Desertification vs climate change
The term “desertification” implies it is an ecosystem that has evolved over many years due to contributing factors like climate change. For instance, sandstorms are mainly caused by the increasing expansion of desertified land.

Data indicate that Beijing suffered dozens of sandstorms a year in the 1970s, when China had the highest level of desertification; the sandstorms were reduced to 10 per year after 2000 and to two or three per year in the past three years.

Climate change and desertification control are two of the considerable issues attracting global attention, said Liu. The fact that China has seen a continuous decrease in the frequency of sandstorms proves the effectiveness of its efforts to combat desertification.

Cooperative Mechanism
It is important to set up a mechanism to combat desertification. As Monique Barbut, executive secretary of the UNCCD, has noted, such a mechanism will promote global LDN and more closely connect people living in affected countries and regions along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative.

We should create a cooperative system, said Liu, adding that international cooperation can be more effectively carried out only when a system is formed.

“The Belt and Road Cooperative Mechanism to Combat Desertification, proposed by China, is a concrete action derived from the UNCCD,” said Liu. “The mechanism will not decentralize the authority of the United Nations to combat desertification, but help it to make decisions.”

Further measures
What kinds of measures will China take in a bid to achieve the goal of LDN? Liu made the following three points.

First is government policy. China will find the right approach and fine-tune it to solve new problems of desertification.

Second is science and technology. It is still a long way to the goal of the global fight against desertification, which entails applications of modern technology.

Third is international cooperation to prevent and control desertification.

China’s commitment

Erik Solheim, deputy secretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), spoke highly of China’s model for combating desertification on Sept 11, saying it is one of the best in the world.

This model of greening, embodied by the projects like the Green Wall, has been applied to several countries over past years. It will be replicated and promoted to more countries to fight desertification.

As the host country of COP 13, China will take further measures to control desertification and promote the establishment of the Belt and Road Cooperative Mechanism to Combat Desertification, said Liu.
He noted that China is willing to share its successful experience in controlling desertification with the world in the light of the cooperative platform.