China has bolstered ecological and water resources protection for its second-longest river after a new law came into effect on April 1.
The Yellow River Protection Law focuses on pollution control, ecological protection and repair, better use of water resources and cultural heritage. It is the second law to target a specific river after a similar law to protect the Yangtze River, the country’s longest, took effect on March 1, 2021.
The Yellow River is afflicted by severe pollution and seasonal floods, with its average annual water resources less than 7 percent of that of the Yangtze River. Given the plateau glaciers that provide the headwaters, the Central Loess Plateau and the Yellow River Delta all have a vulnerable ecology, the new law puts protection as the top priority and will tailor protective measures to different regions.
The law will address use of groundwater resources in the Yellow River Basin, and sets caps on how much groundwater can be withdrawn by settlements along the river. Running from the northwest province of Qinghai to Shandong in the east, the river irrigates 15 percent of the country’s farmland and provides water to more than 50 cities.
Experts praised the new law as another milestone in strategic legislation, which is of great significance to systemize the protection and promote the healthy coexistence of humans and nature.
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