China completes over 8 million hectares of land greening in 2025

Beijing: China expanded its land greening efforts in 2025, completing ecological restoration and afforestation across more than 8 million hectares, as the country pushes ahead with large-scale measures to combat desertification, soil erosion and climate change.

According to official data released this week, the greening work covered a mix of afforestation, grassland restoration and ecological protection projects, with a strong focus on ecologically fragile regions in northern, northwestern and northeastern China.

Key areas included parts of Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Xinjiang and the Yellow River basin, where land degradation and desertification have long posed environmental and economic challenges.

The work forms part of China’s broader national greening strategy, which aims to improve forest and grassland coverage, enhance carbon sinks and strengthen ecological security.

Authorities said priority was given to restoring degraded land, protecting existing forests and improving the quality and resilience of ecosystems rather than simply expanding tree cover.

Officials highlighted that desertification control projects made up a significant share of the total, with sand prevention belts and shelter forests helping to stabilise soil and reduce the frequency of sandstorms affecting major cities, including Beijing and Tianjin. Grassland rehabilitation projects were also scaled up to support sustainable livestock grazing and protect biodiversity.

China has steadily increased its forest coverage over the past decades and has pledged to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Expanding and improving forests and grasslands is seen as a crucial pillar of that effort, alongside cuts in fossil fuel use and growth in renewable energy.

Environmental experts note that while the scale of China’s greening programme is among the largest in the world, long-term success will depend on choosing climate-appropriate vegetation, ensuring sufficient water resources and maintaining restored land through effective management.

Authorities said land greening efforts will continue in 2026, with a greater emphasis on high-quality ecological restoration, scientific planning and balancing environmental protection with local livelihoods.