Study shows China leads planet's greening efforts

There has been an increase in leafy coverage equivalent to that of the entire Amazon rainforest between 2000 and 2017, especially in China and India, according to a new study.

The planet's two most populous nations are leading the increase in greenery in large part due to China's ambitious programs in tree planting and more efficient agriculture practices, said a study by NASA, published on Monday in the journal Nature Sustainability.

The study revealed that one third of the planet's vegetated land area is greening, while just 5 percent is browning. This translates to a net increase in leafy area of 2.3 percent per decade, or 5.4 million square kilometers of new leafy coverage from 2000 to 2017.