Opportunities of Knowledge and Technology Exchange between China and Europe to Solve Common Groundwater Management Problems Related to Agriculture
文献类型： 外文期刊
第一作者： Wilko, Schweers
作者： Wilko, Schweers
作者机构：
关键词： water scarcity;nitrate;pesticides;uranium;groundwater monitoring
期刊名称：PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ASIAN-EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
ISSN：
年卷期： 2008 年
页码：
收录情况： SCI
摘要： Water resources are crucial to agricultural production in both China and the European Community. The EU is more endowed in this respect than China, but the impact of climate change is gradually felt also in Europe, particularly in the Mediterranean countries, where water scarcity and drought are featuring more prominently. To counter this, the EU is elaborating a holistic strategy across the sectors including better land use planning and water savings in agriculture and public water supply. On a per capita basis, China has less arable land and water resources, which is compensated by successfully supporting research and development in agricultural sciences. Intensive use of agricultural inputs including water for irrigation is another consequence. Especially in parts of North China, where fertile land coincides with less rainfall and dense populations, this entails negative impacts on groundwater resources in terms of quantity and quality. The EU also has such problems, for example nitrate pollution under intensive crops or in areas with industrial-type animal production. However, despite existing difficulties, some of its member countries can be considered to be ahead of China in terms of implementing a good regulatory framework on the ground. This is done in cooperation with farmers for example in water supply catchments, but also in the form of preventive care for groundwater resources in other agriculturally used areas. While such approaches cannot be directly transferred to China, which has millions of comparatively poor farmers with tiny holdings, some elements are certainly worth consideration. Selected challenges to groundwater from agricultural activities in China and the EU are described, including nitrate pollution, pesticides, and uranium contained in fertilizers. Groundwater monitoring is recognized as a top priority to identify over-exploitation and pollution, and to support decisions for better groundwater management and policy development. Both China and the EU are facing challenges of extending and upgrading the monitoring networks, and increasing their efficiencies. It is recommended that this could be done more effectively through exchange of knowledge and technologies in the context of mutually beneficial longer-term cooperation arrangements encompassing public institutions and industries.
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