The Bohai Declaration on Environmental
Protection

On the occasion of the Seventh Meeting of the Steering Committee of the GEF/UNDP/IMO Regional Programme on Building Partnerships for Environmental Protection and Management of the Seas of East Asia held in Dalian, July 26-29, 2000 and the formal launching of the Programme’s Bohai Demonstration Project, the State Oceanic Administration, the Bohai coastal provinces of Liaoning, Shandong and Hebei and the municipality of Tianjin, realizing the severity of the state of marine pollution and resource depletion as well as the present and future challenges; exploring possible appropriate remedial measures for natural resource development and management as well as for the protection and preservation of the marine environment in achieving sustainable development of the economy and well being of the society; recognizing the significant role of the Bohai region in China’s economic and social development and considering the present state of legislation, management and protection in respect of the Bohai marine environment, hereby unanimously make the declaration as follows:

I. Importance of the Bohai Environment

1. Bohai is a large-sized internal sea of China. The peripheral area of the Bohai is an economically and socially developed region. The conditions of the ecological environment of the Bohai relate not only to the continued prosperity of the Bohai economic circle but also to the economic and social development of the entire Northeast, North and even the vast Northwest of China. Therefore, the health of the Bohai ecological environment plays a very important strategic role in China.
    

2. Along with the rapid development of Bohai economy, the rate of discharge of land-based pollutants into the sea remains high. The marine ecological environment is currently facing and coping with the enormous impacts of increasing pollution pressure. The aggravation of the Bohai environmental degradation and the damage to the natural resources therein have already led to the sharp decline of the service functions of the sea area and increasingly eroding the Bohai’s capacity for sustainable development and utilization. The worsening of the Bohai environment and its resource condition not only threaten the development prospects of the economic circle of Bohai region but could also drag down national economic development as a whole.
    

3. Ensuring sustainable development of the Bohai is an issue of vital importance to the overall well being of China’s national economy and social development. Bohai environmental improvement is a major task requiring systematic and programmatic approach, joint efforts of the coastal and other concerned provinces, municipalities and all walks of life in the whole society, and the application of effective measures over a long period of time. For promoting the sustainable development of the economy, society and culture of the Bohai region, we hereby solemnly declare: During the Tenth Five-Year Plan, keeping in mind the general goal and direction for action enumerated below and being committed to our common responsibilities, we pledge to take actions immediately and to launch activities for the protection and rehabilitation of the Bohai natural ecosystems and the environment.

II. Concept, Principles and Objectives for Saving the Bohai

4. The “1996 China Ocean Agenda 21”, the White Paper entitled “China’s Ocean Policies” published by the Chinese Government, and the “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Marine Environmental Protection “ which came into force on April 1, 2000, provide the overall concept, principles and objectives as well as policy and legal framework for us to undertake improvements of the Bohai environment.
    

5. The worsening Bohai environment is also closely related to the economic and social activities in the periphery area surrounding the sea. The environmental issue of the Bohai is not isolated. It is therefore necessary to combine the need for environmental protection with the demand for economic growth and development and to solve the environmental problems in the process of development. It is imperative to emphasize and implement the concept concerning coordination of environmental protection and resource development.
    

6. It is essential to give full consideration to the natural processes and characteristics of the Bohai; fully understand its current environmental and natural resource development problems and future trends. The guiding principles for the protection and preservation of the Bohai resources and environment should include the principle of integrated planning on the use of land and the sea resources; the principle of moderate development and rational environmental protection; the principle of equal importance to administrative and legislative management; and the principle of environmental protection and sustainable development of natural resources.
    

7. The initial target of the protection and the preservation of the Bohai environment are that damage to the ecological environment is under control and improvements in environmental quality. The ultimate goal is to realize the overall coordination of the Bohai economic and social development towards sustainable development of its natural resources and the environment.

III. Measures and Actions

8. We realize that establishing a highly efficient management mechanism is one of the solutions for realizing the improvement of the Bohai environment. We propose that a trans-regional coordination structure for the integrated management of the Bohai be established, comprising the staff members from both the central and local governments for jointly undertaking marine resources conservation, ocean environmental monitoring, marine supervision and law-enforcement in the Bohai area.
    

9. The Bohai is a subregional sea with cross-administrative boundaries and possesses unique socio-economic and physiographical features. Efforts for the improvement and recovery of the Bohai environment should follow the relevant policies, general principles, standards and requirements of the laws and regulations of the State concerning marine environment. At the same time, considering the specific characteristics of the Bohai, it is imperative to enact and implement the “Bohai Management Law” so as to provide the legal basis for the implementation of various activities pertaining to the development, management, protection and rehabilitation of the Bohai.
    

10. The Bohai is a focal sea area along China’s coast. In accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Marine Environmental Protection, it is necessary to implement as soon as possible the quota system of “total quantity control “ for major pollutants discharged into the sea and allocate the controlled amount and quota of discharge for the main pollution sources.
     

11. Study and establish a model in the form of a special “ Blue Fund” or “Save the Bohai” Fund for Bohai environment management. The relevant international organizations, the central and local governments, public and private enterprises, societal organizations and individuals will be invited to jointly fund and manage the Special Fund. The fund will be used mainly for public education and awareness campaigns, marine environmental protection, related scientific and technological researches, capacity building and human resources development.
     

12. Solutions to the Bohai marine environmental problems require the support of marine scientific research, availability of environmental technologies, financial inputs, and extensive international cooperation. We are aware of the vital importance of the dissemination and interchange of marine environmental information to effective resolution of the Bohai environmental problems. We support and promote the regional dissemination and interchange of marine information. We are willing to exchange experiences in marine environmental protection with the relevant international organizations and other coastal countries in the world and strengthen mutual technological cooperation and transfer so as to make contributions to the improvement of marine environment in the region and the world at large.We propose that governments at all levels in the Bohai region and the society as a whole pay attention to and maintain the ecosystem health of Bohai; develop, utilize and protect the marine resources and environment in a scientific and rational way so that the state and all sectors of the society could benefit from the sustainable use of the sea.
     

13. We stress once again that, in making relevant policy decisions and taking specific actions in the future, we shall always bear in mind and follow the above-mentioned principles and, conscientiously protect the marine environment and natural resources of the Bohai for a brighter future of the contemporary and coming generations.

Signed and sealed on the 25th day of the month of July in the year 2000 at Dalian, Peoples Republic of China.