Three Gorges DamThree Gorges Dam

David Homsher & George Lyons

Yangtze River

• Over 3,900 miles long (6,300 km). Third longest in the world.

• The land area of Yangtze river valley is 19% of the total land in China.

• The total population of Yangtze River valley is 358 million, nearly 35% of the national population (1983).

Three Gorges Dam Project

• Located on the Sandouping, Yichang and Hubei provinces.

• Height: 590 feet (181 m).

• Expected investment: 203.9 billion renminbi (US$24.65 billion).

More Facts

• Number of migrants: 1.13 million.

• Installed power generation capacity: 18.2 million kilowatts.

• Produce 84 billion kilowatt-hours annually.

• Functions: Flood control, power generation, improved navigation.

Recent History

• March 1989 construction is suspended • After Tiananmen Square

– Public debate over dam forbidden by government

– Foreign critics accused of ignorance

– Famous critics imprisoned

• Resettlement and physical preparations begin in 1994– Government solicits technology, services, hardware and

financing from abroad

Construction Site

Construction Timetable

• November 1997 Yangtze River was diverted.

• The first batch of generators will begin to generate power in 2003.

• The entire project is to be completed by 2009 when all 26 generators will be able to generate power.

Benefits of Dam• Energy:

– Its 26 700-megawatt turbine generators have a productions capacity equal to the energy produced by 18 nuclear plants or the burning of 40 million tons of coal.

– Will provide energy to 60 million residents currently without power.

• Economic Growth and Development:– Provide power for economic growth.– Allows improved shipping on the Yangtze.

Benefits of Dam

• Flood Control:– Lessen the frequency of large

floods from once in 10 years to once in 100 years.

• Environmental:– Hydroelectric is cleaner than

coal burning and nuclear waste.

– Ozone protected from greenhouse gas emissions.

Problems With Dam• Energy:

– Combined cycle plants are predicted to make hydroelectric dams obsolete. They promise comparable energy production without many of the problems associated with dams.

• Economic Impact:– Relocated residents could become unemployed.– Possible the project does not have enough

funding to be completed.

Problems With Dam• Flooding:

– Critics claim The Yangtze will add 530 million tons of silt into the reservoir on average per year and it will soon be useless in preventing floods.

– Dam will not prevent floods on downstream tributaries.

• Environmental Problems.– 14,500 hectares of agricultural land will be lost.– The dam will act as a barrier causing the flow of

sediments to slow and downstream fisheries and agriculture will be deprived of much need nutrients.

– The reservoir would also submerge numerous factories that would otherwise continue to take part in China’s economic growth.

Ethical Issues

• Relocation of residents

• Environmental concerns

• Local culture

• Political corruption

Relocation of Residents

• The dam will require a 375 mile long reservoir which forces people currently living in the area to move out.

• Chinese government estimates 1.2 million people will have to move, but experts predict the real number to be between 1.6 and 1.9 million people.

What Happens?• Some of the people are given financial

compensation and moving expenses.• Others are given either new farm land or new

factory jobs.• Much of the new farm land is barely usable and is

located on steep inclines requiring excess precipitation.

• Critique of the resettlement plans is prohibited in the media.

Environmental Concerns• The coastline will be eroded.

• The altered ecosystem will further endanger many species.

• The river, no longer free flowing, will become very polluted once the toxins and pollutants are slowly released from the cities.

Local Culture• Will destroy 1300 archeological sites.

• Will flood many historical sites.

• Reduce tourism.

Political Corruption

• Widely believed that contractors won bids through bribery.

• Many of the materials used in construction are below standards to lower overall costs.

• Head of the Three Gorges Dam Economic Corp. sold jobs in the company, took out loans for the project and disappeared with the money in May 2000.

• Resettlement officials were caught embezzling funds from the Resettlement Program in January 2000.

$$$

Defense to Ethical Issues

• Relocation of residents.– 15 million people downstream will be better off

due to electricity and flood control.– Compensation is being offered to those

relocated.

• Environmental concerns.– Hydroelectric power is cleaner than coal

burning and safer than nuclear power.

Defense to Ethical Issues

• Local culture– Many historical sites are

being moved to higher ground.

• Political corruption

?

Application of Moral Theories

• Utilitarianism

• Kant

• Cultural Relativism

Utilitarianism

• Relocation of residents– Happiness of 15 million people downstream

outweighs possible unhappiness of about 1.2 million upstream.

• Environmental concerns– It depends.

• Water pollution vs. electricity.

– Fish and other animals could decrease in population.

Utilitarianism

• Local culture– Happiness would decrease

because the Chinese government will not be able to save all of the historical and archeological sites.

•Political corruption

–Happiness decreases because they are losing funds.

Kant• Relocation of residents

– Human rights of relocated people violated.– Are not treated as autonomous beings.

• Environmental concerns– Personal rights could be violated by

increased water pollution.

• Political corruption– Apply categorical imperative – would not

want everyone to be corrupt.

Cultural Relativism

• Relocation of residents– Since the Chinese government is different than

ours, it may be okay to move people without their consent.

• Political corruption– Bribery and selling jobs may be the way the

government operates, however embezzlement has a negative effect on the culture.

Should Project Be Completed?• Utilitarianism

– Yes, overall happiness of people with flood control and electricity will outweigh the unhappiness of those affected negatively.

• Kant– No, because people’s rights are violated without

adequate compensation.

• Cultural Relativism– Yes, would improve economy and prestige for

China.

The End

Thanks for listening.

Any Questions?