Aerial photo taken on Aug. 1, 2018 shows a view of the northern edge of Kubuqi Desert, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region lies at the forefront of China's fight against desertification. The region's afforestation efforts will consolidate its role as an important ecological barrier protecting northern China. Afforestation of Kubuqi Desert has reached 3,200 square kilometres in recent years which changed the environment tremendously. In 2014, The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) announced that Kubuqi Desert is an ecological economy demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)