China makes remarkable progress in desertification control and UNCCD fulfillment

Photo shows desert paddy fields developed by a local agricultural corporation in Alaer, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. (People's Daily Online/Wang Zhiqing)

The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) kicked off in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 2 and closed on Dec. 13.

It marked the first time that China showcased its achievements in desertification control, particularly through the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), a major Chinese national initiative aimed at reversing land desertification.

So far, China has effectively rehabilitated 53 percent of its treatable desertified land, with the area of desertified land decreasing by 65 million mu (about 4.3 million hectares). It is the first country in the world to achieve zero growth in land degradation, and the first to reduce the area of desertified and sandy lands.

China is one of the countries most affected by desertification. It has long made the prevention of desert encroachment and sand control major tasks in its battle against desertification, said Huang Caiyi, head of the desertification control department of China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

After over 40 years of unremitting efforts, China has made remarkable achievements in the battle against desertification, blazing a special path of desertification prevention and control with Chinese characteristics. Environmental conservation and improving people's well-being have entered a virtuous cycle, and economic and social development as well as the ecological environment of the regions with desertification have seen tremendous changes. The country has become the largest contributor to global greening and a global model for desertification control.

The implementation of key projects has significantly improved the ecological conditions in desertified areas. "This year, the Chinese central government invested 32 billion yuan ($4.4 billion) and launched 287 major projects, focusing on the ecological restoration of 109 million mu (7.27 million hectares) of desertified and sandy land," said Liu Bing, an official with China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

For instance, China has carried out major projects such as the TSFP, the Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm source control project, and the project to enclose, protect and restore desertified lands, noted Huang. Thanks to these science-based measures, 538 million mu of desertified land have been sealed off for protection and 118 million mu have been successfully restored, Huang added.

Workers make grass grids in the Tengger Desert in Zhongwei, northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, May 9, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Yuan Hongyan)

According to Huang, the forest coverage rate of the TSFP-covering areas has increased from 12.41 percent to 13.84 percent, and soil erosion has been effectively controlled on 61 percent of the affected land in China.

In the Yellow River Basin, the demarcation that distinguishes areas with vegetation from those devoid of it has moved about 300 kilometers westward. Over the past decade, the annual number of dusty and sandstorm-impacted spring days in north China has also dropped significantly.

By combining desert control with economic development, Chinese desert areas have made new progress in economic and social development.

"In China, local governments have adopted a coordinated approach to ecological protection and industrial development. They have leveraged the unique resources of desert areas to moderately develop industries such as medicinal herbs, high-quality forage, commercial forests and fruits, and desert tourism," said Huang.

Production bases for forestry products, fruits, and woody oil crops have been established in regions like the Loess Plateau, Yanshan Mountains, and oases across northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, with an annual output of dried and fresh fruits amounting to 48 million tons, Huang added.

Technological innovation has also provided robust support for China's desertification control endeavors, especially for the development of the TSFP.

For instance, China has taken water resources into consideration for green development and selected tree and grass species that are resistant to drought, poor soil, and wind for vegetation planting. It has established 26 desert ecosystem observation stations and 13 ground-based sandstorm monitoring stations to conduct investigations and surveillance of forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystems.

Tourists visit the Yinkentala Desert scenic spot in Kubuqi Desert, Erdos, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, May 31, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Chai Junwei)

Besides, China has been rapidly developing mechanized and intelligent technologies for sand prevention and control, and widely applying such equipment and technologies as sand compaction machinery, shrub pruning machines, and drone-based aerial seeding.

Desertification is a common challenge faced by all humanity, and tackling desertification is a long-term and arduous task. This year marks the 30th anniversary of China's adoption of the UNCCD.

"China has been diligently fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations under the UNCCD. It has established an office for UNCCD implementation, formulated a national action plan, and has been actively involved in global desertification control," said Huang.

"The TSFP has been recognized in the Global 500 Roll of Honour for Environmental Achievement by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UNCCD Secretariat has also twice honored China for its 'outstanding contribution to combating desertification,' praising its significant contributions to global desertification control," Huang noted.

Huang explained that since adopting the UNCCD, China has set up regional mechanisms to facilitate its implementation. Many significant events have been hosted, such as the Asian ministerial conference on desertification and the Asia-Africa desertification control meeting, to promote regional cooperation on desertification prevention and control.

China has also launched campaigns to raise public awareness of combating desertification worldwide, proposed and facilitated the adoption of resolutions at the Conference of the Parties, designated annual global themes for desertification and drought, and organized commemorative activities. China also hosted the COP 13 to the UNCCD and achieved fruitful outcomes.

"Moving forward, China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration will continue strengthening prevention and control of desertification and promoting the construction of key ecological projects, including the TSFP. It will also continue to diligently fulfill the obligations under the UNCCD, contributing China's strength to global desertification control," said Huang.