26/06/2018
The government of China has announced plans to plant 6.6 million hectares of forest in 2018 – that’s an area roughly the size of Ireland. As the United States forfeits its environmental leadership, China has been eager to seize the moment by taking bold action to mitigate the impact of climate change. The State Forestry Administration of China is working towards raising the total percent of the country’s territory covered by forests from 21.7 percent to 23 percent by 2020, then to 26 percent by 2030.
The massive reforestation project will be a collaboration between the Chinese government and internal and external groups that know how to get the job done. “Companies, organisations and talent that specialise in greening work are all welcome to join in the country’s massive greening campaign,” said Zhang Jianlong, head of the forestry administration. “Cooperation between government and social capital will be put on the priority list.” This latest announcement is not the only reforestation project being conducted in China. The strategy of planting trees has also been utilized to fight desertification in the Gobi Desert, with mixed results. The most recent reforestation project may have more success as it is focused on planting in regions already well suited for hosting forests.
https://inhabitat.com/china-is-planting-6-6-million-hectares-of-new-forest-enough-to-occupy-ireland/
