
An aerial view of a section of the Yellow River in east China's Shandong Province, March 29, 2024. Photo Credit: CFP
Environment ChinaA River Makeover Is in the Works
China’s Yellow River Basin is showing ecological improvements amid a conservation campaign.
For the second consecutive year, the water quality of the Yellow River Basin has met Grade II standards – under China’s five-tier water quality system where Grade I is the highest.
A new regulation – the Yellow River Protection Law – officially took effect on April 1, 2023. Significant progress has already been made, including increased vegetation, soil recovery treatments, more substantial water conservation, and pollution control. One hundred eighteen million metric tons of trash waste have been cleared from the area. At the same time, renewable wind and solar energy account for nearly half the total installed energy capacity. Moreover, nine provincial-level regions along the Yellow River have participated in an afforestation project that has planted trees on 1.7 million hectares of land. In the coming months and years, advocates are pushing for a comprehensive monitoring system to be established, ensuring that various government levels and inter-regional organizations can work together to maintain the progress of the Yellow River.