Addressing China's Water
Scarcity : Recommendations for Selected Water Resource
Management Issues

This report reviews China's water
scarcity situation, assesses the policy and institutional
requirements for addressing it, and recommends key areas for
strengthening and reform. It is a synthesis of the main
findings and recommendations from analytical work and case
studies prepared under the World Bank Analytical and
Advisory Assistance (AAA) program entitled 'Addressing
China's Water Scarcity: from Analysis to Action.'
These studies focus on several strategically important
thematic areas for China where additional research was
needed, as identified by the research team and advisory
group based on a review of pressing issues. These areas are
governance, water rights, pricing, ecological compensation,
pollution control, and emergency response. The approach has
been to evaluate Chinese and international experience to
identify policy and institutional factors that have proven
effective in promoting the adoption of water conservation
and pollution reduction technologies. The research was based
on literature reviews, qualitative and quantitative policy
analyses, household surveys, field trips, and case studies
to develop feasible recommendations for a plan of action
based on realities on the ground.