Yangtze River Economic Belt
Region
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) is a region along the Yangtze River. The idea was introduced in 2014[2] and established in 2016,[3] with the Chinese government aiming to increase economic growth with minimal environmental damage.[2] Around 21% of the area of China and 40% of its population lies within the belt.[2] Eleven province-level divisions of China are included in the YREB: Anhui, Chongqing, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shanghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang.[4]
Geography
The YREB is made up of nine provinces and two direct-administered municipalities.[5] Around 21% of China's area lies in the belt.[2] Poyang Lake, located within Jiangxi, is the largest freshwater lake of China and is within the YREB.[6]
Economy
In 2021, the YREB consisted of 46% of the national GPD.[5] Between 2016 and 2021, the YREB region saw a direct increase in economic development as a result of the plan.[5]
As of 2020, the YREB saw an average yearly increase of 9.6% in the population of nurses per year. Growth in the nursing population was the largest in the upper regions.[7] In 2023, the tourism industry made up 23% of the YREB's GDP.[8]
Of cities that significantly reduced wastewater within the YREB, none saw economic regression.[2]
Ecological impact
In 2021, air pollutants were more common in the YREB than the rest of China.[3] The Yangtze River Economic Belt plan reduced wastewater production in the Chongqing metropolitan area by 12% per year and insignificant reductions in the Yangtze Delta.[2] Throughout the twelfth and thirteenth five-year plans, the YREB managed to eco-economically decouple itself significantly.[9] The Asian Development Bank noted that a lack of institutional integration of ecological policy likely weakened the effects that the YREB plan had on Jiangxi.[6]