Since its origins, the concept of desertification has been shrouded in controversy and ambiguity. As a result, no single definition term acceptable; there is agreement on extent or seriousness; solutions proposed are often disparate counterproductive. This essay suggests all this due to being permanent ‘prisoner history’, historical process led by United Nations Convention Desertification (UNCC...

Understanding institutional changes is crucial for environmental management. Here we investigated how institutional changes influenced the process and result of desertification control in northern China between 1949 and 2004. Our analysis was based on a case study of 21 field sites and a meta-analysis of additional 29 sites reported in the literature. Our results show that imposed knowledge-dri...