China Environ Prot (EP) Industry, Technology, Solid Waste Mgt, Liquid Treat: News & Discussions

[JSCh]

China demolishes high emission power plants with installed capacity two times more than Britain's total
Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-15 20:17:56|Editor: mmm


SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China has demolished a large number of energy-consuming and high-emission power plants with the installed capacity of 170 million kilowatts, more than double that of Britain's total, a Chinese senior official at an international climate summit said here Friday.

Xie Zhenhua, China's Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs, who was attending the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) that ended in San Francisco earlier in the day, said China has made major significant contributions to global efforts in reducing carbon emissions under the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Speaking at a press conference at the end of the three-day event on climate challenge, Xie refuted criticisms of some Western people who accused China of building more coal-burned power plants at a time when countries are fighting for reduction of carbon emissions.

Britain has a total installed capacity of about 70 million kilowatts in its power plants nationwide, but the gross installed capacity of the power plants demolished in China was over two times more than in Britain, to reach 170 million kilowatts, Xie said.

He said China is committed to a path of green, low-carbon and renewable development that fits into its own national condition.

China has been playing an active role in addressing climate change and delivering on the goal of the Paris Agreement, said Xie.

The emission of carbon dioxide per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017 dropped 46 percent from the level of 2005 in China, which means the country has achieved the goal of 2020 for the reduction of carbon intensity, Xie said.

He said his foreign counterparts have all acknowledged China's efforts to fight climate change and cut carbon emissions, hailing China as a country that is really taking action to fight for a low carbon world.

Xie said California Governor Jerry Brown told him that the California state, the host of the 2018 GCAS, is willing to learn from China in developing green transportation such as electric vehicles.

China is the world's largest market of e-sedans with about 1.6 million units, accounting for an estimated 50 percent of the total number of e-sedans globally, Xie said.

He quoted statistics of the World Bank as saying that China accounts for more than 52 percent of the energy saved by the whole world over the past 20 years.

China will continue to develop new and innovative technology to attain both the national and the world goals of low carbon emissions, Xie said.

Xie is a co-chair of the Global Climate Action Summit that aims to champion climate policies and measures to bring down carbon emissions worldwide.

 

[JSCh]

Opinion: China builds 'green wall' to stop sand encroachment
Zhang Kebin
2018-09-15 08:45 GMT+8

Editor's note: Zhang Kebin is a professor at Beijing Forestry University. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

China is one of the largest countries in the world, and contains large area of deserts and degraded land, especially in its northern part. Based on a national survey, the deserts and sandy land will lead to a loss of 172 million square meters by wind erosion.

Combining serious wind erosion and shifting sand dune encroachment with strong sand and dust storms, China has suffered from serious sand encroachment and fought back with different sand fixation mechanisms.

Wetland in Alashan, Inner Mongolia, China, where a desert once was. /VCG Photo

Since 1978, great efforts have been made by China to combat desertification. The Three-North Protective Forest Shelterbelt Program, or the Green Great Wall, is an attempt to tackle the problem. It covers 13 provinces and autonomous regions in northern China with a total area of 4.1 million square meters, accounting for 42.4 percent of the total land area.

On May 5, 1993, a strong sandstorm swept through northwest China, killing 85 people. Since then, the Chinese government has conducted national surveys in the desert and sandy land in the hope of shifting these vulnerable areas.

Local volunteers plant trees on National Tree Planting Day in Wuwei, Gansu Province, on March 12, 2017. /VCG Photo

National monitoring of desertification has been carried out every five years since the establishment of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 1994. China's efforts have paid off, and since early 2000, the situation is looking up.

China's success in combating desertification can be attributed to the following reasons.

First, a series of laws and regulations on combating desertification, protecting farmland and soil have been introduced by China. There are fiscal regulations in China to combat desertification. The large-scale ecological project includes natural forest protection, the reversion of farmland to forests, the Green Great Wall program and a program focused on the Beijing-Tianjin dust sources.

Furthermore, China has realized the importance of technology in addressing desertification. Therefore, the Chinese government has increased financial investment to help enhance scientific and technological support.

In some ecologically vulnerable areas, China has developed special industries such as forestry and made great efforts to minimize the adverse effects of human activity on the land.

China's efforts to combat desertification have eased the problem, while raising public awareness of the issue.

In 2015, the UN adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are broad and interdependent objectives that play crucially important roles in our lives. Environmental protection is definitely included in the list. When it comes to this, China's global contributions are highly regarded by the entire world.

China's model for combating desertification can be effective in other countries, as long as the program is designed to meet the local conditions.

 

[JSCh]

Algae and grapes are China's new weapons against desertification
Alok Gupta
2018-09-20 17:55 GMT+8

After successfully cultivating grapes in the desert, China is combating desertification by adopting advanced scientific methods to boost sustainable farming in the region, a senior official maintained.

Trials for reviving algae, moss, and lichen are underway in an attempt to control the spread of desert terrain and also boost agriculture in the Tengger desert at Shapotou district in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

“The new method shows promising results in stabilizing the desert and helping enhance the soil's fertility,” Zhang Zhishan, deputy director at Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station (SDRES), told CGTN.

This fragile layer of lichen, algae, and moss is known as the cryptobiotic crust and it binds the sand and soil to the ground. Climate change and overgrazing over the years destroyed the topsoil, resulting in massive desertification around the world.

“We extract algae, moss and lichen from various sources and cultivate them in nearby water bodies. Then we spray these micro-organisms on the sand dunes to stabilize the sand,” Zhang explained. These micro-organisms also help boost the soil's fertility.

The creeping desert displaces families

More than one-third of China's territory is threatened by desertification, affecting nearly 400 million people. The official estimate claims desert in the country is expanding at the rate of 2,100 square kilometers every year, swallowing vast tracts of fertile land in the process.

This widespread desertification has displaced thousands of families whom the government terms as “ecological refugees.” To help them, a series of rehabilitation programs have been initiated. “In the 1980s we helped these communities to farm grapes and cultivate vegetables in the desert,” Zhang said.

"As a part of a livelihood generation initiative, experiments with growing grapes, apples, corn and wheat in the fringe desert area were carried out. “We involved many experts, and after a successful trial, villagers are growing grapes at a large scale,” Zhao Jinlong, a senior engineer with SDRES told CGTN.

Shapotou alone cultivates around 350 hectares worth of grapes. Nearby Zhongwei City, which is facing the worst impacts of desertification, is growing grapes in approximately 600 hectares of land.

Corn and wheat crops are cultivated on a rotational basis to maintain the soil's fertility.

In a bid to control desertification, the government initiated the Shelterbelt Development Program in 1978 to form a ‘Green Great Wall' of 35 million hectares worth of trees, covering 700 km across northern China.

Climate change, overgrazing and a lack of water have been cited as the primary reasons behind the region's rapid desertification. “Grazing has been banned since 1956, and it continues,” Zhang added.

From labor intensive desert controls to smart technology

In the 1960s, the expanding desert threatened to destroy the Baotou-Lanzhou Railway, a crucial route that links northern China to northwestern regions.

The rail route is almost 1,000 km and crosses through the Tengger Desert near Zhongwei City in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The dunes often engulf the railway tracks, forcing authorities to initiate desert control methods.

The Institute of Desert Research of Academia Sinica (IDRAS), with the help of the government and local communities, use checkerboards to control the sand. The straw checkerboards are one square meter in size and made with wheat or rice straw.

These boards cover a vast area around the railway tracks and control the flow of sand.

“These traditional methods to control desertification are slow. Algae is a fast way to green the desert, and we have carried out a series of successful trials,” Zhang added.

“However, the only problem is that the new method is expensive. We estimate the cost will down once we scale up the algae desertification control operation.”

(Cover Image: Workers make straw checkerboard sand barriers in the Tengger Desert in the Shapotou District of Zhongwei City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, June 11, 2018. /Xinhua Photo)

 

[JSCh]

Battling China's largest desert: Oasis emerges after 3 decades of greening
New China TV
Published on Sep 26, 2018

Unbelievable: An oasis emerges in the hinterland of China's largest desert, thanks to three decades of greening.

 

[JSCh]

Zhejiang wins UN's top environmental honor
By Ma Chi | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-09-27 14:05

A bird's-eye view of Anji county, Huzhou city, Zhejiang province, where President Xi Jinping proposed a new development method. HUANG ZONGZHI/XINHUA

China's Zhejiang province was recognized with a Champions of the Earth Award, the UN's highest environmental honor, on Wednesday.

Zhejiang's Green Rural Revival Program won in the Inspiration and Action category, one of five categories at the awards, "for the transformation of a once-heavily polluted area of rivers and streams", according to the website of the United Nations Environment Program.

"This exceptionally successful eco-restoration program shows the transformative power of economic and environmental development together," said the website.

Delegates from China's Zhejiang province receive the Champions of the Earth Award in New York on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly on Wednesday. [Photo by Hu Yuanyong/Asianewsphoto]

Zhejiang Green Rural Revival Programme - 2018 Champions of the Earth
UN Environment
Published on Sep 26, 2018

China’s Zhejiang’s Green Rural Revival Programme is awarded for Inspiration and Action for the transformation of a once heavily polluted area of rivers and streams in East China's Zhejiang province. This exceptionally successful eco-restoration program shows the transformative power of economic and environmental development together. To learn more, go to www.unep.org/champions

 

[JSCh]

Green building looks like vertical forest in eastern city
2018-09-27 15:29:44Ecns.cnEditor :Yao Lan

A drone photo shows a building covered with plants in Jurong City, East China’s Jiangsu Province, Sept. 26, 2018. The building looks like a vertical forest. (Photo: China News Service/Yang Bo)

 

[JSCh]

China leads the world in decarbonization
By Angus McNeice in London | China Daily UK | Updated: 2018-10-09 00:27

China registered a higher rate of decarbonization than any of the world's major economies for the second year running, according to a new report published by London-based consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers (known as PwC).

China reduced its carbon intensity by 5.2 percent in 2017, PwC found in its annual Low Carbon Economy Index of the G20 members. Carbon intensity rates are measured by comparing greenhouse gas emissions with a nation's energy demand and gross domestic product, also known as GDP.

While emissions levels in China actually rose by 1.4 percent last year, this increase was low in comparison to a high GDP growth rate of 6.9 percent and an increase in energy demand.

The United Kingdom also performed well in the index, registering an average drop in carbon intensity of 3.7 percent over the least 10 years, the best of all nations studied. In 2017, UK carbon intensity dropped by 4.7 percent, the fourth best in the G20 behind China, Mexico and Argentina.

Overall, PwC found that global emissions are now on the rise again - by 1.1 percent - having plateaued for the past three years. Global energy demand rose by 2.1 percent last year, more than twice the rate in 2016, and most of the increased energy demand was met with fossil fuels, according to the report.

"The gap between the current decarbonization rate and that needed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius is widening," the report said. "There seems to be almost zero chance of limiting warming to well below 2 degrees, the main goal of the Paris Agreement."

The PwC study coincided with the release of a report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (known as IPCC), which said the world has only 12 years to limit a climate change catastrophe.

Also this week, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences - commonly referred to as the Nobel Prize in economics - to United States economists William Nordhaus and Paul Romer for their work integrating climate change into macroeconomic analysis.

When asked about the new IPCC report, Romer urged governments and the public not to succumb to pessimism.

"Once we start to try to reduce carbon emissions, we'll be surprised that it wasn't as hard as we anticipated," Romer told press. "The danger with very alarming forecasts is that it will make people feel apathetic and hopeless."

In China last year, PwC found that renewable power generation rose by 25 million metric tons of oil equivalent, which is an energy usage measurement, also known as MTOE. This was driven by a 71 percent increase in solar energy, and a 20 percent increase in wind energy.

Coal use in China increased by 1 percent last year, following several years of reductions in consumption. PwC attributed the rise of coal consumption to the opening of coal-fired power generation plants.

"Despite this growth, political signals do not suggest that coal consumption will grow long term in China again as pollution control is at the top of the political agenda," the report stated.

China also saw the highest percentage increase in use of natural gas, at 15 percent. This is largely associated with residential heating and small industrial boilers switching from coal to gas.

"Despite growth of fossil fuels, China has positioned itself as a global engine for renewable deployment," the report said. "It has made significant strides toward meeting its pledge under the Paris Agreement to generate 20 percent of its energy in 2030 from low-carbon sources."

 

[JSCh]

China to Be the Largest Clean Energy User by 2023, IEA Says
XU WEI
DATE: TUE, 10/09/2018 - 10:16 / SOURCE:YICAI

China to Be the Largest Clean Energy User by 2023, IEA Says​

(Yicai Global) Oct. 9 -- China is poised to overtake the EU to become the world’s largest consumer of renewable energy by 2023, thanks to government policy to spur clean power development, the International Energy Agency said yesterday.

The world needs to use more renewable energy, above all outside the electricity sector, since it will otherwise falter in the fight against climate change, the Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental agency advised, online news portal Sina reported.

Clean energy will make up 30 percent of world power generation by 2023, but will feed only 12.4 percent of global energy demand, per the IEA’s Renewables market analysis and forecast report for this year.

The use of renewable power resources in households and industrial transport and heating is often overlooked, though decarbonization in these areas is a key priority for achieving the IEA’s long-term climate and sustainable development goals, said Fatih Birol, IEA’s director-general.

Alternative energy will only meet 18 percent of global energy demand by 2040 at the current development rate, the IEA projects, well below the 28 percent minimum threshold the agency believes is needed to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The growth of sustainable energy may be 25 percent faster than today’s if governments issue policies and regulations that inspire businesses and investors with the confidence to invest in clean energy, the IEA further noted.

 

[JSCh]

Pic story: 81-year-old herdsman takes care of desert poplar trees in China's Inner Mongolia
Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-12 21:00:53|Editor: Li Xia

Ban Du, an 81-year-old herdsman of the Mongolian ethnic group, waters a sapling of populus euphratica, commonly known as desert poplar, in Ceke Gacha of Ejina Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sept. 24, 2018. Ceke Gacha, a village in the Badain Jaran Desert, is known for its dry weather and tough environment. However, Ban Du, unlike other herdsmen, is unwilling to leave his hometown and be relocated to a city house offered by the local government. He has contracted a grassland in the desert and takes care of the century-old desert poplar trees covering over 2,000 hectares of land. To irrigate the trees, he dug a dozen wells in the past 30 years and used his own savings from selling cattle to clear the sand-blocked river channels. Ban Du's hard work won social support. In July 2018, the China Green Foundation raised over 100,000 yuan (14,486 U.S. dollars) to help Ban Du's irrigation efforts. Water finally flew into Ban Du's forest in October this year. "With water, the trees will become green and the eco-system will recover," Ban Du said, noting that he would stay in the desert to take care of the desert poplar trees. (Xinhua/Liu Lei)

 

[TaiShang]

China is indeed building a green civilization. There has been huge developments and hard work in every area of clean energy, reforestation, and cleaning up old industrial bases.

In the larger context, this is a global public goods.

 

[JSCh]

Investments in China's clean energy and technology sector rises in Q2
Xinhua Finance in CFBOND
2018-10-13 20:26

Investments in China's clean energy and technology sector was on the rise during the second quarter of 2018, according to a report released by the world-leading accounting firm PwC on Thursday, the China Securities Journal reported.

The report says that there were 49 investment deals reached in the sector during the second quarter, with the overall investments jumping by 62 percent from the previous quarter to hit 642 million U.S. dollars.

According to the report, as investors began to pay more attention to the early stages of target companies or projects, investments in the A-round financing grew substantially during the quarter. Over the period, there were two A-round financing deals in the sector receiving more than 200 million yuan (28.89 million U.S. dollars) in investments.

During the second quarter, about half of the investments in China's clean energy and technology sector went into the environmental protection industry, making it the largest investment recipient among the industries within the sector, which was followed by the new energy vehicle (NVEs) industry which received 160 million U.S. dollars over the period.

Meanwhile, investment activities in the area of new materials also maintained a strong momentum with nine investment deals closed during the second quarter.

The report also reveals that a total of 38 mergers and acquisition (M&A) deals in China's clean energy and technology sector were disclosed during the quarter, with the total investments reaching 1.373 billion U.S. dollars, up by 13 percent on a quarterly basis.

What's more, two companies in the sector went public in the A-share market during the quarter, with their combined fundraising reaching 913 million U.S. dollars.

 

[JSCh]

PUBLIC RELEASE: 17-OCT-2018
Substantial changes in air pollution across China during 2015 to 2017
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

The first detailed analysis of air pollution trends in China reveals a 20 per cent drop in concentrations of particulate pollution over the last three years (2015-2017).

A study by the University of Leeds has examined measurements from more than 1600 locations in China and found that more than 50 per cent of the locations showed a significant decrease in concentrations of sulphur dioxide and fine particulates that make up a large portion of air pollution.

The team used datasets from 2015 to 2017 consisting of hourly assessments of concentrations of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Ozone (O3), and fine particles measuring less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5).

The hourly data was used to calculate monthly averages and determine overall concentration levels as well as which regions of China have the highest and lowest concentrations. The data was then used to assess whether pollutant concentrations had changed over the 2015 to 2017 period. The team found that concentrations of PM2.5 fell by 7.2% per year over this period and concentrations of SO2 fell by 10.3% per year. In contrast, O3 concentrations increased by 5% per year.

Study co-author Professor Dominick Spracklen, from the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, said: "Rapid economic growth and large increases in emissions has led to serious air quality issues across China. One of the most dangerous components of air pollution is fine particulate matter that measures less than the width of a human hair. These particles can penetrate deeply into the lungs causing serious health complications. Exposure to these particles is estimated to cause more than 1 million deaths across China each year.

"In response the Chinese government introduced policies to reduce emissions and set ambitious targets to limit the amount of particulates in the atmosphere. This is the first detailed assessment as to whether these policies are having an impact."

Ben Silver, study lead author and post graduate researcher at Leeds, said "Our work shows rapid and extensive changes in air pollution right across China. In particular it is encouraging to see that levels of fine particulate matter have fallen rapidly in the last few years.

"While more research is needed to fully assess what is driving the trends we've uncovered here, particularly what is causing the widespread increase in ozone concentrations, we can see that China's emissions control policies seem to be on the right track."

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Further information:

This work was funded by the AIA Group, which is the largest independent publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group, headquartered in Hong Kong. AIA is committed to playing a meaningful role in combatting rising health issues in Asia, including through support for improved air quality in the region.

The paper: Substantial changes in air pollution across China during 2015 to 2017 has been accepted into Environmental Research Letters. (DOI: /10.1088/1748-9326/aae718).

The accepted manuscript is available for download: http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aae718

Professor Dominick Spracklen is available for interview. To arrange interviews or request additional information please contact University of Leeds Press office Anna Harrison at +44 (0)113 34 34196 or a.harrison@leeds.ac.uk.

University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 33,000 students from more than 150 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities.

We are a top ten university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, and are in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2019. Additionally, the University was awarded a Gold rating by the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework in 2017, recognising its 'consistently outstanding' teaching and learning provision. Twenty-six of our academics have been awarded National Teaching Fellowships - more than any other institution in England, Northern Ireland and Wales - reflecting the excellence of our teaching. http://www.leeds.ac.uk​

Substantial changes in air pollution across China during 2015 to 2017 | EurekAlert! Science News

 

[JSCh]

Fishing to be banned on Yangtze River and tributaries by 2020
By Wang Keju | China Daily | Updated: 2018-10-18 08:55

A finless porpoise pictured by a member of the squad on Poyang Lake. [Photo/XINHUA]

Fishing to be banned on Yangtze River and tributaries by 2020

The State Council, China's Cabinet, has issued a guideline to strengthen the protection of aquatic organisms in the Yangtze River that includes a year-round ban on all fishing in the river by 2020.

Yu Kangzhen, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said on Wednesday the guideline is aimed at increasing the diversity of aquatic organism species, aiding the recovery of fish resources, and improving the living environment of aquatic organisms in the Yangtze.

According to the guideline, fishing, apart from fish farming, will be banned in the Yangtze and tributaries and lakes connected to it by 2020.

By 2035, the ecology of the Yangtze will be significantly improved; the habitats of aquatic organisms will be fully protected; aquatic resources will increase significantly; and its ecological functions will be effectively restored, the guideline said.

The guideline also said large amounts of fish fry are expected to be released into the river, with types and numbers chosen scientifically, to help replenish the river's aquatic stocks.

"It is strictly forbidden to release alien species, artificial hybrids or genetically modified species into the water to prevent invasion of alien species and pollution of germ plasm resources," said Ma Yi, director of the Fishery Supervision and Administration Office of the Yangtze River Basin.

Yu noted that, "The number of Yangtze finless porpoises has fallen sharply, and the current number is only half that of giant pandas."

The Zhenjiang Finless Porpoise Reserve in Jiangsu province is an important habitat for protecting the Yangtze finless porpoise, a severely endangered aquatic mammal. But an inspection by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment in June found 467 hectares of illegal agricultural cultivation and fisheries in the protected area, which damaged large areas of wetlands and harmed their ecological functions.

The guideline said it is important to enhance the protection of the Yangtze finless porpoise, and promote "off-site" conservation projects in the middle and lower reaches of the river. A gene bank of important aquatic species will also be built to strengthen genetic research on rare and endangered species. Genetic techniques to resurrect recently extinct aquatic organisms will also be encouraged.

Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, said: "The Yangtze - the longest river in Asia - is an important economic lifeline for millions of Chinese people. Experience gained there can be of benefit in building an ecological environment in other places."

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Yunnan regulation protects biodiversity
Xinhua | Updated: 2018-10-17 17:04

A park near Lijiang's Najie Street covers an area of 400,000 square meters, featuring a sea of flowers. [Photo provided to China Daily]

KUNMING -- The southwestern province of Yunnan has passed a regulation protecting local biodiversity.

The regulation, passed by the fifth session of the Standing Committee of the 13th People's Congress of Yunnan Province, is the first local regulation in China on biodiversity protection.

The regulation, effective on Jan. 1, 2019, stipulates that a government-guided system should be established to protect biodiversity in ecosystems, species and genes.

It also details a series of lists on endangered species and urges efforts to protect rare species. Special attention should be given to distinctive species in Yunnan, according to the regulation.

It also prohibits anyone or any organization from introducing alien species into the wild without authorization.

Yunnan is a Chinese province with a variety of animals and plants and one of the 34 areas in the world where biodiversity is threatened.

 

[JSCh]

Kekeya green project: A man-made miracle
chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2018-10-18 08:42

An aerial photo shows the Kekeya green project in Aksu, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region. [Photo/ts.cn]

On the northwestern side of the Taklimakan Desert, the world's second-largest shifting sand desert, stands a man-made forest spreading across about 66,667 hectares.

This forest is the Kekeya green project, also a boundary dividing desert and green space in Aksu, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region.

Aksu launched the Kekeya green project in 1986 to change the harsh natural conditions. For over 32 years, four million people, including soldiers, students, teachers, civil servants and residents, kept on planting trees, creating a "green Great Wall" 25 kilometers long and four kilometers wide.

The green project has been set as a model of ecological restoration in China.

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A car drives through the core region of the Kekeya green project in Aksu, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, Sept 20, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

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Deep green ecological shelter forest adjoins golden rice fields in Aksu, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, Sept 23, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

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The Kekeya green project stretches towards tall buildings in Aksu, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, Sept 26, 2018. [Photo/Xinjiang Daily]

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In this undated file photo, people plant trees that will become part of the Kekeya green project. [Photo/iyaxin.com]

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Satellite remote sensing images show Kekeya (from left to right) in 1987, 1995 and 2017. [Photo/Xinjiang Daily]

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[JSCh]

Tree diversity increases forest productivity, mitigate climate change: study
Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-18 03:07:05|Editor: Chengcheng


BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Researchers from China, Switzerland and Germany have conducted a large-scale forest biodiversity experiment, showing that a forest with rich species has higher productivity and more carbon accumulation than that with a single plant species, the China Science Daily reported Wednesday.

The findings were published online on Oct. 7 in Journal Science.

Previous studies have shown that a loss of species would weaken the function of grassland ecosystems, but whether the same was true for forests was unclear.

From 2009 to 2010, researchers set up an experimental platform in a subtropical forest in east China's Jiangxi Province, where they planted more than 300,000 trees.

After five years, they found that a forest with a mix of tree species was more productive than that with a single species, and the productivity difference grew with time.

Species richness can also help mitigate climate change. Forests can reduce greenhouse gas emission by absorbing carbon dioxide from the Earth's atmosphere. According to researchers, after eight years, 16-species mixtures stored an average of 32 tonnes of carbon per hectare, while single-species forest plots averaged only 12 tonnes.

Furthermore, tree diversity has economic significance. Researchers have extrapolated the effects of tree species richness to the world's existing forests, and found that a 10 percent decline in tree species would result in a loss of 20 billion U.S. dollars per year.

The research shows that multispecies afforestation strategies would help restore biodiversity and mitigate climate change.