UN Declares Decade to Combat Sand and Dust StormsUN Declares Decade to Combat Sand and Dust Storms The United Nations General Assembly has declared the years 2025-2034 the United Nations Decade to Combat Sand and Dust Storms. These extreme weather events pose increasing threats to health and economies from Central Africa to northern China. Resolution and Objectives The resolution, introduced by Uganda’s UN ambassador, aims to mitigate the negative effects of sand and dust storms through international and regional cooperation. The initiative emphasizes the need to halt and mitigate their impact on public health, land use, food security, and climate change resilience. Scope of the Problem According to a UN report, sand and dust storms have dramatically increased in frequency. They can exacerbate respiratory diseases, damage crops and livestock, and contribute to desertification. The majority of emissions originate from natural sources, but droughts and climate change are exacerbating the problem, and human activities such as unsustainable land management also contribute. Mitigation Strategies As part of the decade-long initiative, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization will promote mitigation practices in affected countries, including sustainable land-use management, agroforestry, shelter belts, reforestation, and land restoration programs. Global Cooperation The resolution calls for global cooperation to enhance early warning systems and share weather information crucial for forecasting dust storms. It urges countries to celebrate the International Day for Combating Sand and Dust Storms (July 12) with awareness-raising activities. Impact and Significance Sand and dust storms pose significant challenges to human health, agriculture, and infrastructure. The UN Decade aims to galvanize international efforts to address this growing threat by implementing effective mitigation measures, fostering cooperation, and raising public awareness. By tackling this environmental issue, the initiative contributes to sustainable development and climate change adaptation.
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday declared 2025 to 2034 the United Nations Decade to Combat Sand and Dust Storms, extreme weather events that are increasing and threatening health and economies from Central Africa to northern China.
Uganda’s UN ambassador Godfrey Kwoba, who introduced the resolution on behalf of the Group of 77, a powerful UN group of 134 developing countries and China, told the 193-member assembly that the initiative aims to “halt and mitigate the negative effects of sand and dust storms” through “international and regional cooperation”.
The meeting adopted the resolution by unanimous vote with a bang of the meeting’s gavel, Dennis Francis.
In a 2022 report, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification said that sand and dust storms “have increased dramatically in frequency in recent years.”
The report says storms can exacerbate respiratory diseases, kill crops and livestock, and exacerbate desertification, but there is limited evidence of their impact.
According to the treaty, 2 trillion tons of sand and dust are released into the atmosphere each year, mainly in dry areas and sub-humid areas with little vegetation.
Most of the emissions are due to natural conditions, but droughts and climate change are exacerbating the problem, the report said.
The report estimates that “at least 25% of global dust emissions come from human activities” such as unsustainable land management and water use.
As part of the decade-long initiative adopted on Wednesday, the General Assembly said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization will promote mitigation practices in affected countries, including “sustainable land-use management, agroforestry, shelter belts, reforestation and land restoration programs.”
The resolution also calls for global cooperation to improve early warning systems and share weather information important for forecasting dust storms.
The resolution is being adopted two days before the International Day for Combating Sand and Dust Storms on 12 July. This day was proclaimed last year by the General Assembly and is now being celebrated for the first time.
The resolution called on countries to celebrate the day with educational and other activities that raise public awareness of the importance of combating sand and dust storms for public health, improving land use, increasing food security and livelihoods, and promoting “resilience to climate change.”
