1. BACKGROUND
Economic growth has caused increasingly outstanding environmental problems and sustainable development problems. To avoid taking care of pollution after it has been produced and to achieve economic sustainable development targets, it is imperative that the government's laws and programs become a positive force, and should make a environmental policy and establish a guaranteed mechanism for the implementation of sustainable development strategy based on preventing pollution.
In September 1994, Mr. Martin Lees, an overseas member of the China Environment and Development Co-operation Commission, put forward a proposal that the Chinese government must conduct research on co-ordinate economic planning and environmental protection in China. Since then, the international cooperation Council has entrusted the secretariat (the State Environmental Protection Bureau) of the Council to solicit suggestions from various circles and has suggested that a project working group on economic planning and environmental protection be established when conditions permit.
The subject group on environment and planning was set up by the State Planning Commission, in co-operation with National Environmental Protection Agency, in September 1996.
2. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
In 1996, the China Council for International Co-operation on Environment and Development (CCICED) put forward the project on environmental protection and economic planning as one of the major research areas in its Second Phase. The Document on the Summary of the Fifth Conference of CCICED (No. 017, 1996) which was transmitted by the Environment Protection Commission of State Council, explicitly stipulates that the work of the subject group on environment and planning is to make comprehensive policy suggestions to the Chinese government for establishing comprehensive decision-making mechanisms for implementing sustainable development strategies, and to prevent environmental pollution from the pollution source.
The objectives of this group are:
(1) to establish China's comprehensive decision-making mechanism on economic planning and environmental protection through research and demonstration;
(2) to achieve the environmental protection target set by the Ninth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-term Development Program to 2010;
(3) to enhance the intervention of economic planning and comprehensive decision-making in environmental protection;
(4) to establish corresponding guarantees and supportive measures in term of law s, regulations, policies, management systems and institutional set-up; and
(5) to improve the implementation of China's sustainable development strategy.
3. RESEARCH AREAS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS
3.1 Research Areas
Part One: System of Comprehensive Decision-Making on Economic Planning and Environmental Protection.
This part will provide theoretical and practical support to the demonstration for setting up comprehensive decision-making, and will pursue four objectives:
(a) To establish a theoretical frame for comprehensive decision making on environmental protection and economic planning;
(b) to integrate environmental consideration with economic planning;
(c) to establish a method for comprehensive decision making on environmental protection and economic planning; and
(d) to integrate environmental consideration with economic planning. These will provide a diagnosis, a decision support and a problem solving in the process of comprehensive decision-making on economic planning and environmental protection. The part consists of seven subject reports.
Part two: The demonstration research of the comprehensive decision making on Economic Planning and Environmental Protection.
Through the implementation of comprehensive policies in selected regions, it will transform the concept of comprehensive decision making into action, assist related departments and local governments to resolve the problems on environment an d development, and improve the public participation and enhance the common awareness on sustainable development. The part two researches will consist of four subject reports.
3.2 Research Findings
The research project on economic planning and environmental protection will focus on how to set up comprehensive decision-making mechanism in China and its demonstration. The research findings of the project will include special topic findings and general topic results.
The research findings of the economic planning and environment strategy working group will include periodical findings and final results. The final research results will include general and specific topics as discussed below.
General Topic: Comprehensive Decision-making Research on Economic Planning and Environmental Protection
General topic results will include four chapters:
Chapter One: Background and Summary.
Chapter Two: Status of the Comprehensive Decision-Making on Economic Planning and Environmental Protection.
Chapter Three: System for Setting up Comprehensive Decision-Making Mechanism.
Chapter Four: Reports on Demonstration of Setting up Comprehensive Decision-Making Mechanism.
Result: Report with 30,000 words.
Special Topic: System of Comprehensive Decision-making on Economic lanning and Environmental Protection and its demonstration. This topic will include eleven special topics, each as elaborated in the following sub-paragraphs (1) to (11).
(1) The fundamental points of the comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development.
The Decision on Various Issues in Environmental Protection promulgated in July 1 996 by the State Council has set precise goals for comprehensive decision-making for environmental and economic development. These goals call for 'comprehensive consideration of the economic, social and environmental effects, and deliberation of its environmental impact when deciding on major issues in economic growth and social development such as regional development, city expansion and industrial advances as well as readjustment of the industrial structure and productivity setup'. Through the research on regional development, city expansion and industrial advances as well as readjustment of the industrial structure and productivity setup, define the basic points of the comprehensive decision making.
Results: Report with 30,000 words.
(2) Report on a comprehensive strategy concerning economic planning and environmental protection in China and rest of the world.
Since the 1980's, more and more developed and developing countries have been considering problem of comprehensive experiences in institution construction, technical support, financial support and legal guarantees. This special topic will focus on:
(i) how the developed and developing countries implement comprehensive decision -making on economic planning and environmental protection, their experiences and lessons;
(ii) methods and procedures for creating comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development in making economic planning in the rest of the world;
(iii) to construct institution and system for comprehensive decision making mechanism for environment and development in making economic planning in the rest of the world;
(iv) to provide technical and financial support for comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development in making economic planning in the rest of the world;
(v) to establish economic measures for creating comprehensive decision making mechanism for environment and development in making economic planning in the rest o f the world;
(vi) to create legal guarantee for creating comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development in making economic planning in the rest of t he world. This research will cover North America, Europe and Asia, include two o r more developed countries and developing countries.
Result: Report with 30,000 words.
(3) The effects and major problems of economic policies and economic programs on environmental protection in China.
This part will focus on the analysis and assessment of the implementation concerning environmental protection policies in existing industrial development, regional development, rural development and city expansion as well as readjustment of the industrial structure and productivity setup and each Five-Year Plan since t he Sixth Five Year Plan. Industrial implementing effects, existing problems and corresponding reasons for comprehensive decision-making on economic plan and environmental protection are considered from the points of industrial policy, regional policy, distribution policy, urban and rural development policy, national economy and social development since the Sixth Five-year Plan, and including the Ninth Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long Development Program to 2010.
Result: Report with 30,000 words.
(4) The basic framework for China to establish a comprehensive decision making mechanism.
Based on the co-operation of different disciplines, this part will provide a technical and theoretical support to set up a comprehensive decision making mechanism.
Result: Report with 30,000 words.
(5) The information system and analysis model of the comprehensive decision making mechanism for environment and development.
This topic aims at establishing the technical support system for comprehensive decision making. It pursues three objectives:
(i) To establish an indicator system for comprehensive decision-making on economic planning and environmental protection;
(ii) To establish an analysis model for comprehensive decision-making on economic planning and environmental protection;
(iii) To establish an assessment support system for comprehensive decision making on economic planning and environmental protection.
Result: Report with 40,000 words, which comprise of comprehensive index system, information system and analyzing model.
(6) The guarantee mechanism for the comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development.
This research involves three sets of analysis:
(i) economic policies on economic planning, finance, taxation, industrial development, regional development;
(ii) administrative laws and regulations: and
(iii) public participation.
Results: Report with 30,000 words.
(7) The measures to implement comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development.
This research will deliver the major deliverable policies and measures for the implementation of comprehensive decision making.
Result: Report with 30,000 words.
(8) Demonstration on comprehensive decision-making mechanism for economic planning and environmental protection in Huairou County.
The demonstration in Huairou County will focus on:
(i) Environmental impact assessment of Huairou County; the planning, goals and points of the comprehensive policy for environment and development in Huairou County.
(ii) To establish an institution to implement comprehensive policy for environment and development in Huairou County.
(iii) The relationship between the comprehensive policy for environment and development and the existing policies carrying out in Huairou County.
(iv) Comprehensive decision-making by cross-sectors and public participation.
(v) Training and communication among the government departments and interest groups.
(vi) Monitoring and assessments of the demonstration on comprehensive decision-making in Huairou.
Result: Report with 50,000 words.
(9) Demonstration on comprehensive decision-making mechanism for environment and development in Yangzhou City.
The demonstration in Yangzhou will focus on:
(i) Environmental impact assessment of Yangzhou City; the planning, goals, and points of the comprehensive policy for environment and development in Yangzhou City;
(ii) To establish an institution to implement comprehensive policy for environment and development in Yangzhou City;
(iii) The relationship between the comprehensive policy for environment and development and the existing policies carried out in Yangzhou City;
(iv) Comprehensive decision-making by cross-sectors and public participation;
(v) Training and communication among the government departments and interest groups;
(vi) Monitoring and assessment of the demonstration on comprehensive decision-ma king in Yangzhou City.
Result: Report with 50,000 words.
(10) Demonstration on comprehensive decision-making mechanism for economic planning and environmental protection in Zhuhai City.
The demonstration in Zhuhai will focus on:
(i) Environmental impact assessment of Zhuhai City; the planning, goals and points of the comprehensive policy for environment and development in Zhuhai City;
(ii) To establish a institution to implement comprehensive policy for environment and development in Zhuhai City;
(iii) The relationship between the comprehensive policy for environment and development and the existing policies carrying out in Zhuhai;
(iv) Comprehensive decision-making by cross-sectors and public participation;
(v) Training and communication among the demonstration on comprehensive decision making in Zhuhai.
Results; Report with 50,000 words.
(11) Demonstration on comprehensive decision-making mechanism for economic planning and environmental protection in the Guangzhou part of the Zhujiang River.
The demonstration will focus on:
(i) Environmental impact assessment of Guangzhou part of Zhujiang River as well as the planning, goals and points of the comprehensive policy for environment and development in this part;
(ii) To establish a institution to implement comprehensive policy for environment and development in this part;
(iii) The relationship between the comprehensive policy for environment and development and the existing policies carrying out in this part;
(iv) Comprehensive decision making by cross-sectors and public participation;
(v) Training and communication among the government departments and interest groups;
(vi) Monitoring and assessment of the demonstration on comprehensive decision-ma king in the Guangzhou part of the Zhujiang River.
Result; Report with 50,000 words.
4. TIMETABLE
The duration of this research project will be four years, from 1996 to the year 2000. The schedule of activities is as outlined below:
First Phase (Sept. 1996 to Aug. 1997): Organization of the subject group; design of the proposal; decision on the responsibilities of each member of the subject group.
Second Phase (Sept. 1997 to Aug. 1998): Outline and intermediate report of each subject report.
Third Phase (Sept. 1998 to Aug. 1999): All of the special topic reports and intermediate reports of the general topic are produced.
Fourth Phase (Sept. 1999 to Aug. 2000): Writing the general topic report.
Before August 2000: Completing the presentation of final research results.
5. BUDGET
The project will need approximately 5 million RMB yuan, among which 3.5 million yuan is required for the first three years and 1 million yuan for the fourth year.
The specific budget is as follows:
(1) Research investigation 400,000 RMB Yuan
(2) Equipment Purchase 300,000 RMB Yuan
(3) Data processing 300,000 RMB Yuan
(4) Materials 300,000 RMB Yuan
(5) Seminar and demonstration 1,100,000 RMB Yuan
(6) Expert consultation and service charge 400,000 RMB Yuan
(7) Foreign expert expense 1,400,000 RMB Yuan
(8) Other 300,000 RMB Yuan
(9) Total 4,500,000 RMB Yuan