Read the guardian article, it cites a few reputable sources to debunk the debunkers. So, I'd be careful calling bullshit on things based on some blogs with an agenda. Skeptical science seems to exist to empower climate change deniers with the illusion of factual reality. Bullshit in other words.

Ultimately, it seems there are a few projects out there practicing instead of theorizing and converting actual desert back into fertile land.