, Richards L. Managing the Chinese Environment (Studies on Contemporary China). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. (MCE)
Worldwatch Institute. State of the World 2006. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006. (STW)
The World Bank. China—Air, Land and Water. Washington: The World Bank, 2001. (ALW)
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Zhou Dequn received his Ph.D. in fungal diversity and ecology at the University of Hong Kong in 2001. Zhou was Dean of International Cooperative Program, Southwest Forestry University (SWFU) Kunming, Yunnan Province, China in 1995-1997 and Dean of Faculty of Conservation Biology, SWFU in 2001-2004. From 2004-2009 Zhou was a conservation project manager of China Program, The Nature Conservancy, a US based non-governmental conservation organization. He taught courses such as Restoration Ecology, Mycology, Forest Pathology, China’s Development and its Environmental Challenges, and Global Issues in Natural Resources Management at SWFU, Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST), the IES Abroad Beijing Center and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the U.S. and China. He favors mycology, conservation biology with more than 40 papers mostly in international academic journals. Being a visiting scholar, Zhou has visited USA, England, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan. Zhou is currently a professor and Ph.D. candidate supervisor at KUST.
China'S Development And Environmental Challenges
This course is an introduction to the environmental challenges to sustainable development in China. The rapid pace of development since the 1980s has stressed the environment and dramatically increased the country’s use of critical energy and material resources. This course reviews the main environmental challenges facing China and surveys the Chinese government's environmental management structure, as well as its policy responses through environmental laws and regulations. Topics include industrial pollution and its impact on water resources and air quality, solid waste management and recycling, the utilization and management of land, water, energy and biological resources, as well as the roles of NGOs, public participation, and the global impact, such as climate change. Objectives are to have students understand the critical environmental challenges and issues of resource utilization from the perspective of sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and to consider governmental and NGOs’ efforts to promote environmental protection and improve the quality of life in China.
None
None
There will be NO unexcused absence during the term. Any unexcused absence will result in your grade being lowered one half-grade (i.e. from a B+ to a B). Proper documentation MUST be provided for all absences.
By the end of the course students will:
This course is conducted as a mobile classroom in Yunnan Province. In addition to lectures, seminar discussions, guest lectures, students will also carry out first hand research in the course topics while meeting with professionals in the field and interact with local communities.
Class attendance and discussion participation (10%), field trip reports (20%), midterm exam (30%), research presentation (20%), research paper (20%).
Research Project: At the beginning of the third week of class, students will be given a list of possible research topics, which are selected from pressing environmental issues and key government and NGOs’
responses. The students, as a group or an individual, can select a topic from the list or identify a topic interested to themselves. The students will discuss the topic with the instructor and then begin to conduct independent research. They can interview primary sources relevant to their topics and collect secondary research from published materials. The research should identify problems/issues, describe
government and public responses and current challenges and their recommendations for solutions.
At the end of the course, the students will present their research results and defend their recommendations or suggestions. Other students will challenge the presenter(s). After the presenting and defending, the students will then finalize their papers. The research will be graded by the presentation and the paper quality.
Week One: Overview of China’s development and environmental challenges and its administrative structure for environmental protection; Environmental regulations and laws
M: Overview of China’s development and environmental challenges and resources constraints
Readings: R. Edmonds: “Studies on China’s Environment” pp. 1-8 (MCE)
E. Economy: “The Challenge of Greening China” pp. 91-128 (RRB)
D. Blankenship, “China’s Real Environmental Problems”, 2009
W : Administrative structure of the Chinese government for environmental protection and resources management
Readings: A. Jahiel: “The Organization of Environmental Protection in China” pp. 33-63 (MCE)
TH: China’s environmental regulations and laws: history and trends
Readings: R. Ferris: “Environmental Law in the People's Republic of China” Chapter 3 (CEC)
L. Ross, “China: Enviro. Protection, Domestic Policy Trends” pp. 85-111(MCE)
E. Economy: “Environmental Enforcement in China” Chapter 4 (CEC)
F: field trip to wastewater treatment facilities in Beijing. At 8:30am convening at the dry
Fountain of the main entrance in the west district of BFSU
Week Two: Water resources management, pollution, Invasive species of China, and mid- examination
M: Water pollution, treatment, and watershed restoration
Readings: E. Economy: “The Death of the Huai River” pp. 1-26 (ECC)
The World Bank Research Group: “Water Resources Management And Water Pollution Trends” pp. 47-62 (ALW)
Z. Li: “China's Rivers: Frontlines for Chemical Wastes” February 23, 2006, Worldwatch Institute
T: Invasive species of China: ecology and policies
Readings: Y. Xie, Z.Y. Liu, W.P. Gregg, and D.M. Li: Invasive species in China – an overview (Dequn provided copy)
H.G. Xu, S.Qiang, A.G. Han, et al.: The status and causes of alien species invaisin in China (Dequn provided copy)
H. Jiang, Q. Fan, J.T. Li, et al.: Naturalization of alien plants in China (Dequn provided copy)
TH: mid-examination (2 hours): 9:30-11:30am
F: Water resources management
Readings: J. Nickum: “Is China living on Water Margin?” pp. 156-174 (MCE)
The World Bank Research Group: “Water Resources Management And Water Pollution Trends” pp. 47-62 (ALW)
C. Liu: “Environmental issues and the south-north water transfer scheme” pp. 175-186 (MCE)
Week Three: Resources utilization and management
M: Land resources management
Readings: The World Bank Research Group:”Management of land resources” pp. 17- 46(ALW)
R. Ash: “China’s Land resources, environment and agricultural productions” pp. 112-155 (MCE)
T: Biodiversity and conservation in China
Readings: J. Harkness: “Recent trends in forestry and conservation of biodiversity in
China” pp. 187-210 (MCE)
H. Ross: “Environmental Education in China, Development and Problems” Indiana University, Aug. 3, 2004
X. Liu: “SEPA Releases New Measure on Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment Process” February 24, 2006 Worldwatch Institute
W: Energy demands and the environmental impacts
Readings: F. Wang: “Environmental Implications of China's Energy Demands: An Overview” Chapter 7 (CEC)
V. Smil: “China’s Energy and Resource Uses, Continuity and Changes”. 211- 227 (MCE)
Th: Climate change and China’s responses
Readings: Information Office, State Council of China, “China’s Policies and Actions Addressing Climate Change”, October, 2008
Xinhua News, “Backgrounder: Impact of Climate Change on China”, June 2007
F: NGOs and Environmental Issues
Readings: China Development Brief: “Editorial: Environmental NGOs hibernate through winter of discontent” March 2, 2006
P. He: “A Report on capacity assessment for NGOs in southwestern China” Feb. 2005. International Fund for China’s Environment
Week Four: Traditional Culture and biodiversity conservation, and final examination
M: Traditional Culture and biodiversity conservation
Readings: J.C. Xu, E.T. Ma, D.J. Tashi, et al. Integrating Sacred Knowledge for Conservation: Cultures and Landscapes in Southwest China (Dequn will provide the copy)
J.C. Xu, L. Lebel, and Janet Sturgeon: Functional Links between Biodiversity, Livelihoods, and Culture in a Hani Swidden Landscape in Southwest China
(Dequn will provide the copy)
T: Final examination: research report/presentation
Day, Kristen A., ed. China's Environment and The Challenge Of Sustainable Development. New York: Columbia University, 2005. (CEC)
Economy, Elizabeth C. The River Runs Black: The Environmental Challenge to China's Future. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2004. (ECC)
Edmonds, Richards L. Managing the Chinese Environment (Studies on Contemporary China). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. (MCE)
Worldwatch Institute. State of the World 2006. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2006. (STW)
The World Bank. China—Air, Land and Water. Washington: The World Bank, 2001. (ALW)
Zhou Dequn received his Ph.D. in fungal diversity and ecology at the University of Hong Kong in 2001. Zhou was Dean of International Cooperative Program, Southwest Forestry University (SWFU) Kunming, Yunnan Province, China in 1995-1997 and Dean of Faculty of Conservation Biology, SWFU in 2001-2004. From 2004-2009 Zhou was a conservation project manager of China Program, The Nature Conservancy, a US based non-governmental conservation organization. He taught courses such as Restoration Ecology, Mycology, Forest Pathology, China’s Development and its Environmental Challenges, and Global Issues in Natural Resources Management at SWFU, Kunming University of Science and Technology (KUST), the IES Abroad Beijing Center and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the U.S. and China. He favors mycology, conservation biology with more than 40 papers mostly in international academic journals. Being a visiting scholar, Zhou has visited USA, England, France, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Nepal and Taiwan. Zhou is currently a professor and Ph.D. candidate supervisor at KUST.