Categories: Environmental Management:
- environmental health
-pollution reduction
-resource management
-urban greening
Infrastructure, Communications, Transportation:
- safe water provision
-sanitation
-transportation and mobility
-waste-management and treatment
Housing:
- access to housing finance
-affordable housing
-land tenure and security
Level of Activity: Metropolitan
Ecosystem: Continental

Summary
The objectives of the initiative include:
a) improve the urban ecosystem;
b) foster the public environment awareness;
c) gradually realize sustainable development.
The results achieved include:
a) resettlement of over 100,000 dwellers of 30,000 households from low-lying and damp shanty towns to 24 new residential quarters;
b) provide shanty-dwellers with their own spacious and well-lit apartments furnished with kitchen, toilet and living room;
c) increase the living size per capita by 1.4 times;
d) maintain the original community and neighborhood integrity;
e) move over 1,000 polluting enterprises to out-of-town industrial zones;
f) lay 26km of sewerage along the river banks which drain the city's sewage into the treatment plants and then the treated water flows to the lower reaches of the rivers;
g) purify 850ha of downtown water surface;
i) increase 25 hectares of the urban greening;
j) construct and reinforce 42km of dykes;
k) build and rebuild 18 bridges;
l) enhance the urban flood discharge by 1 time;
m) lay simultaneously the service networks of water, power, gas and telecom.
Over 3 million citizens have been mobilized to participate in the construction project, where the public environment awareness is extensively enhanced, and the social and cultural vitality strengthened.

Narrative
1. Situation before the initiative began
Chengdu is one of the cities in the underdeveloped western area of China. It is also a 2,300-year-old historical and cultural city. The Fu River and the Nan River cut through the densely populated urban district, draining into the Yangtze River System. Rapid industrialization and population buildup as well as poor urban environment awareness led to serious water pollution, concentrated shanty town along the banks, riverbed silting, and frequent flood disasters. Such a poor eco-environment situation became a principal factor restricting municipal development.

In 1985, the pupils of the Longjianglu Elementary School on the river banks submitted a joint letter to the mayor, appealing for the revitalization of the rivers. Proposals for a comprehensive revitalization were also brought in from all social sectors. Great importance was thereafter attached by the municipal government which immediately organized relevant professionals to discuss the revitalization measures. They reached a consensus: a single-purpose project would produce less efficiency and the essential problems could not be solved unless a comprehensive project was launched. However, the comprehensive revitalization would require tremendous work, manifold commitment and huge investment -- an enormous undertaking.

2. Preparating Information and Clarifying Priorities

In 1987, on the basis of extensively collecting public opinions, the municipal government organized relevant professionals for an overall verification and investigation over the significance and feasibility of the two-rivers' comprehensive revitalization. They came to the conclusion that the project would improve the urban eco-environment, promote the local social/economic development and reduce the water pollution in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The project focused on the environment management while large-scale resettlement of shanty towns was the key. Therefore, priority was given to the resettlement sub-project. By means of "exchanging shanty towns with new apartments" and "resume the green through resettlement," the shanty-dweller's and public's benefits were guaranteed. There was unprecedented public participation and enthusiasm, which greatly accelerated the project's progress. The government signed the contracts with related sectors to share obligations and risks.

3. Formulation of Objectives and Strategies, Mobilization of Resources

Objectives within 5 years from 1993 were determined as follows:
i) complete the revitalization of 15km river sections -- the most densely populated and most seriously polluted;
ii) solve the problem of water pollution and eco-environment deterioration along the banks;
iii) eliminate the flood danger to the city;
iv) provide appropriate housing for shanty-dwellers along the banks;
v) advance the old-city protection and renovation;
vi) foster the public environment awareness; and
vii) realize gradual urban sustainable development.

From 1998, the revitalization will be extended to the upper and lower reaches.

Actions include:
a) extensively collect public opinions, organize professionals to prepare an integral project plan;
b) formulate a line of laws and regulations to provide legal guarantee;
c) select well-experienced officials to form the Project Commanding Office headed by the mayor to provide an institutional guarantee;
d) strictly follow the target management and "three principles" (open, fair and just) and "four systems" (of bidding, budgeting and accounting, supervision, and completion examination) to guarantee the project's quality and time limit as well as to control the costs.

Political Support:
a) The Fu & Nan Rivers Comprehensive Revitalization Project was enlisted by the municipal government as "No. 1 Project." Integral cooperation of all government organs and social sectors was demanded to ensure the smooth progress of the project. Performance of all government officials in the project were recorded as part of their tenure achievements.

b) The supervisory organs at the municipal and district levels formulated related regulations to execute full-range supervision to ensure high efficiency and honest performance of official duties.

c) Government subsidies and preferential policies were awarded to project contractors and resettled residents;

d) Apply for central and provincial government support, coordinate the trans-regional and trans-industrial relations.

Mobilization of Resources:
a) collecting funds for the project through multi channels including development gains for old urban area, supplementary infrastructure fund, government fund, and public donations;

b) of the total investment of USD 326 million, 140 million dollars are for municipal resettlement, 103 million dollars for infrastructure works, 30 million dollars for underground cable and piping networks, and 54 million dollars for the sewer treatment plants.

The municipal government was responsible for the target determination, while the Commanding Office of Chengdu Fu & Nan Rivers Comprehensive Revitalization Project was responsible for the project implementation.

4. Process

Major problems involved were the difficulty in collecting funds, the heavy burden of resettlement, and the construction within downtown area. The total investment of 326 million dollars is equal to the annual municipal revenue. While collecting funds through various channels, the government cut down some expenses for office building renovation. The savings of 36 million dollars was used for the project startup. The government also took special measures to ensure exchanging shanty towns with new apartments, and authorized special permission to additional 25m2 purchased at a reduced price in order to enlarge the average living size. In so doing, all the project-site dwellers were resettled within one year without any forced resettlement. By virtue of elaborate design, preparation and construction, the urban life went on as normal. Upon completion, the project's efficiency was not fully realized due to improvement of water environment at the upper and lower reaches as well as environment water shortage during the dry season.

5. Results Achieved

The project has entirely realized its designated targets: dredging 16-km waterways, cleaning 750,000-m3 riverbed deposits, widening the waterway from 25-80m to 40-120m, building and reinforcing 42-km dykes and 18 bridges, upgrading the flood prevention probability to once every 200 years, enhancing the natural disaster reduction and prevention ability, resettling over 100,000 shanty-dwellers of over 30,000 households into new apartments, thoroughly improving the living environment, reducing the population density of the downtown area, eliminating 650 sewerage outlets and removing 1,000-plus polluting enterprises to out-of-town industrial zones, purifying 850ha downtown water surface to greatly improve the water quality, building 36km of highway, planting 20,000 trees and 25ha of lawn along the river banks, building 13 public garden spots to greatly improve the eco-environment quality. In so doing, the two rivers serve as the link of the local sites of scenic importance, revealing the city's cultural and historical identity.

During these five years, over 3 million domestic and international personnel
donated money and materials for the project, totalling over 5 million dollars. And there are countless voluntary labors and management, and a dozen large-scale environmental protection activities sponsored by all walks of life (including science and arts circles, educational institutions, commercial and industrial sectors, women, children, youth, senior citizens associations, etc.) in order to "add a patch of green to the Fu & Nan rivers." When the greening sub-project was completed, over 5,000 people dedicate their free-time to the care of the trees and lawns. The project strengthens the modern civilization awareness, particularly the public environment awareness. The government, citizens, and community organs and all social sectors accomplished cooperation and integration in their participation to the project, the municipal cohesive force has been greatly intensified. The revitalization project originated from the public appeal and proposals, meanwhile the project implementation was well concerned and supported by the overwhelming majority of citizens. Upon the project's completion, the citizens actively provide protection and management. And through this gigantic project, the public participation awareness and ability are built up.

The successful practice of the project has exerted a far-reaching influence on Chengdu's social and economic development and environment improvement. The Chengdu's Agenda 21 proposes further revitalization and management of Fu & Nan Rivers which are set up as a model of urban environmental protection. The "Long-term Targets of Chengdu 2010 Social & Economic Development" specifies that the successful experience of the Fu & Nan Rivers Project shall be utilized in the construction of the Giant Panda Sanctuary and Dujiangyan Ecological Model Zone. The municipal government formulated the local laws and regulations concerning the development and management for comprehensive revitalization of the Fu & Nan rivers, being designed to shape and legalize the Chengdu urban sustainable development strategy.

6. Sustainability

Both management openness and fair policies were embodied in the project implementation; responsibility for the future was realized in the insistence to the guidelines "resettlement for greening" and "every green spot counts;" public participation enthusiasm was aroused with outstanding social effects by means of providing the affordable housing to shanty dwellers under preferential policies.
The large portion of government investment and funds collected through various channels facilitated the infrastructure works and development of related industries -- an incremental revenue of 262 million dollars and 500,000 employment opportunities. The land value along the banks was increased to a volume of 127-190 million dollars. As a result, massive resettlement reactivated the depressive real estate market. Thanks to the elimination of the urban water disaster, a direct economic loss of 18 million dollars was prevented. The living environment was improved, the urban space structure optimized. There emerged a number of non-official environment protection associations -- an overall enhancement of public environment awareness and an outstanding environment efficiency.

In project planning and implementation, the project's cultural achievements include: protect and reconstruct the historical and cultural identity of the city; build gardens, statues and scenic spots of great historical and modern significance; and realize the sustainable integration of social, economic, environmental and cultural elements.

After the project's completion, implementation organs are institutionalized as management organs headed by the mayor, which ensures the sustainability of the revitalization achievements. The Fu & Nan Rivers Protection Law has been promulgated; the continuous revitalization plan is under preparation, the reservoir at the upper-reaches is expected to ensure the water quality of the Fu & Nan Rivers.

7. Lessons Learned

The project drew upon experience gained by the bio-revitalization project for the Mersey Basin in Manchester, Great Britain.

The project offers three lessons:
1. The upper and lower reaches have a great impact on the urban river sections, on which extended revitalization has to be carried out to realize sustainable development;

2. Environment construction needs to extensively mobilize public participation, and enhance the overall environment awareness to ensure the sustainability of environment construction and;

3) There have been "outstanding debts" in Chengdu's environment greening with currently 2.2m2 per capita. Municipal measures such as "every batch of green spot counts" have to be taken to enlarge the urban greening size.

8. Transferability

a) The project's experiences in resettlement and operation have been successfully adopted in the Chengdu Tianfu Plaza project.

b) The central government and related ministries recommended the project as "it takes a finest lead in the nation, and provides experience and model for future development orientation in urban projects." Leaders and experts of similar projects (Shanghai Suzhou River, Nanjing Qinhuai River, Guangzhou Pearl River, Kunming Dianchi Lake) came for field investigation, and highly commended the experiences of the Fu & Nan Rivers Project. Various national conferences were held at the project site, such as the National Urban Construction Field Conference, National Housing Reform Conference, and National Urban Construction Mayors Conference -- they held a positive view on the transferable significance of this project.

c) While visiting the Fu & Nan Rivers Project, Madam Clausen (U. S. Assistant Secretary of State) and Dr. Antje Vollmer (Vice-chairman of the German Federal Parliament) made the following comment on the project:
"In the underdeveloped regions, it is amazing that such a gigantic project was implemented solely with its own force and no external support. This embodies Chengdu government's responsibility to its people and to the earth."

The Fu & Nan Rivers Revitalization Project also attracted visitors and delegations from Peru, Tanzania and Laos, who expressed their unanimous admiration for the courage and energy of Chengdu people.

Key Dates
1985: public appeal
1987: verification, planning

1992: preparation

1993: project startup

1997: completion, continuous revitalization

References
1. All for the Clean Water Current of the Cottonrose City -- Report of Chengdu Fu & Nan Rivers Revitalization, People's Daily, October 24, 1995
2. The Ancient City Chengdu Is Put on New Looks -- Report of Chengdu Fu & Nan Rivers Revitalization, People's Daily (Overseas Edition), November 11, 1995

3. 100,000 Chengdu Citizens Happily Moved to New Apartments, People's Daily, February 16, 1996

4. Record of the Fu & Nan Rivers, People's Daily (Overseas Edition), January 7, 1998

5. Record of the Fu & Nan Rivers, People's Daily, January 16, 1998

6. Clean Water and Fresh Breeze Follow the Fu & Nan -- Sidelights of Chengdu Fu-Nan Rivers Revitalization Project, Guangming Daily, March 13, 1996

7. The Cottonrose City "Dresses" Its Mother River, Economic Daily, July 5, 1995

8. Parents: How about Buy Your Children a Tree? Economic Daily, November 15, 1995

9. Chengdu: 100,000 Citizens Resettled, Economic Daily, February 1, 1996

10. Reconstruct the "Jade Necklace" of the Cottonrose City,People's River, September 2, 1995

11. The "Jade Necklace" Brightens the Cottonrose City, China Environment News, December 21, 1995

12. Spring Returns to the Brocade River, Hongkong Commercial Daily, September 22, 1997

13. The Fu & Nan Rivers Revitalization Project Benefits the Citizens, Wen Wei Pao (Hongkong), March 8, 1996

14. Chengdu Is to Be Built into an Ecological City, Macao Daily News, March 1, 1996

15. Chengdu Fu & Nan Rivers Revitalization and the Remarkable Development Benefits, Ta Kung Pao (Hongkong), February 28, 1996

16. A Glance over Chengdu Fu-Nan Rivers Project, Ta Kung Pao (Hongkong), February 29, 1996

17. Introduction to the Comprehensive Revitalization Project of Chengdu Fu & Nan Rivers, Wen Wei Pao (Hongkong), March 1, 1996

18. Children Inspire Green Clean-up, South China Morning Post, November 13, 1997

19. The Ancient City Turns on a New Look, Tokyo Daily News, August 16, 1997

20. No. 1 Project in the Provincial Capital, Sichuan Daily, January 15, 1995

21. The Fu & Nan Rivers Project Withstands the First Flood, Chengdu Evening News, August 18, 1995

22. Citizens Show Their Concerns to Environment Protection and Love Their City, Chengdu Evening News, April 23, 1997

23. Successful Model for Urban Renovation and Comprehensive Revitalization, Chengdu Evening News, October 25, 1997

24. Record of The Fu-Nan Rivers Greening Project, Chengdu Evening News, May 7, 1997

25. Happy and Gay -- 100,000 Chengdu Citizens Moved to New Apartments, Xinmin Evening News, January 1, 1996

26. Chengdu Fu-Nan Rivers Comprehensive Revitalization Project, China Cultural Pictorial, Issue May-June, 1997

Contact
Ms. Tian Jun
5/F Qili Building, 36 Wainan Renmin Road
Chengdu

China
610072
86-28-6252356, 6266389
86-28-6273595, 6250089
lwgotto@mail.sc.cninfo.net

Type of Organization: Local Authority

Nominating Organization
Ministry of Construction of China
Mr. Gong Husheng, Mr. Yang Xue'an
9 Sanlihe Road
Beijing

China
100835
86-10-68394750
86-10-68394749
unchspek@public.bta.net.cn
Type of Organization: Central Government

Partners
Sichuan Provincial Government
Mr. Du Xiuquan
30 Duyuan Street,
Chengdu,
Sichuan,
China
610012
86-28-6604407, 6605213
86-28-6661597

Type of Organization: Local Authority
Type of Partner Support: Political Support

Chengdu Construction Management Committee
Mr. He Liangming
Chengdu
Sichuan
China

86-28-6697180
86-28-6634423

Type of Organization: Local Authority
Type of Partner Support: Financial Support

Chengdu Urban Planning & Design Academy
Mr. Hu Junchu
8 Huacheng Lane

Chengdu
Sichuan
China

86-28-3326470
86-28-3342509

Type of Organization: Academic/Research
Type of Partner Support: Technical Support