英国《水政策白皮书——生命之水》改革亮点及启示

Highlights of UK White Paper on Water Policy——Water for Life and its enlightenment to China

在气候变化和人口增长的共同影响下,英国部分地区已出现水危机,英国政府认为本国现有的水管理机制尚不能完全适应这一挑战,原因在于对气候环境变化做出及时反应的能力不足及在水资源优化配置的灵活性上有所欠缺。为此,英国环境、食品和农村事务部发布了《水政策白皮书——生命之水》(以下简称白皮书),在取水许可制度、水务行业改革、水环境管理、节约用水等方面提出了全面的改革方针和措施,对我国当前深化水利改革有一定的参考意义。

Water resources in some parts of the UK have come under increasing pressure under the influence of both climate change and population increase. Recognizing the need to address the problem of water affordability for low income households, the UK Government set targets to take rapid steps to tackle the environmental damage caused by the over-abstraction of water, however the plans to tackle the issue fall short of what is needed. The White Paper on Water Policy Water for Life issued by DEFRA seeks to address these challenges by reform of abstraction licenses, introducing competition to water industries and taking approaches of water metering and increase of water efficiency. The practice is of great reference value for China to deepening the reform of water management.