Environmental issues

Main article: Environmental issues in China

See also: Water resources of China

Wind turbines in Xinjiang. The Dabancheng project is one of Asia's largest wind farms

In recent decades, China has suffered from severe environmental deterioration and pollution.^[155][156] While regulations such as the 1979 Environmental Protection Law are fairly stringent, they are poorly enforced, as they are frequently disregarded by local communities and government officials in favor of rapid economic development.^[157] Urban air pollution is a severe health issue in the country; the World Bank estimated in 2013 that 16 of the world's 20 most-polluted cities are located in China.^[158] China is the world's largest carbon dioxide emitter.^[159] The country also has significant water pollution problems: 40% of China's rivers had been polluted by industrial and agricultural waste by late 2011.^[160] In 2014, the internal freshwater resources per capita of China reduced to 2,062m³, and it was below 500m³ in the North China Plain, while 5,920m³ in the world.^{[161][162][163]}
However, China is the world's leading investor in renewable energy commercialization, with $52 billion invested in 2011 alone;^{[164][165][166]} it is a major manufacturer of renewable energy technologies and invests heavily in local-scale renewable energy projects.^[167][168] By 2009, over 17% of China's energy was derived from renewable sources – most notably hydroelectric power plants, of which China has a total installed capacity of 197 GW.^[169] In 2011, the Chinese government announced plans to invest four trillion yuan (US$619 billion) in water infrastructure and desalination projects over a ten-year period, and to complete construction of a flood prevention and anti-drought system by 2020.^[162][170] In 2013, China began a five-year, US$277 billion effort to reduce air pollution, particularly in the north of the country.^[171]