With the background of global-warming,impacts upon desertification resulting from various factors, including climate change and human activities,have become a hot issue for sustainable development.In this paper,the concept of desertification vulnerability and its theoretical system was proposed based on the brief review regarding evolution of vulnerability and climate change vulnerability.Then,according to literatures on vulnerability assessment and the character of desertification system,we also interpret the theoretical system of desertification vulnerability assessment,as well as the content and method of it.Finally,we have to pay attention to several problems to be solved in research into desertification vulnerability later on and to identify the features and trends of desertification vulnerability,along with future challenges for properly assessing it.