China has restored a cumulative 10.13 million hectares of desertified land and 1.95 million hectares affected by rocky desertification during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Officials said the country's overall desertification levels have continued to decline while ecological conditions in desert regions have steadily improved.
The update was released on Wednesday ahead of the 32nd World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.
Three-North program remains central to desertification efforts
In recent years, China has prioritised desertification control through the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), an afforestation initiative launched in 1978 to address desertification across northwestern, northern and northeastern regions of the country.
According to the administration, the central government has allocated 88.9 billion yuan ($12.4 billion) to the programme since its launch, supporting 544 major projects. Ecological restoration and construction work has been completed across 16.3 million hectares.
The project has grown into the world's largest afforestation programme, according to Xinhua.
Policy measures and monitoring network expanded
Chinese authorities have strengthened the policy framework for combating desertification by introducing a national desertification prevention and control plan and a photovoltaic desertification-control plan covering the Three-North desert and Gobi regions.
Officials have also revised the overall TSFP plan, introduced implementation management measures and issued 10 industry standards, including technical guidelines for desertification control. Pilot ecological compensation programmes in desert ecosystems have also been launched.
At the same time, China has accelerated the construction of desert ecosystem observation stations and ground-based sandstorm monitoring facilities, laying the groundwork for a nationwide ecological monitoring network.
Technology and innovation drive restoration efforts
Authorities said local governments across the Three-North region have expanded the "photovoltaic-plus-desertification-control" model, helping restore about 353,000 hectares of land.
Efforts linked to transportation infrastructure have also contributed to rehabilitation work, with more than 3,500 kilometres of highways built through sandy areas, supporting the restoration of about 453,000 hectares of degraded land.
China has also increased the use of science and technology in desertification control. Officials divided the Three-North region into 136 ecological management zones, developed new drought-resistant, cold-resistant and saline-alkali-tolerant tree and grass varieties, and raised the adoption rate of improved species to more than 75 percent.
New equipment and technologies have boosted desertification-control efficiency by more than three times, according to official data.
Desertification trends continue to improve
The administration said China's desertified land area has continued to shrink. The trend has shifted from an average annual expansion of about 343,000 hectares at the end of the 20th century to an average annual reduction of about 667,000 hectares.
Wind-induced soil erosion across the country's eight major deserts and four major sandy lands has declined by about 40 percent compared with 2000.
Average vegetation coverage in desert regions has reached 21.17 percent, an increase of 2.84 percentage points from a decade ago.
Within the TSFP area, forest and grassland coverage has risen to 40.76 percent, while 67.82 percent of treatable desertified land has been effectively managed and restored, officials said.
Focus on future restoration goals
As a party to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, China said it has continued to fulfil its obligations under the convention while expanding international cooperation on desertification prevention and control.
Looking ahead, authorities plan to focus on goals outlined in national plans, promote region-specific conservation and governance measures, and advance comprehensive treatment of desertified land in key areas. The country also intends to develop green industries in desert regions where appropriate.
By 2030, China aims to complete the restoration and treatment of nearly 6.7 million hectares of desertified land nationwide.
Officials said ecological conditions are expected to improve significantly in key areas, including the country's four major sandy lands, desert oasis regions, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yellow River Basin and areas surrounding the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, strengthening the ecological security barrier in northern China.
