China issued on Thursday a white paper on environmental improvements.

According to the paper, the air has become cleaner. China's CO2 emissions per 10,000 yuan of GDP in 2020 fell by 48.4 percent from 2005, achieving the goal of a 40-to-45 percent fall during this period ahead of schedule.

Water quality is improving as well. In 2020, 83.4 percent of the 1,940 surface water sections showed excellent or good quality, up 8.5 percentage points from 2019.

With the living environment improving, China enforces stringent eco-environmental conservation. Nearly 10,000 nature reserves have been established across the country, covering 18 percent of the country's landmass.

The country is the first to achieve a zero increase in desertification as a result of its relentless effort in desertification control.

Click here for the full text of the white paper.

(Cover via CFP)

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