China on Monday launched a pilot gross ecosystem product evaluation system to break away from the GDP-above-all mentality.

The system is the first of its type and will be launched in the Kubuqi Desert in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, the seventh-largest desert in China.

The standard will measure the total economic value of all ecosystem products and services that nature provides for human well-being. The program will be jointly launched by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Elion Foundation.