Water resource development and protection in loess areas of the world: a summary to the thematic issue of water in loess

Loess is mainly distributed in arid and semiarid areas of the world, and water is essential and precious in the loess areas. Water is also an important factor inducing various geohazards and soil erosion in the loess areas. The thematic issue of Environmental Earth Sciences was edited to reflect the latest research on water and water-related themes in the loess areas of the world, especially on the Chinese Loess Plateau. This editorial introduced the background and initiative of editing this thematic issue, and it also introduced briefly the water environment projects currently underway on the Chinese Loess Plateau such as the grain for green project, the huge land creation project, and the sponge city project. The papers included in the thematic issue were also introduced to give readers a general understanding of their main research points. Finally, some suggestions to boost further water environment research in the loess areas were put forward. All the papers included in the thematic issue will scientifically support the sustainable socio-economic development in the loess areas of the world.