China's outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) places consolidating and expanding the ecological security barrier in a prominent position, with a focus on advancing desertification control through the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP) -- the world's largest afforestation project.
The new five-year outline, approved by Chinese lawmakers on Thursday, calls for comprehensively advancing the three landmark projects of the national shelterbelt program in northeast, north and northwest China.
The three projects refer to the goal that by 2030, the country aims to achieve significant desertification control results through the TSFP in three regions: the Hexi Corridor-Taklimakan Desert region, the two sandy lands of Horqin and Hunshandake, and the areas near the meandering bends of the Yellow River.
To track progress, the outline establishes concrete environmental benchmarks for the TSFP zone by the end of the decade: forest and grassland coverage is targeted to reach 40.9 percent, 67 percent of treatable sandy land is to be brought under control, and the comprehensive vegetation coverage of sandy areas is expected to hit 22 percent.
Zhang Huaiqing, chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, emphasized the need to adopt a more scientific approach to desertification control.
"As the TSFP enters a critical phase in its all-out campaign to tackle the toughest challenges, the philosophy behind science-based desertification control has evolved -- from simply enhancing vegetation coverage to promoting comprehensive ecological restoration across affected areas. We are now utilizing technologies including remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data to make our efforts more precise and efficient. Sci-tech empowerment is helping us consolidate this 'Green Great Wall' in north China," he said.
China to extend "green wall" in battle against desertification
