China’s natural ecosystems are facing challenges Since the reforms and opening-up of the economy in the late 1970s, China has achieved remarkable economic success. In 2010, China became the world’s second-largest economy. It has markedly improved its citizens’ lives and succeeded in building a moderately prosperous society. The past four decades have seen 700 million people lifted out of poverty, with the urbanization rate increasing from 18% in 1978 to 63.9% today. Average annual income per capita increased from $120 in 1978 to $9,000 in 2019.

As one of the most biodiverse countries on earth, China is home to unique ecosystems, species and genetic variety, accounting for 10% of global plant species and 14% of animal species. Yet fast economic growth and rapid urbanization rates have taken their toll on China’s natural ecosystems. The mangrove area has declined by 40% since 1950, while one-third of grasslands are moderately or severely degraded and 21.4% of vertebrates are threatened.

Nature loss puts two-thirds of China’s GDP and social development at risk By 2020, China’s middle class reached more than 400 million people and is projected to reach 600 million by 2030, representing over 40% of the country’s total population. If urbanization continues to climb at a rate of 1% per year, it could exceed 70% by 2035. China already accounts for over 20% of the world’s total energy consumption and this looks set to rise. With the growing middle class, changes in consumer behaviour and burgeoning urbanization, the old unsustainable industrialization model of “high input, high energy consumption, high pollution, low output”, along with resource-intensive and wasteful consumption patterns, will place enormous strains on China’s natural ecosystems, driving them to the brink of irreversible tipping points.