BEIJING — China has seen marked restoration of damaged ecological environment in recent years since a mechanism of compensation for ecological and environmental damages was piloted nationwide in 2018, authorities said on Sept 28.

China had handled a total of 11,300 cases of compensation for ecological and environmental damages as of the end of 2021, said the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

These cases involved over 11.7 billion yuan ($1.64 billion) in punitive compensation for ecological and environmental damages, said the ministry.

At the end of 2021, local governments reported the restoration of 2.14 million square meters of farmland, 369 million cubic meters of surface water, and 1.67 million cubic meters of groundwater, among other restoration achievements, according to the ministry.