A recent study has revealed that China has been carrying out extensive greening efforts for decades, ranging from large-scale tree planting to grassland restoration. Programs such as the Great Green Wall, launched in 1978, have increased the country’s forest cover to more than 25%. Additional initiatives like Grain for Green and the Natural Forest Protection program have promoted the conversion of farmland into green spaces and halted large-scale logging activities.

The research, published in the journal Earth’s Future, also found that China’s greening campaigns have altered the distribution of freshwater resources. Scientists observed significant changes in vegetation cover between 2001 and 2020, which reduced water availability in the eastern monsoon zone and the arid northwest—regions that make up 74% of China’s landmass and serve as major hubs for development, agriculture, and population centers.

In contrast, water availability increased on the Tibetan Plateau. This rise is linked to higher evapotranspiration—an increase in both evaporation and plant transpiration—driven by expanding forest and grassland cover.

“China has restored vegetation on a massive scale over recent decades. They have actively revived ecosystems, particularly in the Loess Plateau, which has also reinvigorated the water cycle,” said Arie Staal, one of the study’s authors, as quoted by Live Science on Monday (Dec 8, 2025).

The research team analyzed high-resolution data on evapotranspiration, precipitation, land-use changes, and atmospheric moisture transport. Their findings indicate that evapotranspiration increased more than precipitation, meaning a substantial share of water was lost to the atmosphere.

However, this trend is not uniform across China, as winds can transport moisture up to 7,000 kilometers from its original source.

The increase in evapotranspiration was mainly observed in newly forested areas of the eastern monsoon region and restored grasslands. Meanwhile, higher precipitation occurred only on the Tibetan Plateau, leading to reduced water availability in many other regions.

“Even though the water cycle has become more active, more water is being lost locally than before,” Staal added.

China’s water distribution has long been imbalanced. For instance, regions home to 46% of the population and covering 60% of the country’s land receive only 20% of available water. The government has been trying to address this issue, but these measures may fall short because the water redistribution effects of reforestation were not sufficiently accounted for.