Unsustainable land management practices and a changing climate are causing the degradation and desertification of large areas of land. The reduction of the capacity of the land to maintain vegetation, produce food and sequester soil carbon is affecting the livelihoods and traditions of local communities. This session aims to contribute to the reversal of desertification through the exchange of knowledge and experiences on the assessment and mitigation of desertification. We welcome studies that facilitate the identification of negative and positive land management hotspots, for the prioritization of interventions and the assessment and out-scaling of success stories. Particularly welcome are assessment studies that integrate multiple data types, such as satellite-derived data, ground-based monitoring and sampling, socio-economic surveys and narrative analysis, and different working scale. At the same time, we encourage presentations on experimental research studies for the development and testing of innovative technologies for combatting desertification in degraded land. This session will also introduce the establishment of an international Community of Practice and Knowledge on desertification assessment and innovations for sustainable land management, which you are welcome to join.