BEIJING: Since its first launch of National Tree Planting Day on March 12, 1979, China has made remarkable strides in afforestation and ecological restoration, especially in recent years, reinforcing its commitment to green development and environmental sustainability.
From the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” to setting “dual carbon” goals, these efforts have increased China’s forest coverage and improved ecological resilience, demonstrating the country’s leadership in global environmental protection.
In 2024, China planted 4.45 million hectares of trees, raising the country’s forest coverage to over 25 percent, with total forest stock volume exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. China has cumulatively afforested over 773 million hectares, making China the country with the largest increase in green coverage globally.
The proportion of days with good air quality nationwide reached 87.2 percent, and the proportion of surface water sections with good quality reached 90.4 percent. Additionally, 3.22 million hectares of grasslands were restored, and 2.78 million hectares of desertified and rocky desertification land were treated. A “green belt” stretching over 3,000 kilometers encircles the Taklimakan Desert in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Launched in 1978, the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, the world’s largest afforestation initiative, aims at halting desertification across northwest, north and northeast China. In recent years, the government has invested 32 billion yuan (about $4.4 billion) into the program, supporting 287 ecological projects and 58 nursery bases. About 3.8 million hectares of land was treated last year under the program. These efforts are crucial in stabilizing the ecosystem of arid regions. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
