1. By Xiaoyi Liao
Global Village of Beijing, China
1. Crisis and challenges
Land Scarcity
22% of the world’s population is sustained with only 7% of the world’s cultivated
land
Soil erosion
One-sixth of China’s total land area has been damaged by severe soil erosion.
Land Cover
87 million hectares have suffered degradation due to climate change, overgrazing
and farming. Damage is spreading at the rate of 1.3 million hectares per year.
Forest Loss
79 million hectares of forestlands have been lost; Forest cover in China is less
than 13% of surface area.
Desertification
3000 sq km becomes desert each year causing dust storm and transboundary
pollutants movement, Over grazing accelerates desertification of Grassland
Wetland and freshwater lakes have shrunk to less than 50% of 1949 level
Land Management and Control of Desertification
Reforestation: #1 in the world, 50 million hectares (120 million acres) reforested
land
Forest coverage now accounts for 16.6% of land area
Estimate total need for national investment on desertification control - US$ 25-30
billion
Implement land retirement program
Establish functional conservation sites
2. Our work
1. Environmental awareness raising through TV programs. Two films about the

2. cause of desertification and sand storms.
2. Introducing other countries’ experience in fighting desertification
3. Conservation tillage pilot project in Zhang Bei area
4. Policy suggestions on sustainable tourism
5. Advocate Forest Certification, and consumer awareness
6. Water saving projects in green communities
7. Water for Life campaign working with Earth Day Network
Case Study
Background
Desertification in Inner Mongolia seriously deteriorates the shortage of water. In the
desertification areas, the task of fetching water often falls to women and children.
They must to walk miles each day to get water for their family, which keep most
of them out of school. Lack of water causes failures in economic development and
aggravates poverty, resulting in severe malnutrition of local children.
Description of the Picture
About the photographer: When his former employer, a coal mine in Inner Mongolia,
closed down seven years ago, sending the now 58-year-old Lu into early
retirement, he decided to give new meaning to his life. Lu thus started travelling to
the desert border regions in Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Shanxi and Hebei for several
months each year, and has meanwhile collected about 20,000 shots that document
the dramatic decline of environmental conditions in China's north-west. Life at the
edge of the desertification area is harsh and pityful. In many of the settlements, the
wells have dried up. The little child in the photo was 11 years old, while has
already been imposed with the burden of carrying water for his family. The heavy
chore costs him five hours a day but only meets the basic needs for drink and
cooking.
In the year of 1998, Lu took a picture of a then eight-year-old boy. When he met
him three years later, he was surprised to find that boy was still wearing the
exactly same clothes. Not only are his parents too poor to buy new clothes, he
doesn't need any, since he hasn't grown a single centimetre in the past years
which had been the vital period for his growth. The food situation only allows for
two meals per day, far from enough both in quantity and quality.

3. People's teeth are stained yellow from the water with a high percentage of
Fluorine, and Lu also suspects the lack of quality in drinking water to be one of
the main reasons for the many mentally as well as physically ill people in these
places.
"No water, no food say nothing of going to school." said the helpless father.…
Most of the children in their village can not learn to read and write, but everyone
must learn how to steer a donkey-pulled cart to get water, as a very early age.
They grow up through the endless come-and-go on a long road to water, in the
immense desert.
Efforts being made to solve the problem
Enhance public awareness in the desertification of Inner Mongolia,mobile resources
from all the sectors to resolve the water issue.
Lu's photography exhibition "Crying Camels, Desert Encroachment" has
shocked millions of people in Beijing and they spontaneously initiated some aid
activities The photos have also been widely distributed on newspapers and Internet.
More and more people joined him to research and work for the environment in
Alashan, including the Stanford University and OISCA from Japan.
Utilize traditional knowledge and innovative technology to ensure the water supply
for living necessity of local people.
The Mother Water Vault Programme conducted by the All- China Women's
Federation, focuses on constructing the unique water vault which is used to collect
rainwater, and intend to ensure that each family has at least one vault in the
feasible areas. It has realized adequate water supply in more than 15 Counties in
Inner Mongolia.
The ultimate road is still to restore and reconstruct the ecological environment in
the coming decade: close off pastures for 1-5 years, plant trees and grow grass,
develop renewable resources and rehabilitate oases.
In the past ten years, the local government if Alashan region has invested 330
million RMB in ecological construction. The programme of China-Australia
Technological Cooperation on Alashan Ecological System Development, which is
co-financed by the Australia International Development Agency, has recently been
activated. This programme intends to strengthen the self-sustainability, the

4. comprehensive management and the economic capacity.