From glaciers to sun-drenched slopes, and from reclaimed deserts to once-isolated mountain villages transformed by hope and tourism, the following five stories from across China reflect a nation in transformation.

Captured between 2021 and 2024, these images reveal the profound impacts of climate change, the push for clean energy, the battle against desertification, and the remarkable journey from poverty to prosperity.

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary with an enduring commitment to environmental protection and human development, China's evolving landscapes offer powerful testaments to local action on global challenges – reminders that change is possible when communities and countries work towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Rising 6,282 meters, the highest peak of the Amne Machin range is revered as one of the four sacred mountains in Xizang culture. However, climate change is causing its glaciers to shrink. These photos, taken in April 2024 in Maqen County, Qinghai, document both the environmental and human impact – and underscore the urgency of the UN's call for stronger global action against climate change.

Longyangxia Gorge in Gonghe County, Qinghai, narrows to just 30 meters at its mouth yet stretches 33 kilometers in length. Selected in 1976 for a major hydropower station, it now provides electricity, flood control, ice-jam prevention, irrigation and aquaculture support. Photos taken in March 2024 also capture the nearby solar photovoltaic park – highlighting China's response to the UN's call for greater use of clean energy.

Once a barren land plagued by sandstorms, the Mu Us Desert in northern China has been steadily reclaimed through decades of anti-desertification efforts. In Jingbian – Shaanxi's first county to halt silt discharge into the Yellow River – locals have played a central role. This 2021 photo series captures their fight against desertification, a mission long supported by the UN.

The UN has made poverty alleviation one of its core missions. Perched in the mountains on the west bank of the Jin-Shaan Grand Canyon, Chiniuwa Village was once considered "uninhabitable." Just a decade ago, many residents still lived in traditional loess cave dwellings. Today, thanks to the growth of tourism, it has become a well-known landmark of Jiaxian County, Shaanxi Province. These photos were taken in September 2021 – the year China announced it had eradicated extreme poverty.

Laoniuwan Village in northern China is famed for its striking location, where the Yellow River enters Shanxi Province and meets the Great Wall. It is also home to a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) fortress that still stands as a testament to its storied past. These photos were taken in September 2021 in Laoniuwan Village, Pianguan County, Shanxi Province.