Gobi Desert Desertification Threatens Farmland
Recent Developments
012026-08-13: Mongolia's environment ministry released a national assessment saying 81.9% of the country's territory is affected by desertification and land degradation to some extent.
022026-08-17 to 2026-08-21: Chinese state reporting said China shared desertification-control expertise at UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia and described a long-term shift toward declining desertified and sandy land areas.
032026-06-17: Inner Mongolia officials said the region completed 9.2 million hectares of ecological restoration since 2021, including 4.86 million hectares of desertification control.
Interventions
- China’s Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program, which continues large-scale restoration and desertification control in northern China.
- China-Mongolia cooperation on a desertification prevention and control center, monitoring stations, sandstorm early warning, and ecological restoration support.
- Mongolia’s national 'One Billion Trees' reforestation campaign aimed at restoring degraded land by 2030.
What Works
- Large-scale shelterbelt and ecological restoration programs have reduced desertified and sandy land in parts of northern China.
- Cross-border monitoring, early warning, and afforestation support between China and Mongolia have been described as effective tools for reducing sandstorm impacts and supporting land recovery.
- Targeted restoration in Inner Mongolia has produced measurable gains, including 9.2 million hectares of ecological restoration since 2021.
How to Help
- Support reputable land-restoration, reforestation, and anti-desertification organizations working in China and Mongolia.
- Back policies that reduce overgrazing, protect soil, and improve water management in arid regions.
- Advocate for stronger climate, land restoration, and drought-resilience funding through elected representatives and international institutions.
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Verified Organizations
Organizations Helping(12)
The movement addresses desertification by planting native species, including sea-buckthorn, along riverbanks to stabilize land, reduce degradation, and support local livelihoods through berry harvesting and sales. Its work combines ecological restoration with income generation for local communities.
The ministry leads implementation of desertification-response programs in Mongolia, including the ENSURE project. Its role includes working with UNDP and local governments to restore degraded landscapes, designate protected areas, support sustainable grazing plans, and improve ecosystem resilience in the southern Gobi.
The center tackles Gobi-region desertification through cross-border coordination, shared monitoring, and joint prevention and control efforts between China and Mongolia. Its role is to serve as a platform for aligning policy, technical cooperation, and practical measures to curb land degradation in border areas.
WRI addresses land degradation by producing analysis and tools for restoration, sustainable land use, and landscape governance. In contexts like the Gobi, this type of work supports decision-making on where to restore land, how to manage grazing pressure, and how to prioritize interventions that protect farmland, grasslands, and water resources.
