China just finished building a massive sand-blocking barrier across three deserts in Inner Mongolia—Badain Jaran, Tengger, and Ulan Buh—using a clever straw checkerboard technique to stabilize shifting dunes. This 1,856km "green great wall" is part of a decades-long effort to fight desertification in the country’s dry northern regions.

Editor’s Note: Desert expansion isn’t just a local problem—it threatens farmland, air quality, and even distant cities with sandstorms. China’s project shows how large-scale ecological engineering can (literally) hold the line against environmental degradation. It’s a rare climate story with visible progress, though long-term sustainability questions remain.