China's Sandification Control Efforts Yield Positive Results

Since 2012, China has made significant progress in combating sandification. Over 24 million hectares of land have been successfully treated through control measures. Furthermore, nearly 1.9 million hectares have been designated for enclosed conservation.

This information was released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Tuesday. The announcement coincided with the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

Sandification is the process by which an environment transforms into a sandy state. China regularly assesses the situation through national surveys conducted every five years.

The four surveys completed since 2000 have consistently shown positive trends. They indicate a reduction in both the area affected by desertification and sandification, as well as a decrease in the severity of these issues.

The administration also highlighted the effective control of wind-sand disasters. The total area impacted by wind erosion in the country's eight major deserts and four major sandy regions decreased by approximately 40 percent between 2000 and 2019.