China Allocates $120 Billion for 'Three Norths' Ecological Restoration

The China government has allocated $120 billion in new funding for the "Three Norths" (三北) defense forest project, aimed at ecological restoration and protection in northern China. This initiative focuses on integrated conservation of forests, grasslands, wetlands, and deserts, along with efforts to combat desertification and promote sustainable development.

The funds will be used for:

1. Integrated Conservation: Repairing degraded forests and grasslands, nurturing young forests, and restoring wetlands.
2. Desertification Control: Managing newly treated desert areas through planting, watering, and maintenance.
3. Protected Areas: Establishing zones where desertification is halted and natural recovery is supported.
4. Sustainable Development: Incentivizing regions that effectively integrate ecological and industrial practices.

This funding aims to enhance the precision and effectiveness of ecological policies, encouraging private and public sector collaboration. It also supports the use of innovative financial mechanisms like green bonds and favorable tax treatments to bolster these environmental efforts.

The "Three Norths" project, spanning from 1978, covers vast areas of northern China prone to desertification and ecological degradation. The new funding underscores a strategic shift from scattered investments to targeted, large-scale interventions, aiming to create contiguous ecological improvements and combat the severe environmental challenges faced by these regions.