The New Great Green Wall of China
At the end of the huge Tarim Basin lies one of the largest sand deserts on Earth – Taklamakan, in Western China, Central Asia. It is also called the “sea of death”. The translation of the name from Uyghur means “abandoned deserted place”, and according to some sources, the literal translation reads: “if you enter, you will not leave”.
Soon, this desert will no longer be a desert, but a new “indestructible Great Green Wall of China” the function of which will be to serve as a barrier for environmental security. The aim of the project in the Xinjiang region is to prevent desertification and boost the local economy. The long-term aim is to transform the second largest desert in the world into a new geographical site – a fertile green valley.
The Great Green Wall project in China began in 1978 and completion is planned for 2050. The desert which is already entirely surrounded by a green circular belt of plants will be transformed from one of the largest deserts into one of the largest artificially forested areas in the world.
