Announcement of World Bank to Support Water and Environment Management Project in China on April 15, 2004

China: World Bank to Support Water and Environment Management Project Contact: In Washington: Melissa Fossberg Tel: 202- 458-4145 mfossberg@worldbank.org WASHINGTON, April 15, 2004. The World Bank today agreed to manage the implementation of the Hai Basin Integrated Water and Environment Management Project in China. This project is funded by a US$17.0 million grant from the Global Environment Facility The project will address environmental protection, better environmental management, and environment-related investments. Using an integrated approach to water resource management and pollution control in the Hai River Basin, the project aims to improve the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea environments. Specifically, the project will: (i) Improve integrated water and environment planning and management in the Hai Basin, (ii) Promote institutionally-coordinated and effective local, municipal/provincial, and basin-wide water and environment planning and management, (iii) Enhance local capacity in water and environment Knowledge Management (KM) and implementation, and (iv) Reduce wastewater discharges from small cities along the rim of the Bohai Sea. The Hai River is a major source of irrigation and drinking water for tens of millions of people who live in its basin. One of the world’s most ecologically important waters, the Bohai Sea receives heavy land-based pollution largely coming from domestic, industrial, agricultural, and livestock sources from the Hai basin. In addition to water pollution, the basin’s groundwater resources are in some cases polluted and is rapidly depleting The Chinese government is paying strong attention to the pollution problem, focusing mainly on large industrial sources and major cities, where significant wastewater treatment programs are underway. The Project will address an important missing link in efforts to improve water and environment management in the Hai Basin and the Bohai Sea environment. It will also help provide the management framework for integrated water resources management in the Hai Basin, which is indispensable for a long-term, sustainable approach to rescuing the Bohai Sea. For project information documents, please visit: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDS_IBank_Servlet? pcont=details&eid=000094946_03111104003820