 |
Environmentalism aside, at the people level, is this amount of displacement okay if it helps more people “downstream?” The government conceded that they had not done enough in aid for those who were forced to move, so what have they done? Should they make an attempt to do more for them now? What would happen if China decided to let the dam go, like many of the United States’ dams have been? The related stories of this article say that China “acknowledges dam ‘problems,’” are testing it, are “helpless in the face of floods,” and are facing increasing tolls as “landslides rise.” 
How do you clean up or maintain something that has been an environmental injustice since the get go. We talk about dams all the time (and I post about them all the time), and how they usually have a greater external impact than anticipated. But what do you do once a multibillion dollar, 360 mile-long piece of injustice has wiped out so much? How do you work to implement justice to millions of people who have not received their due share? Do you thing Mao would try this again—or would he hire a geologist who knew a little bit more about the expectations for the world’s largest dam, and would recognize the potential for landslides, floods, rock falls, and other disasters. Will this dam eventually cause so many problems at its 355 disaster-struck locations and 5,386 hazardous sites that nature shows China who is really in charge at the end of the day? If that happens, what happens to all those people affected?
I agree with the sentiments. This is a scary reality facing populations on the banks of the Three Gorges Dam. The fact that one hundred thousand people may be displaced leaves China with no small task to provide justice for these peoples by supporting funding and assisting their relocation. Surely the $40 billion construction process coupled with the current effects of the dam has had devastating environmental impacts on numerous ecosystems traversed by the 360 miles of sprawling hydro-electric snake. Some of the negative ecological consequences include habitat fragmentation and ecosystem disruption: I’ve read that 47 endangered species are situated in the Three Gorges Dam area. Two of China’s most beloved marine animals--the Chinese Sturgeon and the Chinese River Dolphin—made the list of threatened species. many fish populations have spawning patterns disrupted by the damn and this poses an economic burden for fishermen and a food shortage concern for these communities as well. Unfortunately, this is the largest dam in the world and is not going to disappear. The increases in rock-falls, landslides, and floods, describe the escalating environmental degradation of the banks surrounding the dam; the problem is likely worsening with climate change. If the communities situated there are physically endangered this leaves little alternative than to relocate. It is the responsibility of the government and serves the larger purpose of society and greater goals of humanity to ensure these displaced peoples are provided for throughout the relocation process. Also every effort should be made to lessen the negative enviromental impact of the dam.
ReplyDeleteThe Three Gorges Dam in China is, in my opinion, a man-made version of a natural disaster. While it's tragic when tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes displace thousands of people, it becomes an injustice when governments or other authorities knowingly displace them. In the case of the Three Gorges Dam, the Chinese government had a plan which they thought would serve their interests by increasing hydroelectric power among other benefits. However, the plan backfired since the dam has not only displaced thousands of Chinese citizens, but also decreased biodiversity and triggered landslides in the region.
ReplyDeleteIn order to rectify the situation, first the Chinese government must take responsibility for this catastrophe and support those of its people who've been affected. Right now some displaced people are receiving as little compensation as $7 per month. This trend must change on the principles of environmental justice. The government made a huge mistake in relocating such a large population, and now is the time to pay up. In this case, Mother Nature has proven that human action cannot alter the workings of our planet without serious consequences. Let this serve as an example to future generations to work with our environment instead of against it.