China's South-to-North Water Diversion Scheme: The Geographical Distribution of Environmental and Socioeconomic Consequences

Abstract

In China, most resources are in the north, with the exception of water, which is predominantly in the south. Because of this unequal distribution of the resources, further economic development is restricted. In order to overcome this, China decided to execute a long distance water transfer project called the South-to-North Water Diversion Scheme, which will transfer water from the Yangtze River to the northern cities, especially, Beijing and Tianjin, which have been suffering from a severe water shortage problem. Because of its unprecedented scale, the scheme may destroy the natural environment, and has created a heated debate among professionals globally. Possible costs and benefits regarding the scheme are considered and organized into a hierarchy for the AHP analysis that is used to determine the motives and values that are consistent with the decision, and the decision to build the scheme.