China accomplishes management of 365 million mu of desertified land since 2012

China has managed 365 million mu(24.33 million hectares) of desertified land, and the area under protection has reached 27.94 million mu, since 2012, as the country has continuously intensified its efforts in comprehensive desertification prevention and control, accelerating the construction of key ecological projects such as the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, according to a release sent to the Global Times by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tuesday.

June 17 marks Desertification and Drought Day. The theme of Desertification and Drought Day 2025 is “Restore the Land, Unlock the Opportunities,” while China’s theme focuses on scientific desertification control, promoting industry, and benefiting the people, according to the administration.

The severity of desertification and sandification has continued to decline. In 2019, the indices for desertification and sandification were 2.24 and 2.85, respectively, showing a reduction of 0.04 and 0.21 compared to 2014, marking four consecutive periods of improvement, according to the administration.

The hazards of wind and sand have been effectively mitigated, with total wind-related soil erosion in the eight major deserts and four major sandy areas decreasing by approximately 40 percent in 2019 compared to 2000. China has taken the lead in achieving zero growth in land degradation, becoming the largest contributor to global greening and a model for international desertification prevention and control, the release said.

The desertified land in China is mainly concentrated in the Three-North regions. Over more than 40 years of implementing the Three-North project, the key governance areas have undergone a historic transformation. The project has cumulatively preserved 480 million muof forested area, rehabilitated 1.28 billion mu of degraded grassland, and addressed soil erosion across 670 million mu, according to the administration.

The forest coverage in the project area has increased from 5.05 percent in 1977 to the current 13.84 percent today. Effective control has been achieved over 61 percent of erosion-prone land, and 450 million muof farmland have been protected. The vegetation coverage “green line” in the Yellow River basin has shifted westward by 300 kilometers, according to the release.

The China Pavilion at the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification officially opened in December 2024, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Covering more than 600 square meters, the China Pavilion was the second-largest national pavilion at the event. Its exhibition, themed “Cross-Century Green Great Wall, China’s Restoration in Action,” showcased the nation’s battle against desertification, particularly through the Three-North Shelter Forest Program, a major national initiative aimed at reversing land desertification, according to Xinhua.