Water Stewardship in China

　　Water is the source of life, a key factor in development and the essence of a harmonious¹ ecosystem². With China's water environment deteriorating³, and growing competition for water resources causing more disputes, both authorities and NGOs are realizing the importance of Water Stewardship⁴, a sustainable water management mechanism⁵. Li Dong has the details.

 

　　At a lecture recently held by the World Wide Fund or WWF, Li Lifeng, the WWF's Freshwater department director emphasized that water consumption is making the world increasingly interconnected.

 

　　"For instance, I live in Switzerland, but the vegetable and fruits I eat come from other countries. If I want to maintain my current consumption status, I need to care about the origin of these agricultural products and the sustainability of the ecosystem of the region."

 

　　To better integrate the world's water resources, Li Lifeng is introducing the idea of Water Stewardship. Water Stewardship or WS engages relevant stakeholders in processes of mapping shared risks, enhancing tradeoffs to meet the respective interests of different companies, improving governmental administration and supporting water conservation efforts, in order to achieve a common ground of sustainability.

 

　　Since Water Stewardship was launched in China, the WWF has been working jointly⁷ with the government, businesses and other stakeholders to explore the way to guarantee the successful development of water stewardship.

 

　　According to the WWF, a complete working system has been established to reduce risks for the mutual⁸ benefit of different stakeholders, by integrating the actions of the Government, corporations, research institutions and other organizations in the Water Stewardship China Network.

 

　　By identifying the shared water risks as well as opportunities, Water Stewardship helps businesses, governments and other organizations work together to better manage water resources, through joint⁶ actions. Li Lifeng believes it may be worthwhile to trial an eco-compensation mechanism for the balance of resource usage and protection.

 

　　"When people at the upper streams of the river conduct actions which may affect the environment at the lower stream, the two parties need to work together. In some circumstances, people at the lower stream can provide some compensation to encourage people at the upper streams to protect the eco-environment while boosting their economy. Thus, the whole river can provide a sustainable ecosystem to serve people at both ends of the river."

 

　　Li Lifeng says the purpose of Water Stewardship is to ensure water resources and biodiversity are well conserved⁹ along the river, where people thrive in harmony with nature, and aquatic¹⁰ life can breed in clear water.

 

　　He says that currently, some enterprises are gradually realizing the importance of Water Stewardship and are taking action to achieve a higher level of water usage efficiency.

 

　　"Water Stewardship first encourages enterprises to participate, and then individuals. I know that Coca-Cola China announced that by 2020, their goal is to raise water usage efficiency by 25 percent. That's an ambitious plan. I hope more and more enterprises can join our team, because they will benefit from protecting the water environment."

 

　　Li Lifeng says that currently, the idea of Water Stewardship has gradually been accepted by local governments in China, and in some areas in Inner Mongolia, governments based in both the upper stream and lower streams of rivers are cooperating to maintain sustainable exploration of the water resources of the whole river. And similar trials are also being conduced in other places in China.

 

　　For CRI, I am Li Dong.

1 harmonious   

adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的

参考例句：

• Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。
• The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。

2 ecosystem   

n.生态系统

参考例句：

• This destroyed the ecosystem of the island.这样破坏了岛上的生态系统。
• We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的利益。

3 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

4 stewardship   

n. n. 管理工作；管事人的职位及职责

参考例句：

• The organization certainly prospered under his stewardship. 不可否认，这个组织在他的管理下兴旺了起来。
• Last, but certainly not least, are the issues of stewardship and ethics. 最后，但当然不是微不足道的，是工作和道德规范的问题。

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

8 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

9 conserved   

v.保护，保藏，保存( conserve的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He conserved his energy for the game. 他为比赛而养精蓄锐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Under these conditions, the total mechanical energy remains constant, or is conserved. 在这种条件下，总机械能保持不变或机械能保存。 来自辞典例句

10 aquatic   

adj.水生的，水栖的

参考例句：

• Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
• We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。