I. Significance of Correlation between economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet

1. General Significance of Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment

Conditions of eco-environment relate to the effective space for life and development of human beings and form an indispensable natural base for economic development; to the cost of economic development; and to the ways and effects of social development, i.e., to whether the society is developed in a harmonious way.

Correlation between economic development and eco-environment also represents impact of economic development on eco-environment. Industrial structure, growth rate, etc. all have great influence on eco-environment. Especially, the consumption of natural resources and the loads on eco-environment caused by from economic development will have direct impact on the quality of eco-environment. Resource-saving, environment-friendly and eco-conservatory industries and their development are conducive to a good, sustainable and harmonious correlation between economic development and eco-environment.

2. Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet Relates to Eco-safety of China and Asia

Tibet is in a significant position in eco-environment of China and Asia. Tibet is the main body of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which features in extremely cold and oxygen deficiency. The eco-systems and eco-environment are diverse but fragile. The diversity in the ecosystems of Tibet is well known. There are seven types of eco-systems forest, shrub, grassy marshland, grassland, desert, alpine vegetation and farmland.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau including Tibet is the source of many rivers of China and Asia, which has great impact on the climate in both China and South Asia and on the water resources safety. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the bank of biological variety and highland species. The ecosystem in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau relates to the territorial security and effective space. Obviously, economic development relates to the eco-environment in Tibet, China and Asia at large.

3. Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet Relates Closely to The Sustainability of Its Economy

The sensibility of the eco-environment in Tibet and its impact on the social and economic development are obvious. Because of the sensibility and fragility of the eco-environment in Tibet, human activities, such as economic activity, will have obvious, sensitive even irreversible influences on it. Activities like production, consumption, trade, etc. require input and output of substance and energy from and into eco-environment, which will result in loads on environment, in possession and consumption of natural resources. These activities, if carried out within certain limit, will not bring obvious or irreversible effect on eco-environment and natural resources. Beyond the limit, it will lead to obvious even irreversible aftermath on eco-environment, which will further impose forceful restrictions on economic development. So, economic development relates not only to the eco-environment in Tibet, but also to the sustainability of economy there.

II. Identification of the Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet

1. General Correlations between Economic Development and Eco-environment and Their Influencing Factors

These general correlations can be divided into three types.

Competitiveness or contradiction means the ever-changing contradictions between economic development and eco-environment. It will be especially obvious if the industrial structure or the overall arrangement of industries is improper. The relation between environment-polluting, eco-environment-destroying industries and the eco-environment is contradictory or even irreconcilable. While the relation between energy-consuming industries and the eco-environment, depending on the environment of the industry and its effect on the environment, if managed properly, may also be rather harmonious.

Mutual assistance, which means that the economic development and eco-environment supplement each other the former improves the status of the latter and the latter accelerates the former. This is an ideal and critical correlation and is the orientation worth our encouraging.

Complementarily, which means the inseparability and interweaving between economic development and eco-environment This relation often arises from the fields such as energy-consuming, environment protection and ecological industries, where the industrial development is interdependent on environment improvement. This is the true sense of the favorable combination of economic development and environment improvement.

There are many factors influencing economic development and they are very complicated. From the point of category, the main factors are resources, environment, ecology, economy, society, culture, time etc. The relevant significance of these factors varies in light of regional differences, but is mainly dependent on the shortage factor of a specific region. Besides, in light of the characters of the influence, the factors that affect economic development and eco-environment can be divided into three types active, passive and uncertain. Active factors are helpful to the establishment of a harmonious and sustainable correlation between economic development and eco-environment; passive factors are unfavorable to the correlation; and the influence of uncertain factors is dependent on time and decision-making.

2. Factors Influencing the Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet

To Tibet, factors like resources, environment, ecology, economy, society, culture, etc. are all very important.

Transportation is the most important linear factor. At present, the launching and operation of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the most important positive factor, especially for the building of a new and favorable correlation between economic development and eco-environment. The operation of the railway will greatly improve the accessibility of Tibet and is helpful to the establishment of the harmonious and sustainable correlation in the following respects

It can promote exchanges between agricultural and stock breeding products, reduce the acreage unsuitable for crops and relieve the pressure on farmland;

We should encourage the consumption of modern energy, replace biological energy and reduce forest cutting to relieve the pressure on eco-environment;

We should promote industrial congregation and innovation to improve its arrangement and competitiveness.

We should speed up urbanization for the convenience of the central decontamination of city waste water and city refuse. Of course, the improvement of traffic facilities will bring more tourists and investments, but this will, to some extent, bring pressures on eco-environment, too. So long as we implement strict regulations, the negative effect thus caused will be minimized.

3. Current Situation of the Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet

First, remarkable achievements have been and are being made in Tibet in the protection and improvement of eco-environment.

The primary environment protection framework has been established. Tibet Autonomous Region Bureau of Environmental Protection and seven municipal bureaus of environmental protection have been set up.

Environmental protection system has been established and improved. During the period of the 10b Five-year Plan, modifications of Ordnance on Environmental Protection of TAR were made and seven local laws or regulations were promulgated on protection of resources and environment.

Programs for ecological and environment improvement have been formulated and implemented. The programs include Plan of Eco-environment Development of TAR, Survey on Current Situation of Eco-environment of TAR, Report on Ecological Function Zoning of TAR, and the databank of current situation of eco-environment of TAR

Great progress has been made in various activities for the development of forest eco-system, programs such as natural forest protection, converting cropland to forest, forestation, sand prevention and control and the central government subsidy program for eco-efficiency of forest have been implemented; for the development of agriculture eco-system, farmlands below average yields have been further improved; for the development of grassland eco-system, grassland management, development and degradation control have been strengthened and planted grassland developed; for soil and water preservation and flood prevention, programs such as monitoring network and comprehensive control for water and soil losses, eco-recovery, drinking water projects for human and livestock, flood prevention and geological disaster prevention have been implemented.

Second, the eco-environment in Tibet is confronted with quite some problems.

Grassland degradation. Its manifestations are the structural destruction of ecological groups, increase of poisonous and harmful grasses, drop in grass production, deterioration of the physical and chemical properties of grassland, the increased acreage of grassland degradation (from 17.2% in the 1990's to the 51.6% in 2005), decline of the ecological functions of grassland in atmosphere content modulation, climate modulation, water and soil modulation, physical production and species protection;

Serious desertification of land. The desertification of land is scattered in different regions of Tibet, especially in the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley;

Serious water and soil losses;

Serious and frequent geological disasters like debris flow, collapse and landslide, etc;

Serious climatic and meteorological disasters. Still three are frequent flood, draught, sandstorm and snow disasters.

Other problems. Such as the coherence in the process of approval, establishment and management of natural protection areas, the disposal of the contradiction between the protection and development of ecologically sensitive areas, the difficulties and heavy burden of environment protection, the improvement of ecological compensation mechanism, etc.

Third, remarkable progress has been achieved in economic development in Tibet, which shows that the self-development ability of Tibet is gradually improving. Especially during the period of the10t' Five-year Plan, annual growth rate of GDP in Tibet was over 10%, the highest continuous growth rate in history. The GDP per capita increased from RMB471 in 1980, RMB1,276 in 1990, RMB4,559 in 2000 to almost RMB 8,000 in 2005 and net income per capita of farmers and herdsmen amounts to almost RM132,000 (the number was RMB1,861 and 2,075 in 2004 and 2005 respectively). Obvious changes have taken place in industrial structures. In the early 1980's the structure was in the order of the first industry, second industry and third industry according to their economic gross. During the following 16 years (1981-1996), the order was changed to the first industry, third industry and second industry. During the period from 1997 to 2002, the order shifted to the third industry, first industry and second industry. Since 2003, the industrial structure has improved to the order of the third, second and first-industries.

Last but not the least, efforts have been made to focus on the correlation between economic development and eco-environment and various measures have been taken. In the selection and arrangement of industries, their ecological effects are taken into consideration. The focus is on industries without or with minor pollutions and those that are of plateau and local ethnic features. Measures against environment pollutions caused by industrial development are underway.

III. Guidelines for Improving the Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet

1. Eco-safety is the Precondition

In light of the utmost importance, sensibility and fragility of the eco-environment in Tibet, handling of the correlation between economic development and eco-environment calls for national eco-safety as the precondition. Measures must be taken to guarantee that the structures, functions and efficacy of various kinds of ecosystems are not destroyed; that the eco-environment of the source of rivers is not destroyed; that the variety and security of the local animals and plants are intact. Without favorable eco-environment, there will be no sustainable development in Tibet and the national eco-safety will be threatened.

2. Build a Harmonious Society in An Eco-friendly Way

Pay attention to harmony between cultural system and the ecosystem, thus to improve the correlation between the economic development and eco-environment requires and build a harmonious society in an eco-friendly way.

3. Develop Regional Economy

Development of regional economy is the foundation for eco-environment protection. We shall find the match point between eco-environment protection and economic development so as to realize a true sustainable development in Tibet.

4. Ensure National Resource Safety

Tibet has a vast land and rich and unique resources. Some resource types have extremely important position to guarantee national resource safety. However, the development and utilization of the mineral resources, hydraulic power and biological resources used to have negative effects on eco-environment, which requires us to take cautious and reliable measures. The development of Tibetan economy and toe protection and improvement of eco-environment should be orientated for the guarantee of national resources safety. At the same time, necessary supports from the Central Government should be available for the cultivating of a harmonious correlation between economic development and eco-environment in Tibet.

IV Key to Build a New Harmonious Correlation between Economic Development and Eco-environment in Tibet

1. Formulating the Industrial Development Plan Based on the Zoning for Eco-function.

Zoning for eco-function is more than planning of ecological resources; it is an important guide for industrial development, distribution of population, transportation layout, exploitation of resources, etc. In order to build a sustainable and harmonious correlation between eco-environment and economic development, programs for industrial development, especially industrial arrangement, are to be made based on functional ecological zoning. Besides, unceasing efforts should be made on the evaluation of the effects on eco-environment. The guideline is that any activity, business or project that fails to pass the evaluation will be closed or excluded.

2. Stick to the Match Point between Eco-environment and Economic Development

We should try to seek and keep the match point between eco-environment and social and economic development in order to achieve a favorable match of environment improvement and the development of society and economy. We should see to that efforts are made on the building of a favorable ecosystem with environment-friendly industries, townships and society.

The match points between eco-environment and economic development are mainly on the selection of industries. The industrial structure should be resource-saving, environment-friendly and eco-conservatory and we shall endeavor to develop agricultural and husbandry industries, tourism, mineral resource refinery and Tibetan medicine industry with plateau and local ethnic characteristics. First, the industrial structure in the agricultural and stockbreeding regions should be adjusted and upgrade their products with local characteristics. We should strive for the fast development of local agricultural and stockbreeding industries and try to increase the incomes of farmers and herdsmen. Second, we should make full use of the historical opportunities brought by the operation of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. We should make full use of the advantages such as the unique natural and humanistic tourism resources and speed up the development of tourism in Tibet. Taking the precondition of environmental carrying capacity into consideration, we will make tourism the pillar industry in Tibet within 5 to 8 years. Third, the development of mineral resources in Tibet will be focused on those that are our advantage and are small in reserve. Environment protection should be under way during the process. Forth, investigations and evaluations should be made on the species related to the production of Tibetan medicines. Together with the structural adjustment of planting industry, we should set up medicine material planting and breeding and production bases. The operation shall be modern and standardized. Reforms on its production, marketing and management shall be made according to relevant management and quality requirement.

3. Focus on Issues like Energy Structure, Urbanization Process and Related Environmental Problems

The basic pattern of the production and consumption of energy in Tibet is the co-existence of modern conventional energy and traditional biological energy. Thus the direction of energy exploitation and development is hydraulic resources exploitation and the replacement of low-heat-output biological energy with high-heat-output fossil energy. The development and application of new energies such as solar power and wind power will be carried out in remote villages and pasturing areas.

The urbanization should be planed in an all-round way. We should take factors like industrial development, transfer of surplus laborers, urban environmental carrying capacity and styles of construction into consideration. We should attach great importance to the employment of local farmers and herdsmen and provide jobs to surplus laborers from them. Administration on floating population should be strengthened and certain arrangement should be made for the transfer of local farmers and herdsmen to be employed in townships.

4. Appropriate Dimension Should Be Weighed

In light of the sensibility, fragility and importance of the eco-environment, the concept of dimension has a special significance in the building of the correlation between economic development and eco-environment in Tibet. The first dimension goes to the environmental carrying capacity; the second goes to the status of ecosystem and the third goes to the situation of resources.

5. We Should Attach Importance to the Factor of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and Raise One Threshold Only Based on Reducing Two Thresholds

The direct effect brought by the operation of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is reducing of the physical threshold of transportation and psychological threshold of investors and tourists. More activities will be inevitably promoted and flow of people and goods will be increased and speed up, thus to promote economic and social development in Tibet.

With reducing of the physical threshold of transportation and psychological threshold of investors and tourists, the threshold of environment protection must be raised. The threshold of environment protection in Tibet should even be higher than that of hinterland provinces. Strict administration and improvement in regulations and bylaws should be carried out. Launching of any project should be rational and orderly and should be more strictly controlled than that in hinterland provinces; never pursue economic development with the cost of environment damage.

6. We Should Provide Supports in System, Technology and Projects to Build a Harmonious Correlation

The building of a harmonious and sustainable correlation between economic development and eco-environment requires both the guarantee in system and technical support. The two aspects are interdependent and neither can be neglected. Guarantee in system Based on the development plans of eco-environment and economy, the ideology to keep the balance between them should be stressed and a development plan (compendium) for eco-environment and economy in Tibet will be promulgated. According to the state laws and regulations and the present situation in Tibet, local laws and regulations, including policies of encouragement and restrictions and guiding policies, can be made for the benefit of economic development and a harmonious eco-environment.

Technical support Inspection and supervision networks for eco-environment should be established for stronger supervision. Technologies for the experiment and pilot projects and technical extension should be enhanced against grassland degradation. More efforts should be made on the research, experiment, pilot project and extension of technologies and on equipment for the biological energy replacement, including solar energy and coal stoves. More efforts shall be made on technologies and facilities of urban environment administration, such as the experiment, pilot project, construction of central decontamination of city waste water and city refuse, etc.

Gu Shuzhong, Senior Researcher of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Oct. 11, 2006