IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v148y2021ics1364032121006195.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

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

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Zongxing, Li & Qi, Feng & Zongjie, Li & Xufeng, Wang & Juan, Gui & Baijuan, Zhang & Yuchen, Li & Xiaohong, Deng & Jian, Xue & Wende, Gao & Anle, Yang & Fusen, Nan & Pengfei, Liang, 2021. "Reversing conflict between humans and the environment - The experience in the Qilian Mountains," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:148:y:2021:i:c:s1364032121006195
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111333
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121006195
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111333?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Camille Parmesan & Gary Yohe, 2003. "A globally coherent fingerprint of climate change impacts across natural systems," Nature, Nature, vol. 421(6918), pages 37-42, January.
    2. R. B. Myneni & C. D. Keeling & C. J. Tucker & G. Asrar & R. R. Nemani, 1997. "Increased plant growth in the northern high latitudes from 1981 to 1991," Nature, Nature, vol. 386(6626), pages 698-702, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xiaofan Ma & Haifeng Zhang, 2023. "Land-Use/Land-Cover Change and Ecosystem Service Provision in Qinghai Province, China: From the Perspective of Five Ecological Function Zones," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, March.
    2. Jinghu Pan & Yimin Wang & Zhao Zhang, 2023. "Identification and Optimization of Ecological Network in Arid Inland River Basin Using MSPA and Spatial Syntax: A Case Study of Shule River Basin, NW China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Huanyu Xu & Hao Sun & Tian Zhang & Zhenheng Xu & Dan Wu & Ling Wu, 2023. "Remote Sensing Study on the Coupling Relationship between Regional Ecological Environment and Human Activities: A Case Study of Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    4. Peng, Benhong & Zhao, Yinyin & Elahi, Ehsan & Wan, Anxia, 2023. "Can third-party market cooperation solve the dilemma of emissions reduction? A case study of energy investment project conflict analysis in the context of carbon neutrality," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    5. Baifei Ren & Keunhyun Park & Anil Shrestha & Jun Yang & Melissa McHale & Weilan Bai & Guangyu Wang, 2022. "Impact of Human Disturbances on the Spatial Heterogeneity of Landscape Fragmentation in Qilian Mountain National Park, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-26, November.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ding, Yimin & Wang, Weiguang & Song, Ruiming & Shao, Quanxi & Jiao, Xiyun & Xing, Wanqiu, 2017. "Modeling spatial and temporal variability of the impact of climate change on rice irrigation water requirements in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 89-101.
    2. Zhang, Jiarui & Jørgensen, Sven E. & Lu, Jianjian & Nielsen, Søren N. & Wang, Qiang, 2014. "A model for the contribution of macrophyte-derived organic carbon in harvested tidal freshwater marshes to surrounding estuarine and oceanic ecosystems and its response to global warming," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 294(C), pages 105-116.
    3. Haoming Xia & Ainong Li & Gary Feng & Yang Li & Yaochen Qin & Guangbin Lei & Yaoping Cui, 2018. "The Effects of Asymmetric Diurnal Warming on Vegetation Growth of the Tibetan Plateau over the Past Three Decades," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-14, April.
    4. V. P. Khanduri & C. M. Sharma & S. P. Singh, 2008. "The effects of climate change on plant phenology," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 143-147, June.
    5. Keshav Paudel & Peter Andersen, 2013. "Response of rangeland vegetation to snow cover dynamics in Nepal Trans Himalaya," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 149-162, March.
    6. Richard Tol, 2011. "Regulating knowledge monopolies: the case of the IPCC," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 108(4), pages 827-839, October.
    7. Francesca Pilotto & Ingolf Kühn & Rita Adrian & Renate Alber & Audrey Alignier & Christopher Andrews & Jaana Bäck & Luc Barbaro & Deborah Beaumont & Natalie Beenaerts & Sue Benham & David S. Boukal & , 2020. "Meta-analysis of multidecadal biodiversity trends in Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Hao Wang & Guohua Liu & Zongshan Li & Xin Ye & Bojie Fu & Yihe Lü, 2017. "Analysis of the Driving Forces in Vegetation Variation in the Grain for Green Program Region, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-14, October.
    9. Fabina, Nicholas S. & Abbott, Karen C. & Gilman, R.Tucker, 2010. "Sensitivity of plant–pollinator–herbivore communities to changes in phenology," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 221(3), pages 453-458.
    10. A. Ogden & J. Innes, 2008. "Climate change adaptation and regional forest planning in southern Yukon, Canada," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 13(8), pages 833-861, October.
    11. Brandt, Laura A. & Benscoter, Allison M. & Harvey, Rebecca & Speroterra, Carolina & Bucklin, David & Romañach, Stephanie S. & Watling, James I. & Mazzotti, Frank J., 2017. "Comparison of climate envelope models developed using expert-selected variables versus statistical selection," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 345(C), pages 10-20.
    12. Prem B. Parajuli & Priyantha Jayakody & Ying Ouyang, 2018. "Evaluation of Using Remote Sensing Evapotranspiration Data in SWAT," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(3), pages 985-996, February.
    13. F. Nelson & O. Anisimov & N. Shiklomanov, 2002. "Climate Change and Hazard Zonation in the Circum-Arctic Permafrost Regions," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 26(3), pages 203-225, July.
    14. -, 2018. "Climate Change in Central America: Potential Impacts and Public Policy Options," Sede Subregional de la CEPAL en México (Estudios e Investigaciones) 39150, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    15. Debora Sotto & Arlindo Philippi & Tan Yigitcanlar & Md Kamruzzaman, 2019. "Aligning Urban Policy with Climate Action in the Global South: Are Brazilian Cities Considering Climate Emergency in Local Planning Practice?," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-31, September.
    16. Jilin Wu & Manhong Yang & Jinyou Zuo & Ningling Yin & Yimin Yang & Wenhai Xie & Shuiliang Liu, 2024. "Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Ecological Resilience in Ecologically Fragile Areas and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study of the Wuling Mountains Area, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-21, April.
    17. Annie Paradis & Joe Elkinton & Katharine Hayhoe & John Buonaccorsi, 2008. "Role of winter temperature and climate change on the survival and future range expansion of the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) in eastern North America," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 13(5), pages 541-554, June.
    18. A. Kosanic & S. Harrison & K. Anderson & I. Kavcic, 2014. "Present and historical climate variability in South West England," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 221-237, May.
    19. Avri Eitan, 2021. "Promoting Renewable Energy to Cope with Climate Change—Policy Discourse in Israel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-17, March.
    20. Zhang, Yixiao & He, Tao & Liang, Shunlin & Zhao, Zhongguo, 2023. "A framework for estimating actual evapotranspiration through spatial heterogeneity-based machine learning approaches," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:148:y:2021:i:c:s1364032121006195. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.