A comprehensive national assessment of China's key ecological function zones reveals that intensified protection and restoration efforts have begun to reverse ecosystem degradation, though underlying vulnerabilities and ongoing human pressures still pose significant challenges.

The findings, released on Wednesday in a report on ecological status investigation and assessment of national key regions, highlighted hard-won progress and persistent risks.

The report, compiled by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, covers nine major strategic zones, including the Yellow River Basin, the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Initiated under the framework of the fifth national survey on ecological status change, the report reveals not only conservation effectiveness, but also a list of problems that require urgent attention, said ministry spokesman Pei Xiaofei at a news conference.

The report, for instance, noted sustained improvement in ecosystem quality within the Yellow River Basin, with the vegetation "green line" expanding about 300 kilometers northwestward. A preliminary, coordinated national and local governance system has been established in the basin, it said.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has seen its shallow and deep groundwater levels rebound significantly compared to 2018, by 2.59 meters and 7.06 m, respectively.

However, Pei said the further improvement of the general quality of its ecosystem remains a challenge for the country.

Given the inherent fragility of its ecosystems, China has a limited capacity to rely on natural processes for conservation and restoration, he said. "Meanwhile, some ecological function areas remain subject to encroachment," Pei added.

Noting remarkable progress in ecological and environmental governance through a series of major projects, Sun Shouliang, director of the ministry's comprehensive department, said the ministry is committed to driving thorough improvements in the nation's ecological and environmental quality in the second half of the decade.

According to Sun, the ministry, together with other national government bodies and local governments, planned and implemented 24,000 ecological and environmental management projects during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25). As a result of these projects, the country has witnessed significant declines in the total emissions of major pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

The efforts to phase out outdated production facilities, including 30,000 coal-fired boilers, for instance, achieved reductions in nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compound emissions of roughly 210,000 metric tons and 220,000 tons, respectively.

Pollution at more than 1,800 tailings ponds within the Yangtze River Economic Belt and almost 400 along the Yellow River Basin has been successfully remediated, Sun added.

The ministry's efforts to further improve ecological and environmental quality during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) will not be limited to achieving isolated breakthroughs in specific river basins, regions, or key cities, he emphasized. Instead, the focus will shift toward realizing comprehensive, nationwide advancement across all areas.

The scope of ecological and environmental governance will further broaden beyond its traditional focus on air, water, and soil to encompass emerging developmental challenges and areas directly impacting public comfort and health, the official continued.

"This represents a shift toward integrated, systematic governance that harmonizes pollution control, biodiversity conservation, and climate action across all environmental components and sectors," he said.