A forum for civil organizations was held Saturday night in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to raise funds for and public awareness to combat desertification, part of the 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

A forum of civil organizations is held to raise funds for and public awareness of combating desertification in Ordos on Saturday. [Photo by Guo Xiangyu]

The China Green Foundation, the forum's sponsor, received 2 million yuan ($308,800) in donations from Ordos Culture Tourism Development Co Ltd and 50 million yuan from Ant Financial Services Group. 

The money will be spent on afforestation and anti-desertification efforts, technical training and demonstration zones in Inner Mongolia and Gansu province. 

Liu Dongsheng, deputy head of State Forestry Administration of China [Photo by Guo Xiangyu]

The foundation is a civil organization that has worked for years on ecological causes, specifically to rally society into combating desertification in China, according to Liu Dongsheng, deputy head of the State Forestry Administration of China, who addressed the gathering.

The foundation has launched greening-themed charity campaigns and afforestation and anti-desertification projects, which not only raise social funds, but also lure enterprises, social organizations and individuals to support anti-desertification and poverty reduction.

It has contributed to a better environment and coped with climate change. 

Liu Fangfei, UNCCD Drylands Ambassador [Photo by Guo Xiangyu]  

UNCCD Drylands Ambassador Liu Fangfei read the united initiative of the forum, which urges Chinese civil organizations to act and take on a bigger social responsibility. 

In addition to fundraising, they are expected to promote new anti-desertification technology, experience and modes, and mobilize more people to the cause. 

On the other hand, they need to cooperate with their foreign counterparts to achieve worldwide success in the field.

Pradeep Monga, deputy executive secretary of the UNCCD  [Photo by Guo Xiangyu]

Pradeep Monga, deputy executive secretary of the UNCCD, reviewed the world's work in combating desertification and looked into the future. 

He praised civil organizations like the China Green Foundation and the key role they play in the process, and the Ant Financial Services Group for its financial support, which also established a special fund for forests that night.

At last, Forbes and the China Green Foundation jointly started compiling a green company list to emphasize Chinese companies' contributions to combating desertification.

Representatives from more than 20 international organizations and 100 Chinese civil organizations and enterprises were present.