I am pleased to send greetings to the fifth Kubuqi International Desert Forum. 

This year, the United Nations General Assembly will meet to adopt the post-2015 development agenda.  Goal 15 of the proposed 17 sustainable development goals deals with land issues.  By 2030, every hectare of land that is degraded should be offset through rehabilitating another hectare or more of land in the same ecosystem, in the same year.  This will mark a radical departure from current trends. 

Today, we are losing approximately 12 million hectares of productive land every year -- equivalent to one tenth of the area of China.  This is contributing to food shortages and water scarcity, and undermining resilience to climate change.

Viewed against this backdrop, the changes taking place in China, and the Kubuqi Desert in particular, are notable.  Under the Green Land Partnership Programme, the Government of the People’s Republic of China is working with the private sector to combat desertification, reduce the sand storms that emanate from Inner Mongolia and lift people from poverty.

The Kubuqi International Desert Forum is a valuable opportunity to share experiences – in science and technology, policy and institutional innovation, regional and international cooperation, and collaboration with the private sector.  These are the learning processes needed to promote sustainable land management and a life of dignity for all.

I wish you a successful and productive meeting as we work towards a land degradation neutral world.