Earlier this month, the Chinese mainland released its 2025 Blue Book on Ecological Protection Red Lines, offering a data-rich snapshot of progress since the network was fully established in 2022. As a core part of the ecological civilization strategy, the Red Line network legally safeguards the Chinese mainland’s most vital terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
Key highlights since 2022:
- 3,344 km² of new forest area within protected zones
- Over 35% reduction in human activity across marine red line areas
- Average vegetation cover up 1.29% and net primary productivity up 2.22%
- 22% growth in mangrove coverage, 5.5% rise in live coral, 9.4% expansion of seagrass beds
While construction and mining have continued to decline within these zones, the system has also allowed for regulated growth of essential public-interest infrastructure such as transport links and water management facilities – demonstrating its built-in flexibility.
A multi-tiered governance structure spanning central and local authorities is now supported by an integrated sky-air-ground monitoring network that tracks ecological conditions and human activities in real time. Pilot programs in ecological compensation, ecosystem service valuation and community engagement are already yielding scalable models for sustainable protected-area management.
The release of the 2025 Blue Book marks a transparent, science-driven approach to ecological governance. For young global citizens, business innovators and sustainability advocates alike, these insights from the Chinese mainland offer a blueprint for large-scale conservation and international collaboration in the fight to preserve our planet.
Reference(s):
China's 2025 Ecological Protection Report shows conservation gains
cgtn.com
