Reversing conflict between humans and the environment － The experience in the Qilian Mountains

Li Zongxing, Feng Qi, Li Zongjie, Wang Xufeng, Gui Juan, Zhang Baijuan, Li Yuchen, Deng Xiaohong, Xue Jian, Gao Wende, Yang Anle, Nan Fusen and Liang Pengfei

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2021, vol. 148, issue C

Abstract: The conflict over many decades between human resource needs and the environment has led to increasingly prominent ecological and environmental problems in the Qilian Mountains, China. In the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve, there have been widespread violations of laws and regulations, such as mining, unauthorized construction of hydropower stations, and unregulated operation of tourism facilities. There is an urgent need to rectify the environmental problems in the Qilian Mountains to achieve sustainable development. This study aimed to (1) systematically explain and evaluate the negative impact of human activities on the environment of the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve; and (2) discuss the major measures taken and the positive impact of those measures; (3) systematically summarizes the Qilian mountain experience from “seriously damaged” to “well-governed”. With the goal of sustainable development in mind, the government has implemented several policies, at a total cost of 10.71 billion yuan. Around 3749 buildings were removed from mines, hydropower stations and tourism facilities, and 208 farmers and herdsmen in the core area of the Reserve were resettled. Approximately 17.21 × 104 m of enclosure fence was erected and 228.52 ha of grassland was revegetated. Grazing was prohibited on 6.37 × 109 m2 of grassland and 3.06 × 104 cattle were sold or transferred outside the Reserve for breeding. From 2010 to 2015, the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) increased by 0.01, while from 2015 to 2019 the EVI increased by 0.03. The successful experience in the Qilian Mountains can be summarized in three points: (1) a favorable political climate, which enabled a series of relevant policies, ample funding and scientific and effective governance measures; (2) a favorable natural environment, with a warm and humid climate; and (3) a united approach, with the cooperation of locals and government departments in China.

Keywords: Reversing conflict; Enhanced vegetation index; Ecological protection; Environmental remediation; Qilian mountains (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121006195
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:rensus:v:148:y:2021:i:c:s1364032121006195

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 600126/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111333

Access Statistics for this article

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews is currently edited by L. Kazmerski

More articles in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().