Constant blackouts, water shortages and 'sold-out' notices at the entrances of petrol stations were familiar to residents in Guangdong in this past summer. Guangdong, the most prosperous province in China, has experienced rapid economic growth in the past quarter century but with a high consumption of energy and natural resources. Conflicts between resource shortages and the province's economic development have only worsened in recent years.

Guangdong is one of the poorest provinces in China, if measured by resource reserves. Guangdong's per capita arable land is less than half of the national average, its per capita conventional energy reserves amounts to less than one-twentieth of the national average. During the past 26 years, the energy consumption of this 'poor' province increased by 700 percent and its energy consumption per unit GDP climbed to 2.2 times the world's average. Clearly this powerhouse of economic development is running out of steam. High energy consumption in the province's manufacturing sectors brought high waste emissions and severe pollution.

Last year, the province formally adopted a 'Green Guangdong' program and 'developing a cyclic economy' campaign as strategies to combat pollution and the depletion of natural resources. Earlier this year, Guangdong put forward a plan, which called for the active participation of local governments, enterprises and the public to create a resource-saving society. In fact, the province's effort on environmental protection and energy saving started long before it launched the 'Green Guangdong' and 'developing a cyclical economy' campaigns.

A Greener, Cleaner Guangdong

In recent years, the province has initiated a series of projects on waste treatment, limiting air and land pollution, promoting cleaner production and establishing the 'Green GDP assessing system'.

The water quality of the major rivers in the province, including the seriously polluted Xiao Dongjiang, Danshui River and Pearl River in Guangzhou, has been improved since the 'Clean Water Project' was announced in 1997. In the year 2002, the provincial government announced a three-phase Pearl River Cleaning Project, which will end in 2010.

Guangdong issued the Blue Sky Project Plan in 2000 in order to reduce the discharge of sulphur-dioxide. Among its 33 sulphur-dioxide treatment projects, eight have been completed, three are being implemented, and the rest are scheduled to start this year and be completed by 2007. In 2003, 19 thermal power plants started desulphurization projects. At present, the on-going desulphurization projects include Huangpu Power Plant, Guangzhou Power Plant, Yuancun Heat and Power Plant, Taishan Power Plant.

The provincial government has incorporated several greenery projects into its work agenda for the next ten years, which include the control of soil erosion and the forest blight elimination. By the end of 2010, the province will have 195 nature preserves, which covers 5.19 percent of its total land area. Current plans call for achieving a 100 percent treatment of all hazardous waste and medical waste by the end of 2006. From 2004 to 2010, Guangdong will invest a total of 132 billion RMB (16 billion USD) in environmental protection. This program includes sewage treatment, garbage disposal, air cleaning and environmental alert systems

In February 2005, Guangdong was selected as one of the ten domestic provinces/cities to carry out the 'Green GDP' test program. Green GDP is an amendment to GDP that deducts the cost of environmental damages caused by economic development. Zhuhai ranks top on the average Green GDP in Guangdong this year, with 30,443 RMB per capita in Green GDP.

Saving for the future

Meanwhile, the province has carried out seven energy-saving measures; including oil saving and new energy exploitation, combined heat and power projects, waste heat utilization, energy efficient building constructions, energy saving campaigns in governmental departments and organizations, green light promotions and resource utilization supervision enhancements.

Last year, Guangdong's energy consumption per 10,000 RMB of GDP decreased by 0.02 metric tons compared with 2003. Electricity consumption per 10,000 RMB of GDP also slipped by 2.47 kilowatts. The province established 52 cleaner-production enterprises and three national ecology model areas.

Officials will focus on several saving measures this year and next, including water and energy conservation, more efficient land usage and improved resource allocation.

Editor: Yan