China’s drought disaster risk management: Perspective of severe droughts in 2009–2010

Abstract

China has been frequently and heavily affected by drought disasters. During 2009–2010, three large-scale severe droughts struck China, caused considerable social, economic, and ecological losses. These droughts showed significant regional differences. This study employs a two-stage transition framework comprising “entry” and “exit” transitions to discuss disaster risk management of drought in China, by taking the three droughts as comparative case studies. Chinese society’s response in the exit transition is examined and the underlying factors that enable the entry trigger are diagnosed. The policy responses that lead to the exit transition from these drought disasters were appropriate, but there is substantial room for improvement in management strategy regarding both entry and exit transitions. This article suggests that government policies should emphasize entry-prevention measures that reduce adverse impacts early in a drought episode rather than focus solely on improving performance in achieving a rapid exit transition from drought.

Keywords

China / disaster entry transition / disaster exit transition / drought disasters

References

[1] Area with Efficient Irrigation Facility in First-Level Water Resources DivisionsProvinces 2009. China Flood and Drought Management, 2008, 2009(S1): 201-202.

[2] Azariadis, C., and J. Stachurski. 2005. Poverty Traps. In Handbook of Economic Growth, edited by P. Aghion and S. N. Durlauf. Elsevier.

[3] China Daily. 2010a. Sugar Shares Sweeten on Drought. 24 March 2010. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-03/24/content_9633753.htm.

[4] —. 2010b. Drought Leaves Millions in Short of Food. 22 May 2010. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-05/22/content_9880812.htm.

[5] China Irrigation and Drainage Develop Center and Center for Rural Drinking Water Safety, Ministry of Water Resources. 2009. China Water-Efficient Irrigation Development Report 2008. http://www.jsgg.com.cn/Files/PictureDocument/20091201151820288254242791.doc (in Chinese).

[6] China National Climate Center. 2009a. China Drought & Flood Climate Bulletin 227 (in Chinese).

[7] —. 2009b. China Drought & Flood Climate Bulletin 242 (in Chinese).

[8] —. 2009–2010. National Drought Monitor. http://cmdp.ncc.cma.gov.cn/influ/dust.php (in Chinese).

[9] —. 2010. China Drought & Flood Climate Bulletin 250 (in Chinese).

[10] Costanza R., d’Arge R., de Groot R., Farber S., Grasso M., Hannon B., Limburg K., Naeem S., O’Neill R. V., Paruelo J., Raskin R. G., Sutton P., van den Belt M.. The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital. Nature, 1997, 387: 253-260 10.1038/387253a0

[11] CPG-PRC (The Central People’s Government of the People’s Repulic of China). 2006. State Emergency Response Scheme for Flood Control and Drought Relief. http://www.gov.cn/yjgl/2006-01/11/content_155475.htm (in Chinese).

[12] —. 2009. Drought Resistant Regulations of the People’s Republic of China. http://www.gov.cn/zwgk/2009-03/06/content_1252625.htm (in Chinese).

[13] —. 2011. Emergency Action Manual for Natural Disaster Relief of the MCA. http://www.mca.gov.cn/article/zwgk/fvfg/jzjj/201111/20111100191129.shtml (in Chinese).

[14] Cruz R. V., Harasawa H., Lal M., Wu S., Anokhin Y., Punsalmaa B., Honda Y., Jafari M., Li C., Huu Ninh N.. Canziani O. F., Parry M. L., Palutikof J. P., van der Linden P. J., Hanson C. E.. Asia. Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 469-506.

[15] Cummins, J. D., C. Lewis, and R. D. Phillips. 1995. Pricing Excess-of-Loss Reinsurance Contracts against Catastrophic Loss. Center for Research on Risk and Insurance, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. http://fic.wharton.upenn.edu/fic/papers/98/9809.pdf.

[16] EP-NDRCC (Expert Panel of National Disaster Reduction Committee of China). 2009a. Assessment and Response Proposal for North China Severe Drought and Its Impact. February 2009. Internal Report (in Chinese).

[17] —. 2009b. Northern China Drought Disaster Survey Report. September 2009. Internal Report (in Chinese).

[18] —. 2010. Yunnan Drought Disaster Survey Report. March 2010. Internal report (in Chinese).

[19] Helbing D., Kuhnert C.. Assessing Interaction Networks with Applications to Catastrophe Dynamics and Disaster Management. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, 2003, 328(3): 584-606 10.1016/S0378-4371(03)00519-3

[20] Ibarra H., Skees J.. Innovation in Risk Transfer for Natural Hazards Impacting Agriculture. Environmental Hazards, 2007, 7(1): 62-69 10.1016/j.envhaz.2007.04.008

[21] IHDP-IRG (Integrated Risk Governance Project, International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change). 2009. Integrated Risk Governance Project: Science Plan. http://www.irg-project.org/index.php?id=docu.

[22] Jia, H. C., J. Wang, Y. Yue, H. Zhou, R. Li, T. Gao, and Y. Bai. 2009. Construction and Application of Index System of Winter Wheat Drought Risk Assessment—A Preliminary Cognition Based on Fieldwork of Spring Drought in North China in 2009. Journal of Catastrophology No. 4: 20–25 (in Chinese).

[23] Kasperson R. E., Kasperson J. X.. The Social Amplification and Attenuation of Risk. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, 1996, 545(1): 95-105 10.1177/0002716296545001010

[24] Kasperson R. E., Renn O., Slovic P., Brown H. S., Emel J., Goble R., Kasperson J. X., Ratick S.. The Social Amplifications of Risk. A Conceptual Framework. Risk Analysis, 1988, 8(2): 177-187

[25] Liu Y. J., Yang Y. Z., Feng Z. M.. The Change of the Main Regions for China’s Food Grain Production and Its Implications. Resources Science, 2007, 29(2): 8-14.

[26] Lofstedt R., Renn O.. The Brent Spar Controversy: An Example of Risk Communication Gone Wrong. Risk Analysis, 1997, 17(2): 131-136 10.1111/j.1539-6924.1997.tb00852.x

[27] Lu W. C., Mei Y.. Empirical Studies on the Variation and Contributing Factors of Regional Grain Production Structure in China—Based on Spatial Econometrics Models. China Agricultural University Journal of Social Sciences Edition, 2007, 24(3): 140-152.

[28] Ministry of Environment Protection. 2008. Outline of National Ecotone Protection Planning. http://www.zhb.gov.cn/gkml/hbb/bwj/200910/W020081009352582312090.pdf (in Chinese).

[29] NBSC China Statistical Yearbook 2009, 2009, Beijing: China Statistics Press

[30] —. 2009b. National Economic and Social Development Statistical Bulletin of the People’s Republic of China. http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-02/25/content_13047677.htm.

[31] —. 2010a. Bulletin on the Grain Yield of Year 2010. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjdt/zygg/gjtjjgg/t20101203_402687721.htm.

[32] NBSC China Statistical Yearbook 2010, 2010, Beijing: China Statistics Press

[33] NDRC-MCA (Naitonal Disaster Reduction Center, Ministry of Civil Affairs). 2009a. Nationwide Disaster Monthly. China Disaster Reduction No. 4: 61–63 (in Chinese).

[34] —. 2009b. Nationwide Disaster Monthly. China Disaster Reduction No. 11: 58–62 (in Chinese).

[35] —. 2010. Nationwide Disaster Monthly. China Disaster Reduction No. 6: 64 (in Chinese).

[36] Niu, S. P. 2009. Despite Drought “Emergency”, China Wheat Crop OK. Reuters. 8 February 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSP427363.

[37] Pidgeon N., Kasperson R. E., Slovic P.. The Social Amplification of Risk, 2003, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

[38] SFDH (State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters). 2009. Northern China Experiencing Severe Drought, SFDH Announces A Grade III Drought Emergency. http://fxkh.mwr.gov.cn/ztbd_1/2009khzt/201107/t20110721_301647.html (in Chinese).

[39] —. 2010. Drought in Southwest China Continues, 20.88 Million People Thus Lack of Drinking Water. http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2010-04/08/content_1576597.htm (in Chinese).

[40] Shen C., Wang W. C., Hao Z., Gong W.. Exceptional Drought Events over Eastern China during the Last Five Centuries. Climatic Change, 2007, 85(3–4): 453-471 10.1007/s10584-007-9283-y

[41] Shi J., Wang Z., Zhang Z., Fei Y. H., Li Y., Zhang F., Chen J. S., Qian Y.. Assessment of Deep Groundwater Over-Exploitation in the North China Plain. Geoscience Frontiers, 2011, 2(4): 593-598 10.1016/j.gsf.2011.07.002

[42] Shi P. J.. Theory and Practice of Disaster Study. Journal of Natural Disasters, 1996, 5(4): 6-17.

[43] Shi P. J.. Atlas of Natural Disaster System of China, 2003, Beijing: Science Press

[44] Shi P. J., Liu Y. H.. Chinese Paradigm for Integrated Large Scale Disaster Risk Governance. Journal of US-China Public Administration, 2009, 6(6): 18-28.

[45] Shi, P. J., L.Y. Liu, J. A. Wang, W. Xu, W. H. Fang, and M. Wang. 2009. Experiences and Lessons of Large-Scale Disaster Governance in China—Perspective to the Response of Wenchuan Earthquake Disaster, 12 May 2008. Paper presented at the IHDP 2009 Open Meeting. 26–30 April 2009, Bonn, Germany.

[46] Shi P. J., Shuai J. B., Chen W. F., Lu L. L.. Study on Large-Scale Disaster Risk Assessment and Risk Transfer Models. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2010, 1(2): 1-8.

[47] Shi, Y., and J. H. Hu. 2009. State Reserve Intervenes into the Market and Stabilizes Wheat Price. First Finance Daily, 3 February 2009, A16 (in Chinese).

[48] Song L. C., Deng Z. Y., Dong A. X.. Drought, 2003, Beijing: China Meteorological Press

[49] Song Y., Simelton E., Chen D., Dong W.. Influence of Climate Change on Winter Wheat Growth in North China during 1950–2000. ACTA Meteorologica Sinica, 2005, 19(4): 501-510.

[50] Tao F., Yokozawa M., Xu Y., Hayashi Y., Zhang Z.. Climate Changes and Trends in Phenology and Yields of Field Crops in China 1981–2000. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2006, 138(1–4): 82-92 10.1016/j.agrformet.2006.03.014

[51] Temple R.. The Modern World: A Joint Creation of China and the West. Proceedings of the International Conference on the Review and Forecast of Chinese Science and Technology, 2002, Beijing: Science Press 111-119.

[52] Tian W. M., Wan G. H.. Technical Efficiency and Its Determinants in China’s Grain Production. Journal of Productivity Analysis, 2000, 13(2): 159-174 10.1023/A:1007805015716

[53] Tong, J. 2009. Guoyuan Agriculture Insurance Compensate for the Drought Disaster and over 500,000 Peasants Gained Benefits. China Insurance News. 6 August 2009, 001 (in Chinese).

[54] Uchida, E., J. Xu, and S. Rozelle. 2003. “Grain for Green” in China: Cost-Effectiveness and Sustainability of a Conservation Set-Aside Program. Paper prepared for presentation at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, 27–30 July 2003.

[55] United Nations. 2007. Developing Index-Based Insurance for Agriculture in Developing Countries. Sustainable Development Innovation Briefs No. 2: 1–8.

[56] Wakeman F. E. Jr. The Great Enterprise: The Manchu Reconstruction of Imperial Order in Seventeenth Century China, 1985, Berkeley: University of California Press

[57] Wang J. A., Zuo W.. Geographic Atlas of China, 2009, Beijing: SinoMaps Press

[58] Wang M., Shi P. J., Ye T., Liu M., Zhou M. Q.. Agriculture Insurance in China: History, Experience, and Lessons Learned. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2011, 2(2): 10-22 10.1007/s13753-011-0007-6

[59] Watts, J. 2010. China Sends Emergency Food to Drought-Stricken Provinces. The Guardian. 25 March 2010. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/25/china-drought-emergency-food.

[60] Wisner B.. At Risk: Natural Hazards, People’s Vulnerability, and Disasters, 2004, London, New York: Routledge

[61] Wu Y. C., Gao H.. The Relief Records of Severe Drought Disasters since the Founding of P. R. China. China Flood and Drought Management, 2009, 19(A01): 39-65.

[62] Xinhua News Agency. 2009. Review: Drought Impact Alleviated, Good Harvest of Autumn Crops Expected Nationwide. http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2009-08/31/content_1405640.htm (in Chinese).

[63] Yang H., Li X. B.. Cultivated Land and Food Supply in China. Land Use Policy, 2000, 17(2): 73-88 10.1016/S0264-8377(00)00008-9

[64] Zhai P., Sun A., Ren F., Liu X., Gao B., Zhang Q.. Changes of Climate Extremes in China. Climatic Change, 1999, 42(1): 203-218 10.1023/A:1005428602279

[65] Zhou, M. Q. 2010. Research on Demand and Willingness to Pay of Policy-Oriented Rice and Cotton Insurance in Hunan Province. Master’s thesis of Beijing Normal University (in Chinese).

[66] Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange. 2009. ZCE Monthly Report No. 12: 4. December 2009 (in Chinese).