China's Great Green Wall Grows Fast, But Its Climate Promise Is Complex

China’s 66‑billion‑tree Great Green Wall across the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts has expanded forest cover and reduced dust, but a Geophysical Research Letters study finds planted forests grow canopy 66% faster than natural forests and about 4.6% faster when age‑matched, with the biggest gains around 30–40 years before tapering. While planted forests offer strong short‑term carbon uptake, natural forests provide longer‑term storage and resilience, raising questions about the wall’s long‑term climate impact and how these artificial forests should be accounted for in carbon models.