'River ethics' key to healthy waterways

A top Chinese water resources official has called for the world to adopt "river ethics" and environmentally friendly dam practices as countries seek to harness natural resources amid the global climate crisis.

Wang Baoen, vice-minister of water resources, made the remarks on Sunday at an event in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. The event, themed "Constituting River Ethics and Building Ecological Dams", was held on the sidelines of the 28th International Commission on Large Dams Congress and 93rd Annual Meeting.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Wang stressed the importance of rivers, stating that their "protection and governance are vital to national survival, long-term development and the well-being of the people."

However, he noted that human activities, climate change and other factors have increasingly strained the relationship between people and rivers, leading to issues such as overexploitation of water resources, degradation of river habitats and declining water quality in many waterways.

Wang asserted that the core of the river crisis lies in excessive human interference and encroachment upon rivers' natural ecosystems. He underscored the critical need to develop river ethics as a fundamental way to effectively address this crisis.

"Resolving this crisis requires guidance from river ethics to balance humanity's developmental needs with the inherent requirements of river ecosystems," Wang said.

He added that establishing river ethics means creating a new model for the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, aligning high-quality socioeconomic development with the preservation of river ecosystems' integrity, ultimately achieving sustainable human development.

While acknowledging the significant contributions of dams to societal progress, Wang said their ecological and environmental impacts must be thoroughly examined, along with their role in protecting and restoring river ecosystems.

This requires integrating river ethics into all stages of a dam's life cycle — planning, design, construction, management and operation — to build more eco-friendly water infrastructure, he said.

"We firmly believe that constructing river ethics and developing ecological dams represent the future direction of hydropower projects in the new era and are essential for sustainable human development," Wang said.

He affirmed that China, as a global leader in dam construction and engineering technology, is committed to collaborating with other nations and international organizations to promote the research, development and application of ecological dam technologies guided by river ethics.

"Together, we will enhance river conservation and governance, contributing to a shared future for humanity and a clean, beautiful world," he said.

River ethics were included in one of four initiatives proposed by Li Guoying, China's minister of water resources, in March 2023 during the 10th United Nations Water Conference.

"We should respect the right of rivers to survive in nature, treat water as a living entity, develop river ethics, protect river health and achieve a harmonious coexistence between humans and rivers," Li said at the time.

Li has been advocating for river ethics since at least 2009, when he headed the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, an affiliate of the Ministry of Water Resources in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, that oversees the management of the Yellow River.