Water Saving Policy Changes in China:Based on the Analysis of Policy Texts(1949-2022)
As a water-scarce country,China faces a growing contradiction between water supply and demand due to the continuous progress of new industrialization and urbanization.For a considerably long period in the future,this challenge may become even more pronounced.Water conservation is an inevitable requirement based on our national and water conditions,and is the fundamental solution to water scarcity,holding significance for the socialist modernization and sustainable development of the Chinese nation.The Central Committee of the Communist Party and the State Council highly prioritize water conservation efforts,having adopted a series of water-saving policies and measures to vigorously promote water conservation across society.The water conservation policy texts selected in this study are sourced from publicly available data and documents,adhering to the principles of authoritativeness,effectiveness,relevance,and uniqueness.The selection of policy texts underwent two steps.The initial search was conducted on Jan.12th,2023,through the official websites of China's central government departments and the Peking University Law Database.This search yielded a total of 174 water conservation policy texts promulgated at the national level from 1949 to 2022.To ensure that the policy texts were closely related to water conservation activities,each policy document was read carefully.Only those with high relevance,directly stipulating and reflecting specific water conservation measures,were retained.Policy texts that only expressed the government's attitude towards water conservation were excluded.Ultimately,143 policy texts were selected for this study.This paper employs a quantitative research methodology based on policy text analysis,using the Text Mining software TM6.0 to conduct a quantitative study of 143 water conservation policy documents from China spanning 1949 to 2022.It explores the historical trajectory and underlying logic of the evolution of China's water conservation policies,offering insights for the future development of such policies.The study finds that Chinese water conservation policies can be categorized into four stages:embryonic,initial,acceleration,and deepening periods.From 1949 to 1988,China's water conservation policy was in its embryonic stage,incorporating basic water-saving concepts,although lacking in systematic approaches,it laid the groundwork for subsequent policy development and refinement.During the initial stage from 1989 to 1996,the government strengthened investment and management in water conservation,formally established the ownership and rights to water resources,and introduced legal order,marking a steady progress in water conservation policies.From 1997 to 2013,the scope of water conservation policies was continuously expanded,and there was a significant increase in quantity and types,with a focus on water use efficiency and quality standards,entering an accelerated development period.In the period from 2014 to 2022,water conservation policies entered the deepening stage;not only did the number of policies surge,but their goals and content were also more aligned with the concept of ecological civilization.Gradually,a systematic water conservation policy system formed,integrating water education,water-saving technological operations,and innovations of various water-saving institutional mechanisms.Reviewing the evolution of China's water conservation policies,the focus has shifted from urban water saving to comprehensive systematic water conservation,from prioritizing water quantity to improving water use efficiency,and ultimately to green water conservation strategies.The policy values have transitioned from equal emphasis on both expanding sources and reducing expenses to prioritizing water conservation in water resource management strategies.Moving forward,there should be active improvement in institutional construction,with attention paid to evaluating the effectiveness of water conservation policies.It is necessary to further specify and quantify evaluation indicators to enhance the effectiveness of water conservation policies.
国家科技期刊平台
NSTL
万方数据
