FAQ · Environment & Climate 32

Endangered species in China include wildlife designated for protection by the national government or listed by international organizations like CITES and the IUCN. As a highly biodiverse country, many species face local extinction due to human activity. Under the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife, governments must designate rare or threatened species for special protection. The level of legal protection can vary depending on the locality of administration. For instance, some species are protected at a local level even if they are not listed by the national government. Additionally, China protects species that are rare within the country even if they are not considered globally threatened.

China is a megadiverse country that is home to a profound variety of wildlife. The country possesses 7,516 species of vertebrates, including many fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The giant panda is among the most famous wildlife species and is endemic to the country. China also hosts 21 primate species such as macaques, snub-nosed monkeys, and gibbons. Many of these animals face pressure from human activities like habitat destruction and pollution.

Flora of China is a scientific publication designed to describe the plants native to China. This project serves as an English-language revision of the Latin Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae. It aims to provide a modern account of the 31,000 species of vascular plants found in the country. This total includes approximately 8,000 medicinal and economically important species along with 7,500 trees and shrubs. The work covers descriptions, identification keys, and provincial distribution within China.

China has established various types of marine protected areas to support marine biology and ecosystems. As of 2024, there are a total of 79 State Marine Protected Areas including marine parks. These areas cover a total area of 93.30 ten thousand hectares. Examples of these locations include the Tianjin Binhai National Marine Park and the Shanghai Jinshan National Marine Park. Specific ecosystems like the Dongying Lijin Demersal Fishes Ecosystem are also protected.

China aims to peak its greenhouse gas emissions before 2030. The country also plans to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Because China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, its climate policy has a massive impact on global climate change. Its energy policy is closely linked to these goals due to the burning of coal and the buildup of solar power. There are also policies in place to adapt to climate change.

China has supported renewable energy through various policies and legal frameworks since the Sixth Five-Year Plan addressed solar PV panel manufacturing. The Renewable Energy Law passed in 2005 established a regulatory framework and created four mechanisms to promote development. These mechanisms include a national renewable energy target, a feed-in tariff system, a mandatory connection and purchase policy, and a cost-sharing mechanism. Additionally, various Five-Year Plans have highlighted low-carbon technology, such as wind and solar power, as strategic emerging industries. Specific programs like the Golden Sun program also provide financial subsidies and technology support to facilitate the solar power industry.

China has the highest total greenhouse gas emissions in the world, accounting for 35% of the global total in 2023. These emissions stem mainly from coal burning, including coal power, mining, and iron and steel production. While China's total historical emissions have surpassed those of the European Union, they still trail the United States. The country has committed to peaking its emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2060. Current estimates suggest that emissions may have already peaked in 2024 or 2025.

China is the world's largest producer and importer of electronic waste. An estimated 60 to 80 percent of this e-waste is handled through illegal informal recycling processes. These methods are conducted without the safety precautions required by government regulations. Such processing causes serious environmental damage and permanent health risks to nearby areas. Although the government implemented a waste import ban in 2018, ineffective enforcement and legislative loopholes remain obstacles.

The Hong Kong plastic disaster was a marine pollution event that occurred in the waters adjacent to Hong Kong in 2012. After Typhoon Vicente hit the area, several containers fell into the ocean, including six loaded with polypropylene pellets produced by Sinopec. These plastic pellets were released into the sea and scattered across beaches and south waters, causing ecological pollution and threatening local fisheries. NGOs like DB Green and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society led the initial clean-up efforts and helped spread news through social media. While government departments eventually cooperated in the clean-up, there was initial delay in public reporting and uncertainty regarding responsibility for the pollution.

Water pollution in China is driven by rapid population and economic growth alongside lax environmental oversight. A lack of waste treatment facilities results in large amounts of domestic sewage and industrial waste being dumped untreated into rivers, lakes, and oceans. In some regions, water recycling leads farmers to use raw or partially-treated sewage and industrial effluents to irrigate crops. This practice causes widespread heavy metal, pathogen, and chemical contamination of both soil and food. Additionally, extensive farming and husbandry contribute to pollution when waste disposal regulations are ignored.

Soil pollution in China is a form of land surface degradation caused by human activities and the abuse of resources. This issue has had a serious impact on crop growth and human health. Nearly 16.1% of the country's soil has been polluted, with heavier pollution found in the south compared to the north. Specific areas like the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the old industrial base in Northeast China face more severe problems. To address this, the government has prioritized prevention and control by charging fines to polluted factories.

A wildfire ignited in the mountainous county of Longlin in Guangxi on March 3, 2010. Dry weather and drought contributed to the fire's success as it burned large volumes of forests and brush. The flames threatened the Zhongshan National Nature Reserve and endangered black-necked pheasants. Over one hundred firefighters and a Mi-26 helicopter worked to suppress the fire. It took six days and twenty-two hours to finally put out the blaze.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km within the continental crust of the Tibetan Plateau. It was caused by normal faulting on the Deng Me Cuo Fault with a minor strike-slip component. The rupture area extended from Ngamring County to southern Tingri County near the Nepal border. This seismic event was characterized by a rupture that occurred within 24 seconds. Observations show evidence of subsidence to the west and uplift to the east of the surface rupture.

The Great Flood of Gun-Yu was a major flood in ancient China that allegedly lasted for at least two generations. This disaster caused great population displacements, forcing people to live on high hills, mountains, or in trees. The story is a fundamental narrative in Chinese culture and is key to understanding the founding of the Xia and Zhou dynasties. It is also a major motif in Chinese mythology and a source of allusion in Classical Chinese poetry. The myth emphasizes heroic efforts to mitigate the disaster through constructing dikes, dams, and digging canals.

The Chinese government implemented several tactics to combat the effects of the drought. They spent nearly US$15 billion on cash payments to farmers and subsidies for materials like diesel fuel, pesticides, and fertilizer. An estimated US$1 billion was also allocated to obtain water for wheat fields, which included drilling about 1,350 new wells. Additionally, cloud seeding was used to induce rain, and the government released grain from reserves to prevent price spikes. These irrigation and aid efforts helped to lessen the overall impact of the drought.

Air pollution can become severe when unseasonably warm temperatures and little wind coincide with the start of coal-powered municipal heating systems. For example, a dense wave of smog began in Northeast China on 20 October 2013. This pollution was blamed on the lack of wind, the burning of crop waste, and the start-up of district heating. In cities like Harbin, PM2.5 levels rose to 1,000 micrograms per cubic metre during such periods. Such conditions can lead to significantly reduced visibility and the closure of schools and flights.

Snow was a journalist whose reporting from China in the 1930s has been both praised as prescient and blamed for the rise of Mao's communism. She died on February 15, 1972, at the age of 66. Her husband's ashes were divided into two parts, with one half buried on the grounds of Peking University. In 1973, Lois Wheeler Snow traveled to China to bury these remains in the university garden. She also traveled to Beijing in 2000 to support mothers who lost children in the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

China is experiencing a sea level rise of 3.5mm per year from 1980 to 2022, which is higher than the global average. This trend is alarming because the country has a long and densely populated coastline containing economically developed cities like Shanghai, Tianjin, and Guangzhou. A one-meter rise in sea level could inundate 92,000 square kilometers of the coast and displace 67 million people. Additionally, urban areas face compounding threats from both rising sea levels and land subsidence. These changes threaten to impair harbor functions and leave residents in low-lying cities vulnerable.

The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation is a state-backed environmental organization dedicated to preserving natural resources and biodiversity. Established in 1985, it originally focused on the breeding and popularization of the endangered Père David's deer species. The foundation manages various conservation projects and research efforts in wildlife habitats across the country. It also works with schools and wildlife volunteers to ensure safe flyways for migratory birds. Additionally, the organization advises government bodies and industries on sustainable development and environmental impacts.

Invasive species can cause biological catastrophes and lead to major economic losses. There are more than 290 alien species on the mainland according to the State Forestry Bureau. These species are estimated to cause losses of 56 billion yuan every year. Concerns have been raised about monitoring these species, especially during international meetings or major events like the Olympic Games. Managing these species is a significant concern for ecological stability.

China has taken steps toward animal welfare through formal policies like the 2006 Guidelines on the Humane Treatment of Laboratory Animals. These guidelines officially expanded into the realm of animal welfare and protection by addressing procurement, husbandry, environmental conditions, experimental usage, and transportation. This regulation specifically focuses on animal suffering and marks the first time animal welfare was mentioned in China's formal policy. In the fur industry, animal welfare has reportedly been improving due to increasing ethical awareness among Chinese consumers. The government has also been working to standardize slaughtering procedures for fur animals.

Ancient records such as oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty describe hunting activities involving animals like the sì. While some scholars suggest the sì might have been a wild buffalo, archaeological evidence of rhinoceros bones suggests rhinoceroses were likely hunted during this period. The Book of Songs also mentions hunting boars and rhinoceroses as part of traditional practices. Later accounts, such as the Lost Book of Zhou, detail massive hunting trips involving various animals including tigers, panthers, and stags. Additionally, Tang dynasty records mention that the Nanzhao people used pit traps to hunt rhinoceroses.

The fishing industry in China is currently unsustainable and is in decline. This is due to several factors including pollution, global temperature increases, and overfishing. These environmental impacts are causing coral reefs in the South China Sea to die, which decreases marine life biodiversity. Consequently, fisheries cannot catch the same amount of fish that was previously brought to the market. This decline affects a significant part of the Chinese economy which relies on fish for jobs, exports, and domestic consumption.

Visitors must pay an entrance fee in order to climb the hill. Moon Hill is a popular tourist attraction located a few kilometers outside of Yangshuo. It features a natural arch and offers broad panoramic views of the surrounding karst hills. There is a concrete tourist path that passes through the arch for climbers. You may also encounter souvenir and refreshment vendors following climbers up and down the path.

Conservation International China works on biodiversity conservation and sustainable-development initiatives across the country. The programme focuses on mountainous biodiversity regions in southwest China as well as freshwater and wetland conservation. Their work includes biodiversity surveys, the development of monitoring systems, and training for local and government staff. They also implement community-based initiatives such as forest restoration with native species and standards for eco-friendly tourism. Additionally, the programme engages with businesses to address wildlife trade and consumption.

China's rural provinces often face disproportionate environmental challenges due to looser regulations compared to urban areas. This allows polluting industries like energy producers to move to rural regions where they can operate at higher pollution levels. These industrial groups also lobby local policymakers to prevent stricter regulations from being implemented. In urban areas, environmental benefits like urban tree canopy cover are often tied to housing prices. Residents in lower-priced housing typically have less access to these ecological benefits and face greater environmental issues.

As a result of climate change, ocean waters are becoming warmer and more acidic. This increases the vulnerability of coral in the South China Sea to other dangers like coral mining and over-fishing. These combined factors lead to lower biodiversity in the region. This situation also negatively affects the fish market economy in China. Protecting these ecosystems is important for maintaining local biological diversity.

The melting of glaciers in the Northern Region of China causes flooding in the upper Yangtze River and reduces water volume in the lower parts of the river. Between 1960 and 2025, seven thousand glaciers in China melted entirely, leading to a 26% reduction in the total glacier area. As these glaciers melt, dams of ice form lakes that can eventually collapse. These collapses result in glacial lake outburst floods, which are becoming more common due to climate change. Such floods cause large amounts of damage.

As of 2024, there are a total of 1,666 wetlands in China. The total area covered by these wetlands is 414.55 units of 10,000 hectares. This figure represents the current status of wetland sites across the country. These locations include various national wetland parks and designated sites. The data reflects the extensive network of wetland areas managed within the region.

A land survey conducted between 2013 and 2016 shows that 2.61 million km2 of China's territory is desertified. This area accounts for more than a quarter of the country's overall land, primarily in Northern and North-Western regions. Desertification leads to ecological degradation and can halt local economic development. It also damages the health of residents by facilitating the creation of sandstorms. Furthermore, as the desert expands, it turns land non-arable, which creates poverty and food shortages.

China has a developed formal e-waste recycling industry that follows strict regulations and uses safe handling methods. This formal process involves collection, storage, sorting, dismantling, and the recovery of precious raw materials for manufacturing. However, this official system is reported to be only about 40% efficient. A large portion of e-waste is instead handled through unregulated and unsafe informal recycling processes. These informal methods often involve small-scale workshops that use rudimentary techniques like burning toxic materials.

A ban came into effect on 15 June 2008 prohibiting all supermarkets, department stores, and shops throughout China from giving out free plastic bags. This policy encourages people to use cloth bags instead. Stores must clearly mark the price of plastic shopping bags and are banned from adding that price onto the price of products. Additionally, the production, sale, and use of ultra-thin plastic bags less than 0.025 millimeters thick are banned. However, these rules do not affect the use of paper shopping bags at clothing stores or plastic bags for restaurant takeout food.