ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Effects of Increased Vegetation Cover and Green
Economic Development Pathway:
Evidence from China
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1
Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, 210008, China
2
School of Environment, Education and Development, The University of Manchester,
Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
3
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology,
Suzhou, 215009, China
Submission date: 2022-05-20
Final revision date: 2022-08-30
Acceptance date: 2022-09-06
Online publication date: 2022-11-21
Publication date: 2022-12-21
Corresponding author
Haixia Zhao
Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2023;32(1):461-478
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ABSTRACT
Although studies on the driving factors of vegetation growth and restoration have been widely
discussed, the influences and effects of vegetation growth on the ecological environment have not been
clearly discussed. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in vegetation growth and
restoration, so it is meaningful to discuss the effects of increased vegetation and ecological environment
change in China. Through spatial analysis and curve estimation, we found that vegetation in China
has increased rapidly in recent years, especially in northeast China, southwest China, and the Loess
Plateau. The grassland ecosystem is the largest vegetation ecosystem in China. The distribution pattern
of grassland was basically unchanged, distributed in alpine and arid regions, and the main changes
were in Inner Mongolia Plateau, Loess Plateau, and Xinjiang. These changes are related to national
policies and agricultural development. Vegetation growth is accompanied by the overall improvement of
the ecological environment and economic development. Increased vegetation in China has both natural
and human effects. Natural effects include the impact on the atmosphere, pedosphere, biosphere, and
hydrosphere, while human impacts include the urban environment, national health, ecological economy,
and ecological civilization system. However, the long-term effects of increased vegetation need to
continue to be observed and studied.