Erik Solheim, deputy secretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), is interviewed during the ongoing 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Global anti-desertification efforts require concerted action and could benefit from China's rich experience and expertise, said a UN official during the COP 13 to the UNCCD held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia autonomous region from Sept 6-17.

Erik Solheim, deputy secretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), made the remarks in an interview during the ongoing 13th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

Solheim visited the Kubuqi Desert two months ago. He was impressed by the evident achievements in greening, saying China's experience in combating desertification should be replicated by the world.

He added that the local government and people did not regard the sandified land as a difficulty. Rather, they have taken it as a challenge and opportunity -- not only turning it into a green land but also gaining solar power from it for daily life. The desert has also provided them with jobs and a promising future.

Desertification is a global ecological problem and how to deal with it is a global issue.

China, especially in its northwestern regions, suffers severe desertification. With exploratory efforts over more than half a century, China has succeeded in prioritizing development of both ecology and economy, addressing the problems of desertification while trying to help affected people escape poverty.

The Kubuqi Desert, which used to be called the "Sea of Death", is now green, while the natives are more prosperous, relying on desert tourism, featured agriculture and husbandry, and processing based on sand.

The Three-North Forest Shelterbelt Development Program, also known as the Green Great Wall, launched in Kubuqi 39 years ago, was instrumental in reversing desertification.

In only 55 years, the Saihanba highlands, now home to Saihanba National Forest Park, were turned from a vast desert into lush forests and boundless grassland.

Solheim hopes to use these successful cases to provide expertise to other countries and regions that are ravaged by sand and dust.

"China has experienced experts and rich examples which can offer technical support to the world," he noted.

He suggested that China use scientific assessment and policy recommendations to cooperate internationally in combating desertification, and that other countries should explore ways to transform their lands that suit their own situations.

"China has so many modes in combating desertification. However, instead of simply copying them, other countries can learn critically by absorbing the good ones and avoiding the rest," Solheim explained.

There are many people in the world who know little about desertification. As to how to raise public awareness, Solheim said international cooperation is needed to make people understand that the harm of desertification may involve everyone. For example, sandstorms in one region not only affect locals, but also influence neighboring areas.

He added that a mechanism needs to be built to offer a favorable environment for anti-desertification efforts.

The COP 13 is coming to an end on Sept 15. With a theme of “Combating Desertification for Human Well-being”, it is tasked to promote the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and formulate a new strategic framework that will guide action under the Convention from 2018-2030, while affirming the goal of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030 and raising the funds necessary to achieve it.