On 12 May 2008, the Sichuan Province of China was struck by an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. The quake destroyed almost 6.5 million homes and affected approximately 70 million people. Some 15 million people were evacuated and it is estimated that more than 5 million people were forced to live in temporary shelter. As of December 2008, the death toll had reached more than 100,000 with over 374,643 injured and 17,923 missing.
As the primary international environmental actor on the ground, UNEP has been involved with the post-disaster recovery efforts in China ever since, including through the coordination of the environmental response to the earthquake. As part of a select group of UN agencies in the country, UNEP was invited to survey the earthquake-affected regions first hand during the summer. This mission enabled the UN Country Team in China to more fully comprehend the sheer magnitude of the disaster and how the international community could work together to address the wide-ranging environmental challenges China faces in the recovery period. Additional missions by UNEP-staff to the earthquake-affected area followed in September and December 2008.
One of the most challenging issues relates to the management of the vast quantities of building rubble generated by the quake, much of which may have been contaminated with hazardous materials such as asbestos, hydrocarbons and toxic chemicals. Other areas of immediate concern relate to the contamination of soil and water resources, and the disposal of hazardous healthcare waste.
UNEP’s recovery in China activities include:
Coordination and technical support: To respond to the many challenges ahead, UNEP has strengthened its office in Beijing with international technical experts in the fields of domestic, industrial and hazardous waste management, including asbestos and hazardous healthcare waste, thereby enabling UNEP to provide environmental expertise to both the United Nations Country Team and the relevant Chinese authorities.
Recovery Appeal: The USD 33.5 million “China Appeal for Recovery Support” that was launched by the UN in July 2008 recognized the critical importance of addressing environmental issues such as water, soil contamination and hazardous waste management, requesting an envelope of nearly USD 6 million from the donor community for environmental issues.
Training: UNEP has at the request of the national government facilitated training workshops on post-disaster environmental management for Chinese civil servants, environmental experts, government representatives and international organizations based in Beijing. The first workshop was held in July 2008. The second, which took place in the earthquake-affected area in December 2008, focused on the complex issues related to post-crisis waste management, in particular the safe handling of the millions of tons of potentially contaminated building rubble and hazardous healthcare waste. Further, a review of the existing waste management infrastructure will be undertaken, and recommendations made regarding the construction of new engineered landfill sites and hazardous waste treatment centres.
In addition, UNEP is expected to play a key role in promoting a low carbon approach in the restoration and reconstruction period, with a view to achieving energy efficiency and a more environmentally friendly economy in the affected area.
As part of the 2009-2011 long-term recovery and reconstruction, UNEP has proposed to have a team of international environmental experts in the affected area, working alongside with Chinese experts, on how to 'green' the reconstruction and build back better in a sustainable manner, seeking energy efficient solutions. This approach has been welcomed by the Chinese authorities.
Further Links:
UN “China Appeal for Recovery Support”
The Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit monitored the situation from the outset and noted a significant number of secondary environmental risks and impacts stemming for the earthquake, including several toxic chemical spills, possible damage to the structural integrity of several dozen dams, and blocked rivers due to massive landslides, causing "quake lakes". For more information on these findings see the Humanitarian Situation Reports.
For further information on UNEP's work in China please contact Muralee Thummarukudy, Project Coordinator: muralee.thummarukudy@unep.org