Abstract: Dust emission generated by wind erosion is a basic process before the transport and deposition of dust particles. Parameterization of dust emission flux is important for accurate simulation and prediction of dust events. Field observation and numerical simulation are two approaches to understand the complex process of dust emission. Great progress has been made on the characteristics and mechanism of dust emission during dust storm events. This review introduces the major factors influencing dust emission, and summarizes the calculation methods of several key parameters of dust emission, including the threshold friction velocity u*t, threshold wind speed Ut, streamwise saltation flux Q, and (vertical) dust emission flux F, from perspectives of both observation and parameterization. The paper also discusses the improvement, application, and validation of different dust emission schemes in dust models. Existing problems and future research directions are elaborated as well.