Two years ago, China designated August 15 as National Ecology Day to support its efforts to raise public awareness of the importance of ecological conservation. The date is significant because on August 15, 2005, President Xi Jinping, then Secretary of the Communist Party of China Zhejiang Provincial Committee, first introduced the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” during a visit to Anji County, Zhejiang Province. This idea is also encapsulated in the saying “green is gold;” the phrase underscores the idea that ecological health is as valuable as economic prosperity. Like other regions in China, Xinjiang has embraced this principle in its efforts to address ecological challenges.

Xinjiang, a vast region in China’s northwest, has long grappled with the twin challenges of desertification and water scarcity. As the region intensifies its ecological restoration efforts, its ecosystems, spanning from the Taklimakan Desert in the south to alpine lakes in the north, have shown remarkable improvement, delivering tangible benefits to local communities.

Xinjiang has adopted effective measures to combat desertification. By constructing sand-fixing belts with drought-resistant plants such as the saxaul and the desert poplar, the region has curbed the spread of encroaching sands. As of November 2024, a 3,046-km green barrier had encircled the Taklimakan Desert, the world’s longest desert-edge defense system. In addition, a?436-km ecological corridor has been established along the Luntai-Minfeng Highway, which cuts across the Taklimakan Desert from north to south, stabilizing dunes and improving the local microclimate. Once threatened by shifting sands, the highway is now well protected. Water-saving irrigation techniques introduced in nearby agricultural areas have further reduced water consumption, ensuring limited resources are used efficiently.

Local farmers play an active role in these projects. Incentives such as payments for ecosystem services encourage community participation. The ecological and economic benefits are clear: Investments in desert control have boosted agricultural productivity and reduced disaster losses. At the same time, desert highways and oasis towns, with their striking landscapes, have become major tourist attractions.

North of the desert, Xinjiang’s lakes, such as Sayram and Aibi, also stand as testaments to the “green is gold” principle in practice. Sayram Lake, renowned for its pristine turquoise waters, is protected by strict zoning that prohibits new development in 92.5 percent of the scenic area. Herders have been compensated to relocate their camps, and footpaths and visitor facilities were carefully planned to minimize environmental impact. Regular monitoring has kept the lake waters at Grade II, the second highest on China’s five-tier water quality scale, since 2016, indicating that the water is drinkable after routine purification. Aibi Lake, Xinjiang’s largest saltwater lake, has undergone wetland restoration, with rising bird populations and the return of species once absent, such as the white crane and the black stork.

Supporting these on-the-ground measures is a growing research network. Xinjiang’s ecological initiatives are carried out in partnership with regional and national research institutes and universities, while funding from central and local governments ensures that pilot projects can be scaled up across the region.

Although Xinjiang’s eco-environmental campaign remains a work in progress, its integrated, targeted approach offers valuable lessons for other arid regions worldwide. By combining shelterbelts, water-saving technologies, pollution controls and community engagement, the region is transforming landscapes once considered beyond recovery. As these efforts mature, Xinjiang is not only safeguarding its own future but also contributing to the global pursuit of sustainable development in some of the planet’s most challenging environments.