Lu Qi, the chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry, has been awarded the United Nations Earth Guardian Award.
On December 10, The Paper reported that Lu Qi, the chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and the director of the Three-North Shelter Forest Program Research Institute, has been awarded the Earth Guardian Award, the highest honor in the global ecological and environmental protection field. He is the first Chinese recipient in the “Science and Innovation” category of this award.
In a statement, Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, praised Lu Qi for his contributions to combating global desertification. She emphasized that Lu has demonstrated through practice that by combining science with policy, humanity can address land degradation issues, help communities adapt to climate change, and build a better future for millions.
Lu Qi remarked that generations of scientists in China have worked diligently in desertification prevention, creating remarkable achievements in scientific desertification control and contributing to the technological support for the Three-North Project. He believes this award will inspire ecological researchers in China, especially the younger generation, to engage more actively in global ecological protection efforts.
Desertification is a significant ecological issue affecting human survival and development, and China is one of the countries most severely impacted by desertification. After over 40 years of relentless efforts, China has actively promoted desertification prevention and key ecological projects like the Three-North Project, achieving remarkable global recognition in sand control and desertification management. Through the implementation of key projects such as the construction of the Three-North protective forest system, China has scientifically protected 538 million acres of desertified land and effectively managed 118 million acres. The forest coverage rate in the Three-North Project area has increased from 12.41% to 13.84%, with 61% of soil and water loss areas effectively controlled, and the vegetation coverage “green line” in the Yellow River basin has moved westward by 300 kilometers. Statistics show that 53% of China’s desertifiable land has been effectively managed, resulting in a net reduction of 6.5 million acres of desertified land, indicating a positive trend of overall improvement and accelerated progress, leading to a virtuous cycle of ecological protection and improved livelihoods, successfully charting a path for sand control with Chinese characteristics. Desertification is a common challenge faced by humanity. China is not only accelerating desertification management but also widely engaging in technological research and international cooperation, promoting Chinese solutions and wisdom in desertification prevention to benefit the world.
This year, Lu Qi was appointed as a counselor to the State Council of China. Throughout his over 30-year career, he has dedicated himself to combating desertification in China, helping to reverse land degradation trends and reduce the area of desertified land. As the chief scientist of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and the director of the Three-North Project Research Institute, he has played a key role in implementing the world’s largest afforestation project, establishing a desert ecological research network and partnerships, and promoting multilateral cooperation to combat desertification, land degradation, and drought. Lu has led over 50 research projects, published more than 180 peer-reviewed papers, authored 20 monographs, assisted China in implementing the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, and contributed expertise to international organizations at the forefront of global desertification action, providing best practices for mitigating desertification, land degradation, and drought through multilateral cooperation.
The Earth Guardian Award is an international accolade presented by the United Nations Environment Programme to recognize individuals, groups, and organizations that have made transformative impacts on the environment. It is the highest honor in the global ecological and environmental protection field. Since its inception in 2005, there have been 122 awardees. In 2017, builders of the Saihanba Forest Farm in China received the Earth Guardian Award for Inspiration and Action.
