Chongqing Might Cooperate with Dutch on Water Protection

Chongqing-On September 24^th, the Exchange and Communication Meeting on Water Protection was held at Dutch Consulate General in Chongqing. Huub Buise, Consul General of Dutch Consulate General in Chongqing, Zhao Xunyun, Deputy Secretary-General of Chongqing Environment Protection Industry Association, Yu Jianfeng, Founder of Public River Protection Culture Center, other relevant representatives and media attended the meeting.

Mr. Huub Buise introduced water protection strategies and practices in the Netherlands. According to the introduction, the Dutch Government had set objectives of achieving a circular economy by 2050 and a 50% reduction in the use of raw materials by 2030. To fulfill these objectives, the Netherlands has adopted advanced technology and innovative ways to reduce resources, extend product life, recycle waste and reuse, and so forth. With limited space, water management is critical to the Netherlands. Mr. Huub Buise shared three typical cases in the Netherlands about solutions to plastic pollution on waters, floods, and eco-agriculture. For example, the Netherlands applied solar-powered Interceptors in cleaning up plastic wastes on rivers; the 'Room for the River Program' has been applied in the Dutch delta to control flooding; a circularity in agricultural production that achieves high yields while making economical use of raw materials and energy and minimizing the impact on nature, environment, and climate.

After hearing Mr. Huub Buise's comments, Mr. Zhao and Mr. Yu discussed the general situation of river resources, protections, relevant protection policies, environment educations, and volunteer works in Chongqing. After the Three Gorges Dam was built, Chongqing, located at the upper reach of the Dam, holds 80% of its water. Mr. Zhao said after years of pollution treatment, the water quality of the mainstreams of the Yangtze River and Jialing River had been improved by a large margin, but there is still pollution in tributaries. In his opinion, the pollution treatments and floods control in the Netherlands are inspiring. Chongqing and the Netherlands can cooperate in fields like cleaning up water-surface pollutions and fertilized water treatment. Meanwhile, Chongqing can learn from the experience of the circular agriculture practice in the Netherlands to increase yields while decreasing waste, developing a sustainable eco-agriculture, and boosting rural revitalization.