China's water resource management a blueprint for the world

China's water resource management concept that prioritizes water conservation offers a viable solution for countries around the world, as they strive to cope with mounting water-related challenges amid climate change.

Li Guoying, minister of water resources, made the remarks on Monday as the 18th World Water Congress kicked off in Beijing with the theme of "Water for All: Harmony between Humans and Nature".

As one of the world's largest congresses linking water policymakers, researchers with policy practitioners, the congress has been held every three years by the International Water Resources Association since 1973. Co-hosted by China's Ministry of Water Resources, the gathering this year will last from Monday to Friday.

"We are now in an era full of challenges. Due to climate change and human activities, countries around the globe are facing common water-related problems such as frequent occurrences of flood disasters, water shortage, aquatic ecosystem damages and water pollution," Li said.

More than 2 billion people still live in countries with highly stressed water resources. The world is not on track to reach water-related goals in the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, he said.

The minister, however, also noted the current era as one full of hope, as the public's awareness on building a community of shared future for mankind is growing and there is also a stronger willingness among countries to enhance exchanges and cooperation over water governance.

"Nations are all proactively exploring and seeking water governance concepts and solutions that can be used for reference," he said.

Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping's water management concept of "prioritizing water conservation, balancing spatial distribution, taking systematic approaches and giving full play to the roles of both government and market", Li said, China has made historical achievements in water resource management and tackled many long-standing water management challenges that had previously remained unresolved.

Water resources management projects across China have had a combined capability to supply almost 900 billion cubic meters of water annually, compared with 700 billion cubic m in 2012, he said. To date, 87 percent of China's rural population has had access to tap water.

Highly consistent with the water-related goals in the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, President Xi's water management concept has proven to be effective in China's water governance practices, Li stressed.

Considering the risks and challenges the world faces to ensure water security and China's water management experiences, Li proposed that world follows the concept to tackle the common challenges in water governance.

The available freshwater resources on the earth only accounts for about 3 percent of the world's total water resources, he said. According to a global water resource report released by the World Meteorological Organization, currently, 3.6 billion people worldwide face water shortages for at least one month each year, and it is estimated that this number will increase to over 5 billion by 2050.

"We must fully recognize the limited and irreplaceable characteristic of freshwater resources, and jointly fulfill our obligations and responsibilities to use them sustainably," he stressed.