A green eco-environment for sustainable development: framework and action

Abstract

Following its 40-year reform and ‘Open Door’ policy, China has recently proposed a new approach to green development and rural revitalization—the idea of Agriculture Green Development (AGD), with the key feature of creating a green eco-environment. In this mini-review we introduce the definition, theory, framework and major components of a green eco-environment as a key part of the AGD. We define a green eco-environment as including four key elements or measures: (1) a green eco-environmental indicator system; (2) environmental monitoring and warning networks; (3) emission standards and environmental thresholds for key pollutants; (4) emission controls and pollution remediation technologies. We have used Quzhou County (a typical county in the center of the North China Plain) as an example to show how detailed air, water and soil monitoring networks, as well as improved farmer practices and pollution control measures (especially ammonia emission mitigation and PM_2.5 pollution reduction), can begin to create a green eco-environment in China and that AGD is possible. We conclude by stressing the need to improve the framework and practice for a green eco-environment, especially the importance of linking proposals and practices for a green eco-environment with the United Nations high priority Sustainable Development Goals.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

monitoring networks / environmental thresholds / ammonia emission mitigation / green ecological environment / Quzhou County

References

[1] Rockström J, Williams J, Daily G, Noble A, Matthews N, Gordon L, Wetterstrand H, DeClerck F, Shah M, Steduto P, de Fraiture C, Hatibu N, Unver O, Bird J, Sibanda L, Smith J. Sustainable intensification of agriculture for human prosperity and global sustainability. Ambio, 2017, 46(1): 4–17

[2] Liu J, Diamond J. China’s environment in a globalizing world. Nature, 2005, 435(7046): 1179–1186

[3] Jiao X, Lyu Y, Wu X, Li H, Cheng L, Zhang C, Yuan L, Jiang R, Jiang B, Rengel Z, Zhang F, Davies W J, Shen J. Grain production versus resource and environmental costs: towards increasing sustainability of nutrient use in China. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2016, 67(17): 4935–4949

[4] Huang R J, Zhang Y, Bozzetti C, Ho K F, Cao J J, Han Y, Daellenbach K R, Slowik J G, Platt S M, Canonaco F, Zotter P, Wolf R, Pieber S M, Bruns E A, Crippa M, Ciarelli G, Piazzalunga A, Schwikowski M, Abbaszade G, Schnelle-Kreis J, Zimmermann R, An Z, Szidat S, Baltensperger U, Haddad I E, Prévôt A S. High secondary aerosol contribution to particulate pollution during haze events in China. Nature, 2014, 514(7521): 218–222

[5] Liu X J, Xu W, Duan L, Du E Z, Pan Y P, Lu X K, Zhang L, Wu Z Y, Wang X M, Zhang Y, Shen J, Song L, Feng Z, Liu X, Song W, Tang A, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Collett J L. Atmospheric nitrogen emission, deposition, and air quality impacts in China: an overview. Current Pollution Reports, 2017, 3(2): 65–77

[6] Liu X, Zhang Y, Han W, Tang A, Shen J, Cui Z, Vitousek P, Erisman J W, Goulding K, Christie P, Fangmeier A, Zhang F. Enhanced nitrogen deposition over China. Nature, 2013, 494(7438): 459–462

[7] Guo J H, Liu X J, Zhang Y, Shen J L, Han W X, Zhang W F, Christie P, Goulding K W, Vitousek P M, Zhang F S. Significant acidification in major Chinese croplands. Science, 2010, 327(5968): 1008–1010

[8] Yu C, Huang X, Chen H, Godfray H C J, Wright J S, Hall J W, Gong P, Ni S, Qiao S, Huang G, Xiao Y, Zhang J, Feng Z, Ju X, Ciais P, Stenseth N C, Hessen D O, Sun Z, Yu L, Cai W, Fu H, Huang X, Zhang C, Liu H, Taylor J. Managing nitrogen to restore water quality in China. Nature, 2019, 567(7749): 516–520

[9] Tait J, Morris D. Sustainable development of agricultural systems: competing objectives and critical limits. Futures, 2000, 32(3–4): 247–260

[10] Li Q Q, Yang A L, Wang Z H, Roelcke M, Chen X P, Zhang F S, Pasda G, Zerulla W, Wissemeier A H, Liu X J. Effect of a new urease inhibitor on ammonia volatilization and nitrogen utilization in wheat in north and northwest China. Field Crops Research, 2015, 175: 96–105

[11] Zhang W, Cao G, Li X, Zhang H, Wang C, Liu Q, Chen X, Cui Z, Shen J, Jiang R, Mi G, Miao Y, Zhang F, Dou Z. Closing yield gaps in China by empowering smallholder farmers. Nature, 2016, 537(7622): 671–674

[12] Rigby D, Woodhouse P, Young T, Burton M. Constructing a farm level indicator of sustainable agricultural practice. Ecological Economics, 2001, 39(3): 463–478

[13] Xu W, Luo X S, Pan Y P, Zhang L, Tang A H, Shen J L, Zhang Y, Li K H, Wu Q H, Yang D W, Zhang Y Y, Xue J, Li W Q, Li Q Q, Tang L, Lu S H, Liang T, Tong Y A, Liu P, Zhang Q, Xiong Z Q, Shi X J, Wu L H, Shi W Q, Tian K, Zhong X H, Shi K, Tang Q Y, Zhang L J, Huang J L, He C E, Kuang F H, Zhu B, Liu H, Jin X, Xin Y J, Shi X K, Du E Z, Dore A J, Tang S, Collett J L Jr, Goulding K, Sun Y X, Ren J, Zhang F S, Liu X J. Quantifying atmospheric nitrogen deposition through a nationwide monitoring network across China. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2015, 15(21): 12345– 12360

[14] Xu W, Liu L, Cheng M M, Zhao Y H, Zhang L, Pan Y P, Zhang X M, Gu B J, Li Y, Zhang X Y, Shen J, Lu L, Luo X, Zhao Y, Feng Z, Collett J L Jr, Zhang F, Liu X. Spatial–temporal patterns of inorganic nitrogen air concentrations and deposition in eastern China. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2018, 18(15): 10931–10954

[15] Liu X, Duan L, Mo J, Du E, Shen J, Lu X, Zhang Y, Zhou X, He C, Zhang F. Nitrogen deposition and its ecological impact in China: an overview. Environmental Pollution, 2011, 159(10): 2251–2264

[16] Pan Y, Tian S, Zhao Y, Zhang L, Zhu X, Gao J, Huang W, Zhou Y, Song Y, Zhang Q, Wang Y. Identifying ammonia hotspots in China using a national observation network. Environmental Science & Technology, 2018, 52(7): 3926–3934

[17] Puchalski M A, Rogers C M, Baumgardner R, Mishoe K P, Price G, Smith M J, Watkins N, Lehmann C M. A statistical comparison of active and passive ammonia measurements collected at Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) sites. Environmental Science. Processes & Impacts, 2015, 17(2): 358–369

[18] de Vries W, Kros J, Kroeze C, Seitzinger S P. Assessing planetary and regional nitrogen boundaries related to food security and adverse environmental impacts. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 2013, 5(3–4): 392–402

[19] Dao H, Peduzzi P, Friot D. National environmental limits and footprints based on the Planetary Boundaries framework: the case of Switzerland. Global Environmental Change, 2018, 52: 49–57

[20] Rockström J, Steffen W, Noone K, Persson A, Chapin F S 3rd, Lambin E F, Lenton T M, Scheffer M, Folke C, Schellnhuber H J, Nykvist B, de Wit C A, Hughes T, van der Leeuw S, Rodhe H, Sörlin S, Snyder P K, Costanza R, Svedin U, Falkenmark M, Karlberg L, Corell R W, Fabry V J, Hansen J, Walker B, Liverman D, Richardson K, Crutzen P, Foley J A. A safe operating space for humanity. Nature, 2009, 461(7263): 472–475

[21] Springmann M, Clark M, Mason-D’Croz D, Wiebe K, Bodirsky B L, Lassaletta L, de Vries W, Vermeulen S J, Herrero M, Carlson K M, Jonell M, Troell M, DeClerck F, Gordon L J, Zurayk R, Scarborough P, Rayner M, Loken B, Fanzo J, Godfray H C J, Tilman D, Rockström J, Willett W. Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits. Nature, 2018, 562(7728): 519–525

[22] Beach R H, Creason J, Ohrel S B, Ragnauth S, Ogle S, Li C S, Ingraham P, Salas W. Global mitigation potential and costs of reducing agricultural non-CO₂ greenhouse gas emissions through 2030. Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences, 2015, 12(sup1): 87–105

[23] Pan B B, Lam S K, Mosier A, Luo Y Q, Chen D L. Ammonia volatilization from synthetic fertilizers and its mitigation strategies: a global synthesis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2016, 232: 283–289

[24] Li Q, Cui X, Liu X, Roelcke M, Pasda G, Zerulla W, Wissemeier A H, Chen X, Goulding K, Zhang F. A new urease-inhibiting formulation decreases ammonia volatilization and improves maize nitrogen utilization in North China Plain. Scientific Reports, 2017, 7(1): 43853

[25] Hou Y, Velthof G L, Oenema O. Mitigation of ammonia, nitrous oxide and methane emissions from manure management chains: a meta-analysis and integrated assessment. Global Change Biology, 2015, 21(3): 1293–1312

[26] Fenner K, Canonica S, Wackett L P, Elsner M. Evaluating pesticide degradation in the environment: blind spots and emerging opportunities. Science, 2013, 341(6147): 752–758

[27] Risco C, Rodrigo S, López-Vizcaíno R, Yustres A, Sáez C, Cañizares P, Navarro V, Rodrigo M A. Electrochemically assisted fences for the electroremediation of soils polluted with 2,4-D: a case study in a pilot plant. Separation and Purification Technology, 2015, 156: 234–241

[28] Risco C, Rodrigo S, López-Vizcaíno R, Sáez C, Villaseñor J, Navarro V, Cañizares P, Rodrigo M A. Electrokinetic remediation of soils polluted with pesticides: flushing and fence technologies, in Geo-Chicago. In: Yesiller N, Zekkos D, Farid A, De A, Reddy K R, eds. Geotechnical Special Publication, 2016, 203–212

[29] Kumar S, Kaushik G, Dar M A, Nimesh S, Lopez-Chuken U J, Villarreal-Chiu J F. Microbial degradation of organophosphate pesticides: a review. Pedosphere, 2018, 28(2): 190–208

[30] Xu W, Wu Q, Liu X, Tang A, Dore A J, Heal M R. Characteristics of ammonia, acid gases, and PM_2.5 for three typical land-use types in the North China Plain. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 2016, 23(2): 1158–1172

[31] Lv T T. Inorganic nitrogen (N) accumulation and measures of nitrogen reduction in cropland of Quzhou County. Dissertation for the Master’ Degree. Beijing: China Agricultural University, 2019, (in Chinese with English Abstract)

[32] Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (MEE). Action plan for tackling agricultural and rural pollution control. Available at MEE website on April 3, 2019 (in Chinese)

[33] Chien S H, Prochnow L I, Cantarella H. Recent developments of fertilizer production and use to improve nutrient efficiency and minimize environmental impacts. Advances in Agronomy, 2009, 102: 267–322

[34] Huang S, Lv W S, Bloszies S, Shi Q H, Pan X H, Zeng Y J. Effects of fertilizer management practices on yield-scaled ammonia emissions from croplands in China: a meta-analysis. Field Crops Research, 2016, 192: 118–125

[35] Handan Ecology and Environment Bureau (HEEB). Handan Environmental Quality Bulletin. Available at HEEB website on November 22, 2019 (in Chinese)

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41425007, 41705130), Beijing Advanced Discipline, the Ten-thousand Talent Program and the Sino-UK Virtual Centre for Nitrogen Agronomy (CINAg). We would like to thank to Profs. Oene Onema, Jianbo Shen, and Dr. Tianxiang Hao at China Agricultural University and other Institutions who gave suggestions or comments on this paper.

Compliance with ethics guidelines

Xuejun Liu, Wen Xu, Zhipeng Sha, Yangyang Zhang, Zhang Wen, Jingxia Wang, Fusuo Zhang, and Keith Goulding declare that they have no conflicts of interest or financial conflicts to disclose.

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s) 2019. Published by Higher Education Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)