The military-industrial scientific research system of the academic master.

For Chang Haonan, this number is indeed conservative.

According to the comparison of remote sensing and Mongolian provincial statistics, the area of ​​sandy and semi-sandy land with the potential for transformation in the five eastern leagues and cities alone should be around 6000-8000 million mu.

Because huge amounts of degraded land are not a good thing to include in statistical lists, local governments have no incentive to falsify such data.

The results are basically credible.

Moreover, although Chang Haonan had never been exposed to any agricultural projects in his previous life, he knew that Meng Province had actually been developed into a top-ranked agricultural production area.

Thanks to the relatively flat terrain, this is also a production area that does not require intensive cultivation.

The reason why we cut the price in half right at the beginning is mainly because we take into account the leaders' psychological endurance.

Otherwise, it would be a bit too exaggerated if you said you wanted to create nearly 100 million mu of new arable land.

But...

It can only be said that Chang Haonan's considerations are indeed somewhat humane.

But not much.

What does 4000 million acres mean?

According to statistics in 1996, the total cultivated land area in China was only a little over 19 billion mu.

In 2003, the concept of a red line for arable land had not yet been proposed. Considering the large-scale occupation over the years, the actual optimistic estimate is only about 18 billion mu.

This is equivalent to creating 2.2% of the existing arable land area out of thin air.

If it is put in the general field, increasing production capacity by a mere 2% is indeed not worth mentioning.

But this is agriculture.

A vital industry in the physical sense.

If the necessary agricultural products are short of 2%, then without considering policy adjustments, the market price will definitely not just increase by 2%.

Instead, it will rise until 2% of the people starve to death.

Therefore, after hearing this number, he still heard a few faint gasps coming from all around him.

Li Zhongyi, who had been sitting on the edge and making a fortune in silence, suddenly raised his head and made a tactical retreat.

Looking at Chang Haonan's eyes, one could clearly read a sentence:

"My dear little ancestor, what cruel thing are you going to do?"

Seeing that the atmosphere was a little dull, Chang Haonan finally realized that perhaps transforming 4000 million acres of arable land was still a bit beyond China's imagination at the moment.

But he was also wronged.

It was clearly the leader who insisted on asking “without considering the invested funds and other costs”.

Then we should expect to get a very exaggerated number...

In fact, Chang Haonan himself had some preconceived ideas.

At the beginning of the 21st century, both internationally and domestically, there was overwhelming propaganda that global warming would lead to land degradation, agricultural production reductions, and so on, leading to a generally pessimistic outlook on the future.

Leaders are also human beings and will also be affected by such public opinion.

But in fact, after more than ten years, everyone found that this thing also depends on the situation.

For Western Europe and the United States, the above conclusion is indeed correct.

But for Central Asia, East Asia and North Asia, the northward shift of precipitation and isotherms is beneficial to agricultural production.

Therefore, there are indeed huge differences in concepts between Chang Haonan, who has experienced these things, and those who are "native" to this era.

Fortunately, he had left a hook before, so he can continue to make up for it now:

"Of course, this is without considering other external restrictions... If such a large-scale soil improvement project can be implemented, in addition to the economic and social benefits that can be seen with the naked eye, it will even have an impact on the ecological environment of the entire Northeast Asia region, which is no less than the century-old project of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project that has mobilized the whole country."

"Therefore, even if it is only the first phase of the project, it needs to be further implemented in stages. Considering that this is still a new technology, especially the lack of data on the effect under long wheelbase and large area conditions, first of all, we plan to use 3-5 years to carry out a medium-scale experiment with an area of ​​50 to 100 million mu, and then..."

However, before Chang Haonan finished talking about the entire three-step plan, another leader half raised his hand to interrupt him:

"We will discuss these processes in detail later... If you really believe that the eastern part of Mongolia alone has the potential for land transformation of tens of millions of acres, then no matter how small the scale of the first step is, the planning must be carried out according to the standards of a century project."

"So, there are a few questions that you need to consider carefully."

Although he was indeed shocked by the answer given by Chang Haonan at first, he was a senior leader who had seen the world after all, so he quickly regained his rationality.

"Even the eastern part, where the climate conditions are relatively good as you just said, is still a semi-arid area. The surface water systems that Mongolian agriculture can rely on are mainly the Hetao Basin of the Yellow River and the Xiliao River. However, these two water systems are also the lifeblood of the industrial and mining industries in the four cities of Hohhot, Baotou, Ordos and Chi, so it is impossible for them to be used entirely for agricultural production."

Although there was no map in the entire conference room, he still stretched out his hand as he spoke and pointed to several locations in the air in front of him.

Almost exactly corresponding to the places just mentioned.

Obviously very aware of the actual situation:

"If agricultural production relies on groundwater for a long time, it will undoubtedly lead to over-exploitation, which is not a long-term solution."

"In this case, if the decision-makers really approve the medium- and long-term plan of 4000 million mu or even a larger scale, how are you going to solve the water use conflict?"

This question hits the nail on the head.

On the surface, it is also the part of the entire plan that has the biggest loopholes.

Although the five eastern leagues and cities are part of the Northeast at the regional level, geographically, only part of the land east of the Greater Khingan Range is truly an extension of the Songnen Plain.

Naturally, it has long become a major agricultural production area.

The three pieces of sandy land mentioned by Chang Haonan before cannot actually really benefit from the environmental dividends of the Northeast region.

The beginning of the 21st century was the period when soil erosion was most serious.

The water resources balance in Mongolia and even in the entire North is already at a precarious level.

The Yellow River even had an outrageous record of zero runoff into the sea for several consecutive years.

Under such circumstances, let alone 4000 million mu, even 400 million mu could become the last straw that breaks the camel's back.

Zhuang Bingchang, who was sitting next to him and had not spoken since he introduced his work situation, suddenly changed his expression.

He has worked in the Northeast and Northwest regions for a long time and knows very well that all the situations described by the other party are true.

In fact, Chang Haonan had never told him the figure of 4000 million mu before...

However, the former showed a slightly happy expression -

Asking such specific questions shows that the other person is attracted to you.

It would be really troublesome if others kept discussing some vague topics.

Therefore, he immediately replied:

"From the perspective of treating the symptoms, a number of water conservancy facilities can be built in this area."

"As you just said, the Xiliao River can support irrigation in the Horqin Desert and the eastern part of the Hunshandake Desert, but it suffers from insufficient flow. Therefore, we can consider drawing on the successful experience of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project to divert water from the Chuoer River to the Xiliao River to supply water to cities and industrial parks along the route, and combine irrigation with power generation for comprehensive utilization."

When Chang Haonan said this, he heard laughter coming from all around.

"nothing."

Someone soon explained:

"Thank you Academician Chang for your best wishes for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project..."

Joking is just joking.

Although the first phase of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has just begun construction, even during the investigation stage before the project was launched, there were 300-400 kilometers of water conservancy projects.

Compared with the earth-shattering big idea mentioned above, this proposal of "Yinchuojiliao" does not seem too out of line.

"You just said that this is only a temporary solution..."

The leader who asked the question first took the lead in calming down the somewhat loose atmosphere:

"So from what I hear... Academician Chang, do you have any solution to cure the problem?"

This time, Chang Haonan shook his head very decisively:

"With today's human technological level, it is still too difficult to completely overcome the laws of nature..."

Some eyes revealed a hint of regret.

If we can really improve the climate fundamentally, it will definitely be a decisive factor in the long-term international competition.

However, Chang Haonan hadn't finished speaking yet:

“So, it’s not me who can cure the root cause, but the environment itself.”

Just a few words made many people experience a great ups and downs in their mentality.

"The environment itself?"

A leader from the land and resources system suddenly became interested:

"Academician Chang, you don't support the plan to dig a hole in the Yanshan Mountains to allow the warm and humid air from the Bohai Sea to blow into Inner Mongolia, do you?"

Chang Haonan: “…”

Zhuang Bingchang: “…”

Other leaders: “…”

Chang Haonan himself didn't even know that someone had come up with such an idea.

It sounds similar to digging up the Himalayas and letting the Indian Ocean air flow into Xinjiang Province...

He quickly shook his head:

"No need to go to so much trouble..."

"In fact, as long as the current trend continues, in a dozen years or so, as the global climate warms, the water and heat conditions and environmental carrying capacity in central and western my country will naturally improve..."

"!!!"

Dozens of people in the conference room almost all turned their attention back to Chang Haonan——

The 4000 million mu of arable land mentioned above is only exaggerated in terms of quantity.

After all, China has never stopped researching soil consolidation and sand control technology since its founding.

It’s just that I never thought it would have such a good effect.

However, as mentioned earlier.

This conclusion was made in 2004, but its direction is completely different from the current commonly defined "common sense"!

"Can you tell me the reason?"

Soon someone asked:

"Is it calculation, or ..."

"The evolution of the Earth's climate is too complex, and there is hardly any 100% reliable theory... Calculations alone are definitely not enough."

Chang Haonan replied:

"My judgment is based on two reasons. First, based on the analysis of the laws of soil stratigraphy and historical climatology, rising global temperatures are not necessarily a bad thing for a continental country like ours..."

"Second, my country has systematically implemented a surface greening project that has lasted for more than 40 years and is the largest in human history. Although human power alone is not enough to reverse nature, it has the foundation to undertake the improvement of climate conditions. This is an advantage that no other country has. It also means that we cannot copy the research results of foreign researchers in the field of ecological environment..."

"Academician Chang, please wait a moment..."

The leader who had just asked the question took a deep breath and did not let Chang Haonan continue speaking.

I must admit that what the latter just said was indeed very nice.

Especially the second point, which is almost aimed at the preferences of his generation.

But reason told him that the more pleasant the words sounded, the more careful he should be in judging their accuracy.

Moreover, Chang Haonan is not a geophysical expert.

Compared with the rich experimental data and calculation process he presented earlier when introducing the soil consolidation and sand control technology, the explanation in these few sentences is a bit too thin.

As a scholar, Chang Haonan can make speculations based on his own judgment that are consistent with logic and existing theories.

But as a decision maker, he must ensure that he listens to both sides.

At least you need to find a professional to verify it.

"This is a matter of great importance. We may need to confirm the correctness of this conclusion."

"So I propose to adjourn the meeting temporarily and continue discussing this issue at another time..."