China has basically curbed the trend of grassland degradation, thanks to initiatives aimed at restoring and managing grasslands, said an official on Tuesday.
The country has made remarkable achievements in increasing grassland areas and enhancing grassland productivity, according to Li Yongjun, director of the grassland management department under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
"Since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the central government has invested a total of 110 billion yuan (about 15 billion U.S. dollars) in grassland protection and restoration. The investment has led to the annual restoration of more than 3.067 million hectares of degraded grassland, while preventing rodent and pest damage over an area exceeding 6.6 million hectares. The total output of fresh grass has surpassed 550 million tons," said Li at a press conference.
The grassland areas in northeast, north, and northwest China cover 147 million hectares, serving as an important ecological security barrier in northern China. Through the promotion of the integrated conservation and systematic management of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, the ecological quality of grasslands in the region has seen continuing improvement.
Various regions across China have also accelerated efforts to transform traditional methods of grassland animal husbandry. This includes enhancing artificial grass planting, enforcing grazing bans, and implementing systems that balance grass and livestock, all aimed at restoring the grassland ecosystem.
"We are committed to actively innovating new models for grassland protection and utilization, tapping the potential for grassland eco-tourism, nature education, and the development of grassland-specific ecological industries, as well as carrying out pilot projects for the establishment of 39 national grassland parks and 18 state-owned grasslands," said Li.
China basically curbs trend of grassland degradation: official
China unveiled a large wind-assisted propulsion system for ships in the coastal city of Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, on Friday, marking a major leap forward for the country in the field of high-end vessel marine environmental protection equipment.
The wind-assisted propulsion system - rotating sail system (WAPS-RSS), is developed by Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC).
The system's rotor has diameter of 5 meters, is 35 meters high, and weighs 150 tons.
Experts say that the system can efficiently capture wind energy while the ship is sailing, providing additional thrust for the vessel.
On average, it can save fuel consumption by 5 to 25 percent for large ocean-going vessels, and lower carbon emissions accordingly.
It relies on the Magnus effect, which is much like a loop in table tennis, featuring a rapidly spinning sphere that causes the surrounding air to rotate. Pressure decreases on the side with faster airflow and increases on the side with slower airflow, creating a lateral pressure difference that generates lateral thrust.
"Standing on the deck, the powerful thrust generated by its rotation assists the ship's sailing. Our system - the world's largest rotary sail - reaches a maximum rotational speed of 180 revolutions per minute and can generate a maximum of 355 kilonewtons of thrust. Additionally, the system's intelligent control integrates multiple sensors to detect real-time wind and ship conditions. Through smart algorithms, it automatically adjusts to maintain optimal performance at all times, maximizing the utilization of wind energy," said Guo Yu, vice president of SunRui Marine Environment Engineering Company Limited under Luoyang Ship Material Research Institute.
Not only does the system's performance meet international advanced standards, but the project team has also overcome a series of engineering challenges, including the fabrication of giant composite structures, complex system integration, and intelligent coordinated control.
Compared with mainstream international technological approaches, it offers greater production efficiency and cost advantages.
Currently, the system has secured its first batch of orders and will complete actual vessel applications as scheduled.
China unveils large wind-assisted propulsion system for ships
