Development of Remote Sensing in China : Status and Future
Zou Xintie
National Remote Sensing Center of China
Abstract
The increasing needs for natural resources and environmental management have significantly promoted the development of remote sensing technology direction of application, basic research, system development. Several national projects in remote sensing field are described. Finally, this paper discusses the further development of remote sensing in China.
Remote Sensing has become an important tool for Resource and Environment Management in China
China is a developing country covering last territory of 9.6 million square km with diverse land scope type ranged from coast, zone to plain, desert, plateau and high mountains. It has also about 1.1 billion population. The country is confronted with two problems: how to utilize more reasonably the very limited resource for better standard living of the people, and how to do with the environment degradation in the country. The main resource and environment problem in china are identified as follows,
Degradation and decrease of land resource
The area of land damaged by soil erosion in China is over 1500, 000 sq. km. Especially the Loess Plateau with are of 600,000 sq. km contains soil erosion area of 430,000 sq. km and 300,000 valleys longer than 1 km, from which huge volume (1.6 billion tons/yr) of silt is dumped into the yellow river. Soil erosion and unreasonable use of land have caused rapid decrease of agricultural land.
Deforestation
The percentage of forest coverage in the country has shown the trend of decrease. It has caused deterioration of ecological environment especially in the northern region of the country, for example, expansion of desertification area and serious soil erosion. Since 50’s the decertified land has expanded with a speed of average of 1,500 sq. km/y. The total area of decertified land in china has reached about 1000,000 sq km as 11% of the country’s territory. For example, only in northern china, more than 334,000 sq. km is being affected by decertification process. Desertification are also threatening other regions of country.
Natural disaster
Disaster, such as flooding, forest, fire, lands lode, mud-rock flow, and earthquake has caused enormous losses of property and life of people in the country.
Most resources and environment problems mentioned above are results of excessive human activities in china’s long history. To protect the environment we are living n, we urgently need to clarify situation and dynamic changes of spatial distribution and quality of resource and environment. No doubt, remote sensing is an effective means to answer these questions with quick response. The principle for remote sensing development in China has been formulated as that, applications of remote sensing technology must be geared to urgent needs in social and economic development of the country. In this connection, several projects of remote sensing application and technology of national importance have been organised and carried on. Thousand of universities are involved to the projects.
