Lu Qi, director of the Institute of Desertification Studies at the Chinese Academy of Forestry, said that over the past 60 years, China’s fight against desertification has made steady progress, yet there is still much that needs to be done.

“The Chinese government has always attached great importance to desertification prevention and control, under the guiding concept of respecting, comforting and protecting the nature,” Lu said.

“We should now pay more attention to making full use of modern desertification control technology and seek to combine the prevention, control and utilization of desertification,” he said.

“Desertification is still a serious threat to the world, but we have gained much successful experience and reached the consensus that the control of desertification is urgent,” said Jia Xiaoxia, deputy director of the Desertification Control Bureau of the State Forestry Administration.

“One of the goals of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification is to help developing countries that are short of funds and advanced technologies to fight desertification,” she said.

It is estimated that some 135 million people may be displaced by 2045 as a result of desertification. COP13 will also address the problem of land degradation from the perspective of providing greater resilience for all, according to Monga.

In addition, parties will also exchange views on how local governments, the private sector and local communities can help to address the challenges of land degradation, while taking into account the impact of potential sustainable land management practices through gender mainstreaming, Monga said.

“With the support of governmental policies and technologies, the participation of enterprises and local residents, as well as guidance from professional organizations, the situation will be improved,” Jia said.

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.

The permanent Secretariat, based in Bonn, aims to promote synergies with UN agencies, initiatives and country representations to enhance implementation of the Convention.