THE GREAT GREEN WALL OF CHINA

The planting of millions of hectares of trees is an environmental win

The Taklimakan desert in China's Xinjiang region covers 337,600sq km – the largest desert in China and the world's second-largest drifting desert. Until recent times, water overuse weakened the natural ecological barriers that were keeping the desert in place, leading to more frequent dust storms and threatening biodiversity. That's changing thanks to a mammoth tree-planting effort dubbed the Great Green Wall of China. Taking its lead from a similar venture south of the Sahara, in Africa, the Chinese government has planted over 30 million hectares of trees since the 70s, finally encircling the desert last year. The programme has reduced desertification in China and is contributing to reducing carbon in the atmosphere, plus there's more planting to come. The work is due to be completed in 2050, when the tree…

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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 2025

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