Network Governance for Sustainable Development: Enhancing Partnerships to Implement UN SDGs in Anti‐Desertification Projects

ABSTRACT Contemporary governance is increasingly characterized by coordinated engagement among diverse actors in addressing sustainability challenges under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where network governance strategies play an important role in developing collaborative capacity. This study investigates the role of network governance strategies in enhancing partnership outcomes for implementing SDGs, with a particular focus on SDG 15.3 combating desertification and restoring degraded land. Specifically, it examines how strategic actions undertaking by network managers influence collaborative performance in complex environmental governance networks. Using a mixed‐methods approach, the study combines social network analysis (SNA) and survey data from 301 respondents across 207 organizations involved in desertification control in China. Hierarchical multivariate regression analysis demonstrates that while traditional hierarchical strategies such as controlling and negotiating exhibit relatively limited influence, adaptive strategies emphasizing stakeholder engagement, systems thinking, and facilitation significantly improve network outcomes. Engaging stakeholders emerged as the most influential strategy, fostering inclusive participation and sustained collaboration across government agencies, NGOs, enterprises, and research institutions, while systems thinking and facilitation further strengthen resilience and coherence under conditions of uncertainty. The study contributes to the literature on network governance by highlighting the limitations of top‐down control in complex policy environments and demonstrating the effectiveness of participatory and integrative approaches in achieving SDG targets. It also offers actionable insights for policymakers in emerging economies, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond formal mandates and relies on toward strategic collaboration and adaptive governance.