Will there be sandstorms in Beijing?
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The formation of sand and dust usually requires three basic conditions: sand and dust source, strong wind, and unstable atmospheric stratification.
As long as these basic conditions are met, sandstorms will inevitably exist in northern areas such as Beijing.
Although the wind and sand source control projects around Beijing have been effective, desertification prevention and control is a global problem, and the top priority is to strengthen international cooperation.
Since the beginning of this year, five large-scale sandstorms have occurred in North China, which has aroused widespread concern from all walks of life, and even questioned and debated: Why did the sandstorm come again?
When will the sandstorm end?
Why did the Three North Shelterbelt Project and the Beijing-Tianjin Sandstorm Source Control Project not stop the sandstorm?
From May 19th to 23rd, the reporter followed Hu Peixing, deputy director of the Desertification Prevention and Control Department of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, and others along the sandstorm line in northern my country to visit Yanqing in Beijing, Zhangjiakou in Hebei, Datong in Shanxi and Shuozhou. The Sand Project has investigated the implementation of the Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm source control project.
Sandstorms in Beijing are long-term
At 8 o'clock on March 15th, my country's visible sand and dust area reached 466,000 square kilometers, and 12 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities including Beijing, Hebei, and Gansu were affected. In some areas, strong dust storms with visibility of less than 500 meters occurred.
This is the strongest dust weather affecting our country in the past 10 years.
Since the beginning of this year, North China has encountered 5 large-scale sand and dust weather processes.
"The main source of sand dust in North China this spring is Mongolia. At present, Mongolia's land desertification has reached 87%, and it has deteriorated sharply in recent years." On the evening of May 20, Hu Peixing inspected the desertification in Zhangjiakou, Hebei during the daytime. Said after the governance situation.
Mongolia is the second largest landlocked country in the world, with a land area of 1.56 million square kilometers and a vegetation coverage rate of only 7.9% of the land area.
At present, the country’s land desertification and desertification are still expanding.
Hu Peixing explained the principle of sand and dust formation in detail. He said: “The formation of sand and dust usually requires three basic conditions: sand and dust source, strong wind, and unstable atmospheric stratification. Among them, the sand and dust source is the material condition, and the strong wind is the power source. , The unstable atmosphere stratification is a thermal condition."
Due to the scarce precipitation and high temperature in Mongolia this spring, the frozen soil melted during the period of frequent cold air activities. In addition, the scarce vegetation on the ground is easy to form floating soil. Under the action of the Mongolian cyclone, it is easy to lift the floating soil on the ground. As the cold air enters our country southward, it brings a dusty weather that obscures the sky and the sun.
Hu Peixing judged: “As long as the three basic conditions for the formation of sand and dust are met, sandstorms will inevitably exist in northern areas such as Beijing. Therefore, the existence of sandstorms in Beijing is a long-term issue, but it is only a matter of scale."
Sandstorm does not mean that sand prevention and control are ineffective
In response to some people questioning the effectiveness of the Sand Prevention and Control Project and the Three North Shelterbelt Project, Hu Peixing said: “In fact, the wind and sand source control projects around Beijing are really effective. Without extreme weather conditions, Beijing rarely sees sandstorms. The weather, and the concentration of sandstorms are reduced, and the duration is very short. The occurrence of sandstorms in Beijing and other places this year does not mean that many years of sand prevention and control have been dry, let alone the Three North Shelterbelt Project and the Beijing-Tianjin Sandstorm Source Control Project. The effect of."
According to statistics, the Three North Shelterbelt Project has been implemented for more than 40 years, and a total of 30.14 million hectares of afforestation has been preserved. The forest coverage rate in the project area has increased from 5.05% in 1977 to 13.57%.
The Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm source control project has been implemented for nearly 20 years. A total of 9.029 million hectares of forests have been planted, 51,000 hectares of sand fixed by the project, and 9.797 million hectares of grassland have been treated.
The overall background for the implementation of the Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm source control project is that Beijing-Tianjin and even North China suffered multiple sandstorms more than 20 years ago.
Especially in the spring of 2000, 12 consecutive large floating dust, blowing sand and sandstorms occurred in northern my country, many of which affected Beijing.
Its high frequency, wide range, and high intensity are relatively rare, causing the Party Central Committee and the State Council to attach great importance to it.
The Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm source control project was launched in 2000 to reduce sandstorm hazards and soil erosion in the surrounding areas of the capital and improve the ecological environment.
The project area starts from Damao Banner in Inner Mongolia in the west, Aluhorqin Banner in Inner Mongolia in the east, Daixian County in Shanxi in the south, and Dongwuzhumuqin Banner in Inner Mongolia in the north, involving five provinces including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. (Districts, cities) 75 counties (banners, cities, districts), with a desertified land area of 101,200 square kilometers.
The first phase of the project completed afforestation of 7,526,100 hectares; from 2013 to 2022, the second phase of the project will be implemented. The scope of the project includes 138 counties (banners, flags, and cities) in 6 provinces (regions, cities) including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia. City, district).
The second phase of the Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm source control project involves 8 districts including Mentougou, Fangshan, Daxing, Changping, Pinggu, Huairou, Miyun, and Yanqing. Since its inception in 2013, it has achieved positive results: 409,000 mu of artificial afforestation, and 105.9 afforestation closures. 10,000 acres, 117,000 acres of artificial grasses, 1474.9 square kilometers of comprehensive management of small watersheds.
Desertification control should strengthen international cooperation
The long-term existence of sandstorms does not mean that there is no way to deal with sandstorms.
Hu Peixing said that China has very rich technologies and experience in desertification prevention and control, and at the same time it has brought economic benefits to the people in desertified areas.
The United Nations believes that China is the world's "leader" in combating desertification and has made great contributions.
The results of the fifth national desertification and desertification monitoring show that the national desertification and desertification land area has decreased by 2,424 square kilometers and 1,980 square kilometers annually, the number of sand and dust weather has decreased by 20.3% annually, and the average vegetation coverage has increased by 0.7%.
At present, Beijing’s annual air quality compliance days have increased from 177 to 240 days, and the number of occurrences of sand and dust weather has decreased from an average of 13 times a year to an average of 2 to 3 times a year. The air quality has improved significantly.
However, desertification control is a global problem and a long-term task.
Desertification, known as "earth cancer", threatens the survival and development of two-thirds of countries and regions and one-fifth of the world’s population.
Around the world, about 331 square kilometers of land are degraded into deserts or deserts every day, causing US$1.3 billion in economic losses.
Hu Peixing called on: "The top priority for desertification prevention and control is to strengthen international cooperation. Developed countries should provide funds to assist developing countries with severe effects of drought and desertification to carry out prevention and control. For example, Mongolia has limited national strength and is a country that needs strong support."
At the same time, Hu Peixing said that we can learn from our country’s experience in desertification control in national defense and carry out global experience sharing and exchange activities in desert prevention and control. Our country has provided Mongolia with free technology, experience and other support on many occasions.
Desertification knows no borders, and the strength of one or two countries alone is limited. The whole world must join forces to curb the further deterioration of desertification.
Wang Dongmei