A national legislator and a political advisor at China's ongoing "two sessions" have called for stronger measures to protect the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake.

Despite positive strides made since the implementation of the Yangtze River Protection Law, there remain shortcomings in water pollution prevention and control, noted Pan Biling, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Pan Biling, a political advisor, a member of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and president of Xiangtan University, attends the annual meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, March 7, 2023. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Phosphoric acid is a major raw material for chemical fertilizers and fodders, and pollution from phosphor-related agricultural production took up 67% of the total in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, official data shows.

Pan pointed out that the Yangtze Basin comprises 24% of the total farmland in the country and generates over one-third of the country's grain output. However, the region faces considerable challenges related to the extensive use of chemical fertilizers, which are among the highest in the country. Additionally, the area is home to major livestock and poultry producers, primarily concentrated in Sichuan and Hunan provinces, further contributing to environmental challenges.

The heavy use of chemical fertilizers and the direct discharge of livestock and poultry waste into the river are the main reasons for the pollution of the Yangtze Basin, Pan noted.

Pan suggested speeding up the green transformation of agriculture, developing a circular agriculture system, and conducting monitoring and evaluation of agricultural pollution from non-point sources to address pollution.

Additionally, Pan emphasized the importance of government subsidy policies in encouraging farmers to use commercial organic fertilizers to reduce pollution.

Besides pollution, the protection of rivers and lakes in the Yangtze Basin has also been challenged by climate change-induced extreme weather, such as high temperatures and drought. 

Last July, high temperatures and heat waves scorched regions south of the Yangtze River, with more high-temperature days compared with the same period in previous years. Moreover, drought conditions triggered by sustained hot weather and low precipitation caused the country's largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake, to shrink by 75% compared to the previous year, data from local authorities showed.

Photo taken on April 9, 2022, shows a view of the Wushan section of the Yangtze River in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua] 

Deng Hui, a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), a member of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and president of Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, proposed at this year's meetings of the national legislature that the Poyang Lake environmental protection project be included in the Shan-Shui Initiative.

Launched in 2016, China's Shan-Shui Initiative has been recognized by the U.N. as a flagship project for restoring a range of ecosystems, including mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grassland and deserts.

Deng emphasized the vulnerability of Poyang Lake to the impacts of climate change, such as premature dry seasons, biodiversity loss and desertification.

These problems have already had a significant impact on the ecology of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which are key to the ecological security of the country.

Jiangxi province has plans to participate in the third batch of the Shan-Shui Initiative during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, with a focus on protecting the western and northern areas of Poyang Lake, according to Deng. 

These efforts are crucial to safeguarding the vital ecosystems of the Yangtze River and Poyang Lake and ensuring a sustainable future for China's economy and environment, Deng said.