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China’s response to a national land-system sustainability emergency

Author

Listed:
  • Brett A. Bryan

    (Deakin University
    CSIRO, Waite Campus)

  • Lei Gao

    (CSIRO, Waite Campus)

  • Yanqiong Ye

    (CSIRO, Waite Campus
    South China Agricultural University)

  • Xiufeng Sun

    (CSIRO, Waite Campus
    Southwest University)

  • Jeffery D. Connor

    (CSIRO, Waite Campus
    University of South Australia)

  • Neville D. Crossman

    (CSIRO, Waite Campus
    The University of Adelaide)

  • Mark Stafford-Smith

    (CSIRO, Black Mountain)

  • Jianguo Wu

    (Beijing Normal University
    Arizona State University)

  • Chunyang He

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Deyong Yu

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Zhifeng Liu

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Ang Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qingxu Huang

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Hai Ren

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiangzheng Deng

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hua Zheng

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jianming Niu

    (Inner Mongolia University)

  • Guodong Han

    (Inner Mongolia Agricultural University)

  • Xiangyang Hou

    (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)

Abstract

China has responded to a national land-system sustainability emergency via an integrated portfolio of large-scale programmes. Here we review 16 sustainability programmes, which invested US$378.5 billion (in 2015 US$), covered 623.9 million hectares of land and involved over 500 million people, mostly since 1998. We find overwhelmingly that the interventions improved the sustainability of China’s rural land systems, but the impacts are nuanced and adverse outcomes have occurred. We identify some key characteristics of programme success, potential risks to their durability, and future research needs. We suggest directions for China and other nations as they progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ Agenda 2030.

Suggested Citation

  • Brett A. Bryan & Lei Gao & Yanqiong Ye & Xiufeng Sun & Jeffery D. Connor & Neville D. Crossman & Mark Stafford-Smith & Jianguo Wu & Chunyang He & Deyong Yu & Zhifeng Liu & Ang Li & Qingxu Huang & Hai , 2018. "China’s response to a national land-system sustainability emergency," Nature, Nature, vol. 559(7713), pages 193-204, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:559:y:2018:i:7713:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0280-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0280-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Dang, Yuxuan & Zhao, Zhenting & Kong, Xiangbin & Lei, Ming & Liao, Yubo & Xie, Zhen & Song, Wei, 2023. "Discerning the process of cultivated land governance transition in China since the reform and opening-up-- Based on the multiple streams framework," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    2. Qiu, Bingwen & Jian, Zeyu & Yang, Peng & Tang, Zhenghong & Zhu, Xiaolin & Duan, Mingjie & Yu, Qiangyi & Chen, Xuehong & Zhang, Miao & Tu, Ping & Xu, Weiming & Zhao, Zhiyuan, 2024. "Unveiling grain production patterns in China (2005–2020) towards targeted sustainable intensification," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    3. Zhou, Peng & Zhang, Haijie & Huang, Bei & Ji, Yongli & Peng, Shaolin & Zhou, Ting, 2022. "Are productivity and biodiversity adequate predictors for rapid assessment of forest ecosystem services values?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    4. Dongni Han & Deyong Yu & Jiangxiao Qiu, 2023. "Assessing coupling interactions in a safe and just operating space for regional sustainability," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Han, Bo & Jin, Xiaobin & Sun, Rui & Li, Hanbing & Liang, Xinyuan & Zhou, Yinkang, 2023. "Understanding land-use sustainability with a systematical framework: An evaluation case of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    6. Wu, Bingfang & Fu, Zhijun & Fu, Bojie & Yan, Changzhen & Zeng, Hongwei & Zhao, Wenwu, 2024. "Dynamics of land cover changes and driving forces in China’s drylands since the 1970 s," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    7. Hao Chen & Luuk Fleskens & Simon W. Moolenaar & Coen J. Ritsema & Fei Wang, 2022. "Stakeholders’ Perceptions towards Land Restoration and Its Impacts on Ecosystem Services: A Case Study in the Chinese Loess Plateau," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-18, November.
    8. Chen, Yuangong & Chen, Wenli & Gong, Jianzhou & Yuan, Haiwei, 2023. "Uncommonly known change characteristics of land use pattern in Guangdong Province–Hong Kong–Macao, China: Space time pattern, terrain gradient effects and policy implication," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    9. Qiang Xing & Chaoyang Wu & Fang Chen & Jianguo Liu & Prajal Pradhan & Brett A. Bryan & Thomas Schaubroeck & L. Roman Carrasco & Alemu Gonsamo & Yunkai Li & Xiuzhi Chen & Xiangzheng Deng & Andrea Alban, 2024. "Intranational synergies and trade-offs reveal common and differentiated priorities of sustainable development goals in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    10. Zhang, Zhidong & Zheng, Yi & Han, Feng & Xiong, Rui & Feng, Lian, 2021. "Recovery of an endorheic lake after a decade of conservation efforts: Mediating the water conflict between agriculture and ecosystems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    11. Li, Hanbing & Jin, Xiaobin & McCormick, Barbara Prack & Tittonell, Pablo & Liu, Jing & Han, Bo & Sun, Rui & Zhou, Yinkang, 2023. "Analysis of the contribution of land consolidation to sustainable poverty alleviation under various natural conditions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    12. Hongyu Wang & Xiaolei Wang & Apurbo Sarkar & Fuhong Zhang, 2021. "How Capital Endowment and Ecological Cognition Affect Environment-Friendly Technology Adoption: A Case of Apple Farmers of Shandong Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    13. Jin, Ming & Han, Xulong & Li, Mingyu, 2023. "Trade-offs of multiple urban ecosystem services based on land-use scenarios in the Tumen River cross-border area," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 482(C).
    14. Ying Pan & Jin Zhu & Zhongxu Zhao & Zhennan Li & Junxi Wu, 2023. "The dual effects of population migration on the achievement of sustainable development goals in Tibet, China," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 5931-5947, July.
    15. Kai Cheng & Haitao Yang & Shengli Tao & Yanjun Su & Hongcan Guan & Yu Ren & Tianyu Hu & Wenkai Li & Guangcai Xu & Mengxi Chen & Xiancheng Lu & Zekun Yang & Yanhong Tang & Keping Ma & Jingyun Fang & Qi, 2024. "Carbon storage through China’s planted forest expansion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    16. Qian, Qian & Wang, Junbang & Zhang, Xiujuan & Wang, Shaoqiang & Li, Yingnian & Wang, Qinxue & Watson, Alan E. & Zhao, Xinquan, 2022. "Improving herders’ income through alpine grassland husbandry on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    17. You Li & Huan Tao & Hongying Cao & Xiaoming Wan & Xiaoyong Liao, 2024. "Achieving synergistic benefits through integrated governance of cultivated cadmium contamination via multistakeholder collaboration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.

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