Editor's note: Rachana Gupta is an Indian blogger, poet and freelance writer based in Shanghai. The article reflects the author's views, and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The former executive secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Luc Gnacadja stated in 2010 that desertification and land degradation are "the greatest environmental challenge of our time."

In the wake of these challenges, the United Nations launched "World Day to Combat Desertification" (WDCD) in 1994 to promote public awareness about international efforts to combat desertification and achieve land degradation neutrality through effective problem-solving, community involvement and multi-level cooperation.

As Monday (June 17) marks the 25th anniversary of the UNCCD, the progress made in sustainable land management in the last 25 years will be reviewed. Also, a plan will be drafted to achieve land degradation neutrality for the coming 25 years.

Notably, growing desertification is impacting many nations around the world including China. In March last year, the northern part of the country, including Beijing, witnessed a massive sandstorm that engulfed the entire region in a thick haze.

As a result, the level of PM10 in Beijing skyrocketed, making it extremely hazardous to go outside. Several flights were either delayed or canceled because of significantly lower visibility.

The "blue alert," issued by authorities, urged residents to take necessary precautions. Most people spent their day indoors, keeping the windows closed and using air purifiers.

In another similar event in November 2018, northwest China's Gansu Province was hit by a massive sandstorm. It also impacted Beijing by forming a thick layer of haze over the city for several days.

Traditionally, the northern part of China is susceptible to sandstorms especially during spring and summer when the frost melts in the Gobi Desert and powerful winds carry dust into neighboring provinces.

According to National Geographic, the problem of desertification has been a serious issue in China since the 1950s. The Gobi Desert region has grown by more than 385,000 square miles – an area about the size of France and Germany combined – since then.

Additionally, the total degraded land area in China is now estimated at eight to 10 million square kilometers and is causing economic losses of around six billion U.S. dollars per year, according to China's national desertification program. Also, the region has been facing severe drought since the 1980s, forcing locals to migrate to other regions.

The primary reason for this land degradation is overgrazing, which damages the top layer of land and exposes it to heat. This reduces soil capacity to retain moisture and eventually deteriorates the region into dry and barren land.

However, China, as a result of its relentless efforts in recent decades has achieved remarkable progress in combating desertification. For instance, a massive anti-desertification program – the "Great Green Wall" – was commenced in the northern region in 1978 with the intent of containing the expansion of the Gobi Desert.

Since its initiation, more than 66 billion trees have been planted in the region. If the project goes as planned, it would extend the forest cover across China from five to 15 percent by 2050.

Additionally, a series of laws on desert prevention and transformation were formulated in the early 2000s in order to protect the environment and facilitate efforts to rejuvenate degraded farms and grasslands.

According to China's forestry administration, deserts in the country expanded from 1994 to 1999, but shrunk from 1999 to 2014. Desert areas were also reduced by 2,424 square kilometers annually during the past decade.

Earlier this year, Ibrahim Thiaw, UNCCD's executive secretary, praised China's achievements in this direction, especially in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province, and hoped that China would continue to share its experiences and practices globally.

The United Nations aims to reach zero growth of desert farmland around the world by 2030, and therefore China's revolutionary experience in converting sand to soil seems promising. Additionally, the reduction in desertification will help in generating income sources, reducing mass migrations and providing a sustainable and green environment for the public.

As Nobel Prize laureate and Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai famously said, "No matter how dark the cloud, there is always a thin silver lining, and that is what we must look for. The silver lining will come, if not to us then to the next generation or the generation after that. And maybe with that generation, the lining will no longer be thin."

After witnessing a tremendous transformation in environmental conditions of both Beijing and Shanghai in the past few years, the unassailable spirit and relentless joint efforts of Chinese authorities, corporations, and the public will continue to bring positive results, and the country's efforts and willingness to share these experiences with others would not only fulfill its ambitions of reforestation, but also help other nations achieve similar results.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)