China, India making the world a greener place according to Nasa study
- Reforestation and agriculture in the world’s two most populous countries add the equivalent of an Amazon rainforest to the planet
The earth is becoming greener largely through the activities of China and India, the world’s most populous countries more usually known for their serious pollution levels.
Nasa scientists recorded a 5 per cent increase in the planet’s green leaf area since the early 2000s – the equivalent of an extra Amazon rainforest – and were surprised by the cause.
The Nasa study, which was published on February 11 in the journal Nature Sustainability, found some 2 million square miles (about 518 million hectares) of vegetation had been added to the surface of the earth, a quarter of which was contributed by China.
The study found that most of China’s contribution was achieved through its initiatives to conserve and expand forests, while more than 80 per cent of India’s increase was due to intensive agriculture.
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“China and India account for one-third of the greening, but contain only 9 per cent of the planet’s land area covered in vegetation – a surprising finding, considering the general notion of land degradation in populous countries from over-exploitation,” Chi Chen, the study’s lead author, said.
The study analysed data collected from two Nasa satellites between 2000 and 2017.