Traditionally, environmental management has been considered in the light of knowing the best technological solution. A significant case study representing a technological solution to environmental management is the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) on the Yangtze River in China. The dam has two principal management purposes. These are; to provide energy sourced by more renewable means than coal burning alternatives, to meet rising demands, as well as reduce flooding of the Yangtze River. Following a deeper introduction of the TGD case study, four primary perspectives will be used to assess the environmental management outcomes and approaches. First the social implications and any gains of the project, including the issues of social injustice and lack …show more content…
The environmental management aims of the dam were to reduce flooding of the river, as well as shifting the nation from heavy coal-dependency to more renewably sourced energy to meet expanding requirements in China. Thus maintaining to expand the energy industry and output for use in a growing society, whilst considering the finite limit and emission impacts of coal and other fossil fuels. To meet these goals, the TGD was constructed to become the world’s largest hydroelectric dam. The Yangtze River on which it built is the world’s third largest river; being the largest in China (Cai et al., 2013). The Yangtze River Basin (including tributaries) involves 20% of the area of China; resultantly being large enough to heavily impact surrounding ecosystems, the water cycle and energy balance (Li et al., 2011). Construction of the dam commenced in 1993 and ended in 2009, with the final construction having a storage capacity of 3.93x1010m3 (Zhou et al., 2014). Partial operation of the dam commenced from 2003 and full operation from 2009 (Cai et al., 2013). Studies have been comprehensively conducted to argue that this technological solution has not led to good management of the environment; as evidenced from both social and environmental impacts, as well as investigations into the overweighing benefits people management would have had.
From a societal perspective, the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) project has ultimately
The Great Wall of China is often regarded as one of the man made wonder of the world. The wall was built over a 2,000 year period. Such a big and sturdy Wall did not come cheap in terms of many people killed, a huge investment, and a lot of time spent working on the wall. Although the wall did serve many of its purposes, was it really worth the cost? There are three main reasons the construction of the wall did not outweigh the cost. Many died in the making, huge investment for china, did not keep invaders out.
China’s South-North Water Transfer Project mostly involves three large channels. This project is very expensive, but provides water to the water-needy huge population of northern China. There are critics, although there are scientists that believe the potential economic, health, and environmental benefits from this
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, established by Moa Zedong in 1952, is a water diversion project that would divert 44.8 billion cubic meters of water annually to the drier north of China ("South-to-North Water"). The project would link China’s four main rivers the Yangtze, Yellow River, Huaihe and Haihe. China plans on doing this by constructing three diversion routes moving through the south to north ("South-to-North Water"). It would stretch across the central, eastern and western parts of the country ("South-to-North Water"). This project is expected to cost around $62 billion dollars and take around 50 more years to complete ("South-to-North Water"). By trying to divert the rivers and create an equal distribution of water, the project raises many environmental concerns but has many positives. This paper will evaluate the different perspectives of the ecomodernist and resilience theory. This will be shown by analyzing each perspective, evaluating the different concerns and analyzing how each perspective would respond to the water diversion project.
The article “Down go the dams” by Jane C.Marks aim to provide an informative view on the current pending issue on Dams. The article starts out my mentioning the important nature of dams in our society. For example, Jane C.Marks states that today about 800,000 dams operate worldwide as well as the fact that most were built in the past century, primarily after World War II. Furthermore, the author lays down informative facts about dams such as the fact that dams control flooding and their reservoirs provide a reliable supply of water for irrigation, drinking and recreation which are all very important to society. In an economic standpoint, although it is very high maintenance dams provide jobs for people. The
The Grand Coulee Dam, located in Eastern Washington, was one of controversy, risk, and a point of no return. While the water captured made the desert area blossom in agriculture and it powered some large cities, it created a sense of accomplishment, that humans can control Mother Nature. While many people were very excited for this new construction – which gives power and resources - at the time, some thought it should not be allowed, they are not proud of containing the Columbia River. In this analysis, I am going to focus on the economic and social effects that the Grand Coulee Dam created in its build.
The Three Gorges Dam is an unfinished project which will be the largest dam ever constructed on the planet Earth. It is situated in China on the third largest river in the world – the Yangtze. The dam has been debated over since the 1919 and is still a hot topic of debate because of its many pros and cons. In 1994 construction began on the dam, and it is expected to be finished by the year 2009. The massive dimensions of the dam are mind boggling and its functions – if the dam actually works – are truly remarkable; however, with such a large structure also comes difficulties, sacrifices, and cynics. The goal of this essay is to lend an understanding of the dam itself, the prospective benefits of
Picture having to work on a wall while it was raining or while it snowed, that is what the slaves and armies had to do while building the Great Wall of China. Was it really all worth the cost was it worth many men dying each day and being buried under the wall? It was not only bricks being used to make the wall but it was also the flesh and blood of these men that was being used. They were already slaves and did not deserve to die because they were doing something because they thought the Mongols would attack. Next time you think it would be amazing to be walking on the Great Wall of China also think of how many people died out there in the cold and the funny days when they should have been enjoying.
Based on the events that lead to the devastating floods in Queensland and the eventual case that was brought against the engineers of the dam, there have been views from both sides of the divide as to whether or not the actions taken by the engineers were actually ethical or otherwise. We have explored this avenue and have found that both sides of the divide have good reasons to justify their actions. Firstly, we shall explore the avenue that the engineers decisions were appropriate and ethical. It can be said that the engineers did employ act utilitarianism in their decisions and actions, hence causing these decisions to be ethically correct. Act utilitarianism is essentially doing the right thing, which would benefit the majority of
Small changes that lead to bigger changes are being made. The book Collapse tells us about changes that China has made to change the environmental problem at hand. In 1973 China established Leading Group for Environmental Protection, which later became State
According to history of China, water consumption, growing population and demand for higher living standards were increasing steadily since the 1950s, when industrial development of the country started. In theory that could lead to new economic era and growth of the country, but in practice that caused one of the most important environmental problems in China. First of all, the pollution of water resources in this country goes deep into history in the 1970s. According to Wang (1989), the situation hasn’t changed for the better and the rate of pollution increased rapidly. Even nowadays the government of China cannot tackle
With human development, industrial pollution and other factors all contribute to the deteriorated condition of the river, which makes it difficult to determine the dams’ environmental impact in isolation. CITE That said, the current operations of the dam hamper and potentially prevent environmental improvement of the Colorado. In order to preserve some semblance of the Colorado ecosystem, man must restore the natural processes that created the ecosystem. The real question is how to do that, whether via dam decommission or a less extreme policy change.
By 2006 there were 6000 registered environmental groups in China. They are growing in numbers, influence and assertiveness. These groups are made up of people that are now beginning to understand the consequences of rapid growth and
The Banqiao Dam was built on the Ru River in the western Henan province of China (Typhoon Nina–Banqiao dam failure, 2014). The dam had been completed in 1952 as an effort to control the Yellow River by providing flood prevention, and electricity production (Typhoon Nina–Banqiao dam failure, 2014). The dam was built with a storage capacity of 492 million cubic meters, enough to sustain a 1,000 year flood (Typhoon Nina–Banqiao dam failure, 2014). Shortly after construction, cracks emerged in the dam (Fish, 2013). From 1955-1956, the dam was reinforced utilizing Soviet engineering specifications (Fish, 2013). Upon completion, the dam gained the moniker “Iron Dam” (Fish, 2013) as a nod to its indestructibility.
INTRODUCTION: Water assets building is growing massively today. Dams have the most vital part in using water assets. They were developed taxing year before increasing present data about hydrology and hydro mechanics. All through the historical backdrop of the world, dams have been utilized effectively as a part of gathering, putting away and overseeing water expected to manage human advancement. Dams have a lot of positive and negative impacts on the earth. Their advantages like controlling stream administration, subsequently forestalling surges, getting local and water system water from put away water and creating vitality from hydro control. While dam give noteworthy advantage to our general public, their effect on the encompassing incorporates resettlement and migration, financial effect, natural concerns, sedimentation issue, security angles and so on. Notwithstanding their vital social and natural advantages, it is vital to minimize the negative impacts of the hoover dam on the earth with respect to feasible advancement.
The relevance is given as we need an adequate material to build the dam as well as enough water to achieve a water level and finally to maintain that level. It also should be thought about a solution for the silt coming down the river in order to keep on getting a clear flush.