AbstractThe main objective of this research project was to investigate the impacts of China’s Three Gorges Dam on the surrounding environment. After reading and collecting a range of sources from internet, journal articles and books, I managed to arrange these impacts into different aspects systematically. The benefits of Three Gorges as a renewable energy source were firstly expressed. The negative environmental consequences particularly addressed were the increasing frequency of landslides; the disruption of biodiversity; the large scale of deforestation; the contamination of Yangtze River water source.Conclusion is hence reached that the negative environment impacts of the dam outweighed the positive. The research project acknowledged Chinese Government’s efforts to prevent the adverse environment impacts, discussed the importance of sustainable development. Future fates of the dam were also commented.IntroductionFully functioned from 4th July, 2012, Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, China is the world’s largest power station in terms of installed capacity (Three Gorges Dam, /, 2014). Chinese Government constantly portrays the dam as a symbol of China’s advanced technology and a symbol of China’s rapid development. The positive comments are corroborated by remarkable facts. The total electric generating capacity of the dam is 22500MW (Three Gorges Dam, /,2014); an executive with China Yangtze River Three Gorges Project Development Corporation mentioned that the dam accounts for 14% of China’s total hydro generation in 2012(Three Gorges Project capable of generating 47 bln kwh of power,/, 2005). However, Three Gorges Dam has always been a controversial issue. In fact, the project is seen as an environmental catastrophe by many experts and activists abroad. In this research project, generalization of the environmental benefits of Three Gorges Dam will first be made. The main focus will be the adverse environmental impacts of the dam, namely landslides; disruption to ecosystem; deforestation and Yangtze River water pollution.Body ParagraphsThere are some undeniable environmental benefits of the Three Gorges Dam. China desperately needs sufficient electric power to meet the demand of growing electricity consumption, so industrialization could be sustained (Three Gorges Project capable of generating 47 bln kwh of power, /, 2005). In China, energy was chiefly achieved through the burning of fossil fuels before the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. Various greenhouse gases were produced during the combustion. As a result, China is frequently criticized by global environmentalists for “deteriorating the situation of global warming.” Hydroelectric power is a clean and renewable source of energy to provide electricity. According to Xie Xiufa, a senior engineer of the Three Gorges Bureau under the Yangtze River Water Resources Committee (Wertz, 2007), “Three Gorges Dam is capable of generating 84.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. Every year, it can reduce 50 million tons of coal consumption, approximately 100 million tons of carbon dioxide, 2 million tons of sulphur dioxides, around 10,000 tons of carbonic oxide and about 370,000 tons of nitrogen oxide.” Hence Three Gorges Dam remarkably contributes to the reductionof fossil fuels combustion, facilitates the alleviation of global warming. Judged by the exhilarating positive environmental impacts, Three Gorges Dam seems to be a necessary, beneficial and reasonable project despite its costs.Even though the project is an environmental friendly alternative to fossil fuels combustion, the Three Gorges Dam has had destructive impacts on the environment. Some noticeable aspects include the increasing frequency of landslides; the disruption of biodiversity and ecological stability; deforestation and Yangtze River water pollution.Three Gorges Dam increased the frequency of landslides in Yangtze River area, as the fluctuations of water level and the huge weight of the water have affected the land stability. In one aspect the water behind the Three Gorges Dam is beyond the withstanding limit of the Yangtze River bank ( Jiang, 2007). So water starts to seep into the loose soil at the bases of rocky cliffs, make the land more prone to landslides. In another aspect this is ascribed to the fluctuation of water level. In summer, engineers drain the reservoir to accommodate flood water; however the water level is raised at the end of flood season in order to generate power. The frequent changes in water level damaged downstream dikes used for land control, triggered a lot of landslides (Campbell-Hyde, 2007). Frequency of landslide is also increased due to the loss in sediment and nutrients downstream. Yangtze River is vulnerable (Yang, 2007). Researcher Shai( 2007) stated the riverbed above the surrounding countryside is firstly raised by sedimentation. They are then held back by dikes. The dam trapped most of the silts, reduced speed of the Yangtze water flow behind the dam, which means water released by Three Gorges will run faster, threaten the dikes furthermore. Up to 2006, the area has already experienced more than ten landslides along one 20-mile stretch of riverbank (Jiang, 2007). According to Tan Qiwei, vice mayor of Chongqing, the most severe landslide was the one occurred in 2006 after the filling of the 600-kilometre reservoir. 36 kilometres of shoreline had caved in. The landslide had produced waves as high as 50 metres (Chan, 2007).The diagram below (Anon., 2012) shows the extent that Three Gorges Dam affected land stability since its construction.In addition the dam has had serious impacts on the ecosystem, disrupted the ecological equilibrium. López-Pujola, J & M and Ren (2009) found through research that the Yangtze River ecosystem is one of the most crucial biodiversity areas in China. About 6000 plant species, 500 terrestrial vertebrates and 160 species of fish evolve, breed and live there. Among them, 47 species are endangered. The most precious species is Chinese River Dolphin Baiji, known as “Goddess of the Yangtze". In 1990, the population of dolphin Baiji was estimated to be 200. Since the construction of Three Gorges Dam in 1994, Baiji’s habitats in the three gorges area were threatened; make the species more fragile and vulnerable. In 1998, only seven baijis are found in an official survey. In 2003, the Three Gorges Dam began to fill the reservoir (Baiji,/, 2014). During this period, consequent problems of flooding, water diversion, water pollution, increase in ship traffic and the population relocation were raised. The living condition of baijis deteriorated so rapidly that in 2006, baiji was officially declared extinct. Not only baiji is affected, theimpacts of the dam on Siberian Crane may also be catastrophic. It is estimated that 95% of the 3200 critically endangered Siberian Crane normally winter in the Poyang Lake, a habitat off the South bank of Yangtze River (Siberian Crane,/ ,2014). Unfortunately, in order to store water for Three Gorges Dam , the area of the lake dwindledmost of these winter lands are destroyed, the cranes will face the same fate of extinction as Baijis.This is a picture of the cracked bed of the dried area of Xieshan, which is part of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi province (China Lake Drought, /uk , 2012)The construction and function of Three Gorges Dam have triggered deforestation, which increased the amount of greenhouse gas emission. According to Ferraro’s research (2007), primarily, deforestation occurred on a large scale out of necessity. Farmlands are needed for the refugees whose homes and farms were flooded by the reservoir. In addition, some factories took advantage of the power and transport opportunities promised by the Three Gorges Dam. Large scale of unregulated loggings was carried out in order to satisfy the demands for industrialization (Chan, 2007). This is devastating because forests play a crucial role in negating greenhouse gas accumulation in the atmosphere. Some experts claimed that carbon dioxide produced during the construction of dam is negligible. Nevertheless researcher Ferraro (2007) stated carbon dioxide produced from deforestation is responsible for 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore carbon dioxide is normally released when the reservoir is flooded. Consequently, trees are likely to decompose at thebottom of the reservoir without oxygen. The dissolved greenhouse gas like methane will build up and be released to the atmosphere when water passes through turbines. This is the reason why Éric Duchemin, a consultant for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) claimed “hydro power may not be a clean alternative to fossil fuels (Graham-Rowe, 2005)”The Three Gorges Dam also caused severe pollution in Yangtze River, contaminated the water source of many residents. The Three Gorges Dam acted like a barrier, trapped the waste materials in the river instead of washing them out to the sea (China’s Three Gorges Dam, /, 1999). Yangtze River is already one of the most polluted rivers in the world (Jiang, 2007). The polluted water also submerged some sanitation infrastructure, deteriorated the condition (Threat of Pollution in the Yangtze,/, N/A). Ferraro (2007) stated that “the reservoir has flooded 1,600 abandoned factories, mines and dumps; blocked approximately ten million tons of plastic bags, animal corpses and trees; more than 265 gallons of raw sewage are also dumped into the Yangtze every year .”Unfortunately, because Yangtze River is proximal to many major city centers, it is the only water source to about 300 million people. The pollution was proved to threaten the health conditions of these residents. According to Chan (2007), about 760, 000 people died prematurely due to water and air pollution.This photograph by Zhu( 2011) shows the severity of pollution along Yangtze River . Three Gorges Dam can be seen in the background.DiscussionOne of the main reasons behind the severity of environmental impacts is the failed attempt to implement sustainable development. Sustainable development is ignored, or not prioritized by the Chinese Government. The gradual application of sustainable development is parallel with the authority’s change in attitudes towards the Three Gorges Dam. The dam was built with an initial political intention to symbolize China’s economic potency and country vitality. News reports released by the Chinese government constantly propagandized the positive economic benefits of the dam. Scepticism and criticism such as environmental impacts were deliberated avoided and oppressed.This hypocrisy was ceased during a high-level meeting of government officials held in Wuhan on September 26. The main focuses of the meeting were “the many ecological and environmental problems concerning the Three Gorges Dam.”So it is time for China to contemplate the balance between the cost of sacrificing the environment and gaining temporary economic benefits. As Wang Xiaofeng(Chan, 2007), the head of the Three Gorges Dam Project of the State Council declared in the meeting, “We cannot win passing economic prosperity at the cost of the environment.” The aim of Three Gorges Dam’s sustainable development should be based on the goal to resist deterioration of environmental conditions, the goal to provide a better standard of living and quality of life for present and future generation. Sustainable development ensures harmonious interaction between the human and the nature, which is extremely crucial along Yangtze River, a significant river in the history, culture and economy of China.Fortunately, a variety of actions,aiming at specific environmental problems mentioned previously, were planned to exert. Most hillsides will be fortified with concrete to increase the stability of land (Jiang, 2007); Targeting at pollution, Chinese government is resolute to provide sufficient funds. The Government planned to spend 40 billion yuan on at least 150 sewage treatment plants and 170 garage disposal centers in the upper region (Govt tackling Three Gorges' hidden environmental threats, /, 2007). Although some of the adverse environment impacts are irreversible, although the effects of thesesolutions are not clear in short-term, at least Chinese Government started to acknowledge the problems and tried to find solutions. There should still be hope and confidence to improve the environmental conditions.ConclusionIn conclusion, as the largest power hydroelectric dam in the world, Three Gorges Dam has caused series of impacts on the surrounding environment. Specifically, despite for being a clean alternative to non-renewable fossil fuels, the achievement was reached with more severe ecological and environmental cost. Frequency of landslides and soil erosion were increased; ecosystem and biodiversity were disrupted; land stability and futility were affected by unregulated logging; pollution was caused by ineffective sewage management. It is reasonable to draw the conclusion that currently, the Three Gorges Dam has rendered more environmental harms than environmental benefits. However as genuine awareness has been raised and effective actions have already been implemented, China could eventually reach a state of sustainable development. The future of the Three Gorges Dam should still be optimistic and promising.ReferencesWebsites and WebpagesBaiji, Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. (2014) [Internet] Available from:/wiki/Baiji#Causes_of_decline[accessed 27 March 2014]Campbell-Hyde, B. (N/A) Breaking Ground: Environmental and Social Issues of the Three Gorges Dam in China [internet] American University. Available from:/ted/ICE/china-dam-impact.html [Accessed 16 March 2014]Chan. J. (2007) Chinese government acknowledges Three Gorges Dam “disaster” [Internet] World Socialist Website. Available from:https:///articles/2007/oct2007/chin-o12.shtml [Accessed 16 March 2014]Ferraro. V.(2007) Is the Three Gorges Dam really a clean, renewable energy source?[Internet] Mount Holyoke College. Available from:https:///~vanti20m/classweb/website/environmentalimpact.html [Accessed 15 March 2014]Graham-Rowe, D. (2005) Hydroelectric power's dirty secret revealed [Internet] New Scientist. 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