Survey: Soil Erosion Ravages China and Will Displace Millions

Massive soil erosion could dislocate nearly 100 million people in southwest China within 35 years and reduce harvests by about 40 percent in some parts of the country over the next five decades, according to a new survey. About 4.5 billion tons of soil are washed and blown away each year throughout the country, the survey by a China research team found, making it increasingly difficult for the growing nation to feed itself. The estimated cost for this decade alone is about 200 billion yuan, or $29 billion. Among the factors causing the erosion are overpopulation, construction, farming, deforestation and a lack of environmental policy. More than 3.5 million square kilometers (1.35 million square miles) have been affected by soil erosion so far, according to the news agency Xinhau.