Natural and Ecological Environment

According to The 2019 Report on the State of the Ecology and Environment in China issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the status of China's Natural and Ecological Environment is as follows:

Ecological environment quality

In 2019, the national Ecological Index (EI)* was 51.3, indicating a moderate eco-environmental quality, with no obvious change compared with that of 2018. The total area of counties with “excellent” or “good” eco-environmental quality took up 44.7 percent of total land area, mainly distributed in the region east to Tibetan Plateau, south to Qinling Mountain and the Huaihe River, Daxing’anling and Xiaoxing’anling Mountain areas as well as Changbai Mountain region in Northeast China. The total area of counties with moderate eco-environmental quality took up 22.7 percent, mainly distributed in regions such as North China Plain, HuangHuaiHai Plain, central and western parts of Northeast China Plain and central part of Inner Mongolia. The total area of counties with relatively poor or poor eco-environmental quality took up 32.6 percent of the total, mainly distributed in western part of Inner Mongolia, central and western part of Gansu, western part of Tibet and most parts of Xinjiang.

In 2019, assessment over the dynamic change of ecological environment of 817 counties with key ecological functions show that, eco-environmental quality of 12.5 percent of the counties improved, 78.0 percent remained basically stable, and 9.5 percent deteriorated compared with that of 2017.

* Eco-environmental quality is assessed according to the Technical Criterion for Ecosystem Status Evaluation (HJ 192-2015). Ecological Index ≥ 75 indicates excellent environment with high vegetation coverage, rich biodiversity and stable ecosystems. Ecological Index ranging between 55~75 indicates good environment with relatively high vegetation coverage, relatively rich biodiversity and being suitable for human living. Ecological Index within the range of 35~55 refers to moderate ecoenvironment with intermediate vegetation coverage, general biodiversity and being relatively suitable to human living but with some factors constraining human life. Ecological Index within 20~35 refers to relatively poor eco-environment with poor vegetation coverage, severe drought, less species and factors evidently constraining human life. Ecological Index ＜ 20 refers to poor eco-environment with bad conditions and constraints on human life.

Biodiversity

Ecosystem diversity China boasts all the types of terrestrial ecosystems on earth including 212 types of forest, 36 types of bamboo forest, 113 types of shrubs, 77 types of meadows, 55 types of grassland, 52 types of deserts and 30 types of natural wetlands. China is also home to various marine ecosystems including the mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass beds, islands, gulfs, estuaries and upwelling as well as such artificial ecosystems as cropland, artificial forest, artificial wetland, artificial grassland and urban ecosystem.

Biodiversity A total of 106,509 species and subspecies have been discovered in China covering 49,044 animalia species, 44,510 botanical species, 469 bacteria species, 2,375 pigment species, 7,386 fungi, 1,920 protogenesis animalia and 805 viruses. A total of 406 rare and endangered wildlife species are included in the National Catalogue of Wildlife under Key State Protection, and several hundred animal species are unique to China including giant panda, golden monkey, Tibetan antelope, crossoptilon mantchuricum and Yangtze alligator. A total of 246 species of eight categories of rare and endangered plants are included in the National Catalogue of Wildlife under Key State Protection, and a total of 9,302 types of macro-fungi have been identified.

Genetic resource diversity China has 1,339 cultivated varieties of 528 species of cultivated crops with over 1,000 economic tree species. A total of 7,000 varieties of ornamental plants and 576 varieties of domestic animals are originated from China.

Endangered species

The assessment results of 34,450 species of higher plants across China showed that 10,102 species of higher plants require special attention and protection, taking up 29.3 percent of the total assessed species, among which, 3,767 species were endangered, 2,723 species belong to NT Grade and 3,612 belong to DD Grade. The endangerment assessment results of the 4,357 identified vertebrates (marine fishes were not included) showed that 2,471 vertebrates require special attention and protection, taking up 56.7 percent of the total assessment number, among which 932 vertebrates were endangered, 598 vertebrates belong to NT Grade and 941 belong to DD Grade. The endangerment assessment results of the 9,302 identified macro-fungi showed that 6,538 species of macro-fungi call for special attention and protection, taking up 70.3 percent of the total assessment number, among which 97 macro-fungi were endangered, 101 macro-fungi belong to NT Grade and 6,340 belong to DD Grade.

Invasive alien species

More than 660 invasive alien species have been found across the country, among which, 71 species that caused or had potential threat to natural ecosystems have been included in the List of China’s Invasive Alien Species. The survey results on invasive alien species covering 67 national nature reserves showed that 215 species of invasive alien species have invaded national nature reserves, and 48 of them were included in the List of China’s Invasive Alien Species.

Nature protected areas

Up to the end of 2019, a total of more than 11,800 protected areas* at all levels and of different categories were established with national parks as a major component. The protected areas accounted for 18.0 percent of the national land area and 4.1 percent of the jurisdictional sea area. Among them, 10 national park pilot areas for Northeast Tiger Leopard, Qilian Mountain, the Giant Panda and so on were established, involving 12 provinces including Jilin, Heilongjiang, Sichuan and other provinces. The total area covers more than 220,000 km², accounting for about 2.3 percent of the total national land area.

In the first and second half of year 2019, new an increasing anthropogenic activities were respectively found in 1,019 and 2,785 national nature reserves, with a total area of 8.98 km2 and 6.42 km² respectively.

*The statistics of nature reserves has been changed to the statistics of nature protected areas since 2019.

Forest

According to the results of the 9th National Inventory of Forest Resources (2014-2018)* , the national forest area was 220 million hectares, the forest coverage rate was 22.96 percent, and the forest stock was 17.56 billion m³.

*Up to the time this Report was published, the results of 9th National Inventory of Forest Resources were the latest data.