Arid northwest China taking steps to halt desertification

(7 Jun 2002)
Outside Korla City, Xinjiang Province - 30 May 2002
1. Wide shot of desert with camels
2. Camel walking
3. Cracked desert soil
4. Close-up of same
5. Mini-twister in the desert, lifting sand
Korla City
6. Sand dunes by road
7. Sand blowing across dune
8. Pan right of sand dunes
9. Dead thousand year-old trees among the dunes
10. Close-up of dead tree bark
Beijing - 21 May 2002
11. Set up shot of Lester Brown, environmental scholar and author
12. Close up on satellite image of dust storm in north Asian region
13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lester Brown, Environmental scholar and author:
"What was once primarily a local problem is now becoming international because the dust storms which are occurring more frequently in the last few years and which are larger, are beginning to affect other countries."
Outside Korla City, Xinjiang Province - 30 May 2002
14. Wide shot of gas plant burning gas
15. Close-up of burning gas and black smoke
Korla City - 29 May 2002
16. Wide shot of smoking factory chimney in city centre - zooms in
31 May 2002
17. Wide shot of farmer in his field
18. Close up on crop, farmer in background
19. Farmer weeding
Beijing - 21 May 2002
20. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lester Brown, Environmental scholar and author
"Well the Chinese government is going to have to assume most of the responsibility because China has by far the biggest problem because it is by far the biggest country. And I think it's going to take even more resources than are being committed at present."
Outside Kucha, Xinjiang Province - 31 May 2002
21. Pan right from desert to tree regrowth site in the distance, water channel in the foreground
22. Wide shot of child walking past trees at regrowth site
23. Rack focus on tree leaves
Turpan, Xinjiang Province - 28 May 2002
24. Pan right of botanic gardens
25. Various set-up shots of Song Yu Dong
26. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Song Yu Dong, Director of Turpan sand-control station
"Population increase will certainly add pressure to the environment but population increase at this percentage doesn't necessarily lead to environmental deterioration, I don't think so. Only when people are able to make rational use of water resources, that is, to make people's behaviour more rational (towards the environment), the management of the Tarim river will definitely have a brighter future in the next six years."
27. Wide shot of botanic garden with desert in the horizon
28. Silhouette of plant at sunset
29. Close-up of same
STORYLINE:
Large parts of China are slowly being turned into desert, which could lead to catastrophic consequences for the one-billion strong population if the process is not halted in its tracks.
Despite hundreds of miles of wide flowing rivers and lush green fields, large parts of China are slowly being turned into a desert. Desertification is the country's biggest environmental problem. APTN went to Xinjiang in northwestern China, a region which suffers from severe sandstorms that cause extensive damage and can sometimes lead to the deaths of local people.
The loss of agricultural land is a long term concern for China which fears it may not be able to feed its population of more than one billion people. The arid desert conditions of northwest China can reach temperatures of around 50 degrees celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) at the height of summer.
Brown says China's government will need to take on more responsibility in solving the problem. China has long held a fear of being unable to feed its population and the loss of land could lead to such a crisis.

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