Today, China is considered to be the largest carbon emitting country in the world. That means it releases maximum carbon dioxide in total quantity. For this reason it is often called the world’s biggest polluter. But there is another truth on the other side. China is also planting trees on a large scale. It has been campaigning for a long time to stop desertification, save soil and improve air. China’s tree planting campaign started in 1978. Till now more than 66 billion trees have been planted. Due to this campaign, greenery increased in about 3.2 crore hectare area. China’s forest cover has increased to more than 25%. In the year 1949, there were only 10 percent forests in China. On the pretext of World Environment Day, let us understand why China, the world’s most polluting country, is running a campaign to plant the most trees today?
If we talk about total carbon dioxide emissions, China had left America behind around 2006. After this it became the world’s largest annual carbon emitter. The term biggest polluter can be understood in many ways. Some people measure it by total emissions. Some people by per capita emissions. Some people from the quality of the air. But in international debate, China is said to be the biggest polluter mainly on the basis of total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
This situation arose due to China’s rapid industrialization. His factories grew rapidly. A lot of coal was used. Demand for electricity increased. Roads, cities, ports and industries were built rapidly. This development gave economic strength to China. But it also put huge pressure on the environment.
Pollution increased as the pace of industry increased in China. photo: pexels
Why has pollution increased so much in China?
China’s economy remained dependent on rapid production for many decades. It chose the path of becoming the world’s factory. Cheap labour, big factories and fast exports became its strengths. Many problems also arose due to this model.
1- Too much dependence on coal: China has long relied on coal to generate electricity. Coal was cheap. Was available. And continuously provided energy to the industries. But coal is one of the dirtiest fuels.
2- Rapid industrialization: The steel, cement, chemical, machinery and construction sectors grew very rapidly. These industries cause huge pollution.
3- Urbanization: In China, crores of people came from villages to cities. New houses were built. New roads were built. New vehicles arrived. Due to this the demand for energy increased further.
4- Export based development: China did the work of manufacturing goods for the world on a large scale. This means that some of China’s pollution is also linked to the goods that other countries consume.
Then why is China planting the most trees?
China is not planting trees just for show. There are many big reasons behind this.
1- To stop the spread of desert
Dry areas are very large in the northern and western parts of China. The expansion of the Gobi Desert has long been a matter of concern. Sand storms have been reaching cities like Beijing. This affects agriculture, water, health and urban life. Planting trees binds the soil. The wind speed stops to some extent. Less dust flies. For this reason China developed green belts on a large scale.
2- To save soil and farming
Where forests are cut, soil starts flowing. The risk of floods increases. Agricultural land becomes weak. China saw this problem in many areas. Therefore he also linked afforestation to agricultural security.
China developed green belts on a large scale. photo: pexels
3- To improve air and environment
Many cities in China have once been notorious for very poor air quality. Dense smoke, dust and poisonous air were a big problem. Trees alone are not the solution to this problem. But they help in improving the environment. They prevent dust. Increases green area. Affect the local temperature. And play a role in making cities livable.
4- To improve the image in climate politics
China has been accused for a long time of spreading a lot of pollution in the name of development. In such a situation, planting trees on a large scale is also a way to improve its global image. It wants to show the world that it is not just a polluting country. But it is also investing in environmental improvement.
5- Carbon balancing strategy
Trees absorb carbon. This is also called carbon absorption. However, planting trees cannot completely compensate for heavy industrial pollution. Yet it is a part of climate policy. China is working on renewable energy, electric vehicles and afforestation to control its emissions.
China has planted more than 66 billion trees since 1978. photo: pexels
What is Green Wall Project?
China did not do the work of planting trees on a small scale. It ran like an organized national campaign. In China, the government marks land on a large scale. Then tree plantation programs are conducted there. In many places, local administration, army, schools and community groups are also included. China tried to develop vast green belts to prevent desertification. It is often referred to as the Great Green Wall project.
More than 66 billion trees have been planted in this project since 1978. Its objective is to create a long strip of trees in North China. So that dusty winds and land erosion can be prevented. Some sloping or poor agricultural land was converted back into forest or grassy areas. This was an attempt to reduce soil erosion. China also uses technologies like drones, satellites and digital mapping. This shows where plants were planted, where they survived, and where they failed.
China’s tree planting policy is also criticized. photo: pexels
Will the problem be solved just by planting trees?
No. no way. Still, planting trees is a good step. But this is not the only solution. If one country continues to burn coal, expand heavy industry, and the other continues to plant trees, the overall impact will be limited. The real need to deal with the climate crisis is to reduce coal use, expand clean energy, reform industries, reduce emissions from vehicles and increase energy efficiency. Trees help in this. But they do not eliminate the roots of pollution. The root is dependence on fossil fuels. China’s tree planting policy is also criticized.
Still, why is China’s model important?
The example of China is important because it shows the world two things simultaneously. First, if rapid economic growth is based on coal and heavy industry, then pollution increases a lot. Second, when the environmental crisis increases, the same country may also try to make reforms on a larger scale. Today China is also playing a big role in solar energy, wind energy, electric vehicles and battery technology. That means he is both a part of the pollution problem and also wants to be a part of the solution.
In this way, it can be said that around 2006, China became the world’s largest polluter on the basis of total carbon emissions. The main reasons for this were rapid industrialization, dependence on coal, export-based production and rapid urbanization. But later he understood that the environmental damage could be very heavy. Deserts were increasing. The air was getting worse. The soil was being eroded. People’s health was being affected. International pressure was also increasing. That is why China started planting trees on a large scale. Its goal is not just to increase greenery. But also to stop dust, save land, show balance in climate policy and improve our global image. Still the truth remains that planting trees is necessary, but not sufficient. Unless major sources of pollution are reduced, real change will remain incomplete.
Also read: Why is India not the top exporter despite growing the most mangoes in the world?
