Mining and industrial activities in China “pushing resources to the limit”

As China’s worst drought in a century wreaks havoc across southwestern China, one of Beijing’s leading environmentalists has pushed for stronger rules forcing listed companies to be more transparent about industrial emissions and their environmental track records. Ma Jun, director of a Beijing-based domestic non-governmental organization focused on water pollution, calls the drought “the starkest reminder yet” that China is pushing its resources to the limit — with major repercussions for China’s environment and economy.

The primary and direct cause of this drought is that since September, there has not been much rainfall, “behind that are some factors that exacerbate that”. One is logging, deforestation and general eco-degradation in that region. That’s weakened the ecological capability to regulate water. In recent years, many eucalyptus, rubber trees and other non-local species — what are called “economic trees” — have been planted by paper mills in much of southwestern China. Monsoons and droughts are not unusual, but forests can hold some of that excess water and release it in the dry season. Right now, that has been very much weakened.

Another problem is water pollution in the region. Lakes have been polluted, so the water is no longer good for drinking or irrigation. Recently, large hydropower projects and mining activities in the region have all worsened the problem. “We really need to prevent overexploitation of our resources,” he said.