Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, May 23, 2002
China to Change Eco-environment in 50 Years
China is one among those countries that that have suffered from soil erosion most. According to data gathered latest, China already has had 3.65 million square kilometers of land or a 37 percent of the country's total suffering from soil erosion. Soil erosion has hindered China's modernization process.
China is one among those countries that that have suffered from soil erosion most. According to data gathered latest, China already has had 3.65 million square kilometers of land or a 37 percent of the country's total suffering from soil erosion. The Ministry of Water Resources reveals the yearly eroding soil averaging 5 billion tons..
Achievements made in soil protection
Though the said Ministry indicates the national ecological environment will be greatly improved severe soil erosion has brought damages in the country's social and economic development and its ecological environment.
A fact to be noted is that the Chinese government had begun stressing on the work of soil protection as early back in the days when the New China was inaugurated. The country has made remarkable achievements in the work of soil protection over the past fifty years, carrying out ecosystem projects of soil protection on seven rivers like Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.
Soil erosion hinders modernization process
Currently China has harnessed 860,000 square kilometers of eroding soil, including 380,000 square kilometers having been brought under control since the 1990s. Particularly the country has been harnessed an area over 50,000 square kilometers year on year since 1998, generating enormous revenue for ecological, economic and social construction.
However, China is facing great challenges in the 21 century and the contradiction still lies between population, resources, environment and economic development. Figures show nearly 2 million square kilometers of soil to be harnessed. Soil erosion has hindered China's modernization process.