How is the Gobi desert being affected?

The Gobi Desert has expanded and its sands are now within 160 kilometres (100 miles) of Beijing. ... China is among the countries worst affected by the global problem of desertification. Its 1.3 billion people survive on just one quarter of the worldwide per capita average of arable land and fresh water resources. read more

The Gobi desert in central China has expanded by about 25,000 square miles since 1994 and its sands are now within 160 kilometres (100 miles) of the capital city, Beijing. The capital gets blasted by about half a million tons of sand every year, often reducing visibility to the point where even its soaring skyscrapers are barely visible, air traffic stops and people are forced to stay indoors. read more

The second threat is the potential mining of the desert. China and Mongolia are currently trying to get approval to mine the Gobi Desert for gold and copper. This would disrupt the natural ecosystem and harm the soil, plants, animals. read more

Gobi Lakes Valley desert steppe, ecoregion lies north of Alashan Plateau semi-desert, between the Gobi Altai range to the south and the Khangai Mountains to the north. Dzungarian Basin semi-desert, includes the desert basin lying between the Altai mountains on the north and the Tian Shan range on the south. read more