China is on a giant building spree and nothing is going to stop it. The idea is simple: Lop off the tops of the mountains and use the material to fill in the valleys below to create a flat, livable area of land.

As China’s cities expand as its economy grows, the country has begun running out of land to build on — especially in mountainous areas where one-fifth of the population lives. As well as a place for the population to spill onto, it’s expected the new land will generate billions of renminbi (local currency) through sales and leasing, while also providing more space for agriculture.

The report warns: "Without cooperation, the land-creation campaigns could drain local and national econmies and irrevocably damage watercourses and ecosystems."

"Many land-creation projects in China ignore environmental regulations, because local governments tend to prioritise making money over protecting nature," the report said.

Worryingly, construction work continues. While it might seem a bit of a no-brainer, a set of guidelines should be put in place before scything off the tops of mountains to make way for more mega-cities. But convincing determined local governments to adopt this could be an even harder task.