Environment or Development

There are many environmental problems: air pollution , water pollution ,desertification over-fishing, destruction of natural habitats, acid rain, over-consumption of wild animals and plants, etc. But lying at the centre of all those problems, as I see it, is the contradiction between economic growth and the environment.

Since the United Nations Earth Summit in 1992, more and more people and governments have adopted a new idea; that is “sustainable development”. This means today’s economic growth should not wipe out the resources and options for future generations. Planning and development should ensure not only economic growth, but also social advancement and environmental health. Instilling principles of sustainable development into government planning, resource management and economic policy is the most important step China could take to solve its environmental problems.

China has already taken some remarkable steps to reduce damage to the environment. For instance, following the huge floods of 1998, the government banned logging in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in order to protect forests and reduce the risk of floods.

Still, the basic contradiction between environment and development persists. Much work is to be done before we can achieve the aim of a balance between economic growth and environment.