Abstract:Tibet is such an area whose natural ecological environment is extremely vulnerable in China. At the same time, it is also a underdeveloped minority area where the relationship among the development, poverty reduction and ecological environment is extremely complicated. The Green development conception is the inevitable choice for Tibet to transform its development patter. According to the situation of green development in Tibet, some measures are proposed to promote the green development in Tibet areas are as followed: promote poverty alleviation and development vigorously; eliminate the absolute poverty; increase the investment in human capital and take an endogenous intensive development path; promote the development of industries with distinguished features and comparative advantages and cultivate new economic growth point; implement the main functional region strategy to promote Tibet‘s population, resources and environmental development;strengthen ecological protection and construction in Tibet and build ecological security barrier.
Key words:Tibet;Green Development;Ecological shelters
The Sixth Central Tibet work forum was held in Beijing in August 2015. When it comes to the ecological environment in Tibet, President Xi Jinping stressed that firstly the ecological protection must be put in the first place, and the comprehensive measures should be taken to control and manage the air pollution sources and land desertification in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. Secondly, great efforts should be made to protect the grasslands, wetlands and natural forest protection in Tibet. In the fifth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, the conception of "Green Development" was established as one of the "five major development plans" in 13th Five-Year. Tibet is such an area whose natural ecological environment is extremely vulnerable in China. At the same time, it is also a underdeveloped minority area where the relationship among the development, poverty reduction and ecological environment is extremely complicated. Meanwhile, Tibet plays a vital role in our country‘s ecological security barrier. Therefore, Green development conception is the inevitable choice for Tibet to transform its development patter.
一、The situation of green development in Tibet
(一) The ecological environment protection and ecological barrier construction in Tibet have the characteristics of long - term and complexity.
Figure 1 The main indicators of ecological environment changes from year 2005 to 2013
(二) Tibetan economy accounts for a small proportion of national economy, with a poor fiscal condition.
Tibet is developing in vertical, but nationally, its economy is still weak, which accounts for a small proportion of national economy. See chart 1.
Bad fiscal condition is the common problem of various areas in Tibet. With serious financial deficit, most cities and counties live on fiscal subsidies. Therefore, the bad fiscal condition terribly restrict the government‘s regulative ability, and government has no power to invest or adjust economy.
(三)Weak basis of animal husbandry and narrow range of characteristic industries
Despite vast territory as well as large grassland, Tibet has low grass yields and small stocking rates because of its cold and arid climate. In addition to snow, hail and other natural disasters, the foundation of animal husbandry in Tibet is very weak. In recent years, as the country's increasing emphasis on the ecological status of the Tibetan Plateau, a lot of money has been invested for environmental protection, and the base of animal husbandry production in Tibet has also been improved to some extent. Although tourism, animal husbandry and Tibetan medicine are its characteristic industry, compared with similar industries outside the region, the advantage of Tibet is not very obvious. Range of industries with local advantages in Tibet is very narrow, which does not have advantages in competitive industries. All of these not only reflect a low level of local economic development and lack of competitive, also show that its industrial structure is irrational, as well as that the overall economic development dependent on natural resources consumption too much [1].
(四)Infrastructure is weak and social undertaking as well as service function needs to be improved.
We should construct a integrated transport system of road, rail and air transport, develop and use energy resources, as well as improve water conservancy facilities and communication network infrastructure. Tibet has a weak market, imperfect development of social organizations, and its self-sufficient economy still accounts for a considerable proportion. What‘s more, its market orientation is short of strength, resulting in poor social services impeding the green economic growth. Its backward and defective economic cooperation organizations and industry associations put put a brake on the formation of recycling green low-carbon industrial system. Moreover, lack of capacity of accepting industries transferred from developed regions, and the policies that can promote Tibetan green development, industrial structure adjustment and benefit people have not implemented completely, which seriously impact many respects, including attracting investment, seizing the various opportunities, exploring the potential as well as innovation development [2].
二、 Measures for promoting green development in Tibet
(一)To promote the development of poverty alleviation vigorously and eliminate the phenomenon of absolute poverty
The economic development and social stability in Tibet still faces many difficulties and contradictions.The principal contradiction in this area is still one between the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and the backwardness of social production. That is to say, the poverty problem is the main problem of Tibet. Therefore, some effective measures should be taken. First and foremost, it is extremely necessary to promote the development of poverty alleviation vigorously and to accelerate the pace of shaking off poverty and become prosperity. Also, the level of basic public services should also be improved. Secondly, the pilots of Mutual Aid Fund should be advanced steadily, and the cooperative organizations of farmers and herdsmen should be developed actively. What is more, the intellectual poverty alleviation project and the export and transfer of labors and labor training should be carried out vigorously, so as to increase the income of the poverty-stricken people and consolidate the achievements of poverty alleviation.
(二)To increase the investment in human capital and establish an endogenous intensive development path
Economic development in Tibet must focus on the problems of human capital. In order to promote the economic development of Tibet, the first step is to get rid of the original extensive economic growth pattern which depends on the capital and labor inputs, and turn to an exogenous and extensive growth model. To accelerate the development of Tibet, it is necessary to give priority to the development of education at all levels. Firstly, the development of high school and secondary vocational education should be paid more attention and the "9+3" free vocational education model should be extended. Secondly, it is important to run demonstrative secondary vocational schools well. Last but not least, the implementation of high-level specialized personnel training plan should be accelerated.
(三)To promote the development of industries with distinguished features and comparative advantages and cultivate new economic growth point
First and foremost, the industrial chain should be extended and the level of scientific and technological development should be improved. The development of the following industries, as the characteristic industry of Tibet, should be put much more priority: pure health industry, Tibetan medicine industry, natural drinking water industry, tourism, national handicraft industry, comprehensive new energy industry and cultural industry.
To enhance the products‘ technology content and added value, so as to improve the competitiveness of those industries with distinguished features and comparative advantages in Tibet. To enhance the polarization effect of economic growth is still the industrial layout which the Tibet must choose in the near future.
In the initial stage of developing the special industries,more attention should be paid to cultivate the expansion poles system, and make use of the market mechanism actively after the growth pole reaches its highest level, so as to promote the mutual development of those industries with distinguished features and comparative advantages in Tibet.
(四)Implementing the main functional region strategy to promote Tibet’s population, resources and environmental development
The implementation of the main functional region strategy of the Tibet Autonomous Region should be accelerated and the regional development with the main functional orientation should be to promoted, so as to build a scientific and rational pattern of urbanization, agricultural development and ecological security. Gradually there will form a pattern of land space development in which population, economy, resources are in accordance. And we need to accelerate the pace of building new urbanization of Tibet Autonomous Region to actively promote the population of ecological function areas in rural and pastoral areas transfer orderly. What‘s more family planning and population control is needed to control the scale of population quantity, and we also need to develop the education to improve the quality of the population. According to the long - range, cumulative and periodic characteristics of the population and environmental problems in Tibet Autonomous Region, how to maintain the continuity and stability of population policies should be given consideration when forming and implementing them.
(五)Strengthen ecological protection and construction in Tibet and build ecological security barrier
Taking the project as the traction, firstly, we should implement the ecological construction project focusing on governing desertification, alkalization and degradation, and take efforts to develop the tourism-ecological industry. Secondly, measures should be taken to accelerate the adjust the industrial structure. Thirdly, both development of small areas and large ones shouldbe given equal consideration, and equal stress should be put on economic development and ecological management. We also need to expand and consolidate the achievement of Returning Farmland to Forest, and insist on implementation of enclosing the hills for natural afforestation and grass,. What is more, we also should continue to strengthen the prevention and control of forest fires and pest disaster, and strengthen ecological protection and construction so as to build a national ecological security barrier.
References:
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[2]Chen Zhiyuan. The economic and social development of the Tibetan Autonomous Regions in China [J].Gansu Finance, 2010(4):40-42.
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[4]Bao Chao, Ma Haitao. Strategic emphases of characteristic industries and guarantee measures of science and technology in urban areas of Tibet [J].Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2015,30(3):322-332.
(Zhang Guangyu, Resource and Environment Institute, Academy of Social Sciences of Gansu Provincial) |