More

    UN Vows to Fight Increasing Sand, Dust Storms

    EnvironmentDisaster risk reductionUN Vows to Fight Increasing Sand, Dust Storms
    - Advertisment -

    UN Vows to Fight Increasing Sand, Dust Storms

    Acting by consensus, the 193-member Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled “United Nations Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms (2025-2034)” thus dedicating the 10-year period to the fight against those meteorological phenomena.

    The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday dedicated a decade, from 2025 to 2034, to combating increasing sand and dust storms—extreme weather conditions that pose serious environmental, economic, and human risks.

    Acting by consensus, the 193-member Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled “United Nations Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms (2025-2034)” thus dedicating the 10-year period to the fight against those meteorological phenomena.

    By other terms of the text, the Assembly invited the UN Secretary-General to take appropriate steps to plan and organize the activities of the Decade at the global, regional and country levels.

    It also stressed that the cost of all activities that may arise from implementation of the resolution should be met from voluntary contributions, including from the private sector.

    - Advertisement -

    Uganda’s U.N. Ambassador Godfrey Kwoba, who introduced the resolution on behalf of the Group of 77 (developing countries), told the Assembly the initiative aims to “halt and mitigate the negative effects of sand and dust storms ” through “international and regional cooperation.”

    Mitigation practices

    In a 2022 report, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification said sand and dust storms have “increased dramatically in frequency in recent years.”

    It said storms can exacerbate respiratory illnesses, kill crops and livestock, and increase desertification, though documentation of their impact is limited.

    The convention estimated that 2 trillion tons of sand and dust enter the atmosphere annually, largely in dry lands and sub-humid regions with little vegetation.

    The majority of emissions result from natural conditions, but droughts and climate change exacerbate the issue, it said.

    The report estimated that “at least 25 per cent of global dust emissions originate from human activities” like unsustainable land management and water use.

    As part of the decade-long initiative adopted Wednesday, the General Assembly said the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization will promote mitigation practices in affected countries, including “sustainable land use management, agroforestry, shelter belts, afforestation/reforestation and land restoration programs.”

    The resolution also calls for global cooperation to enhance early warning systems and share weather information important to forecasting sand dust storms.

    - Advertisement -

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Latest news

    Can Money Change the World?

    What prevents even a small fraction of these funds from flowing toward sustainability? This gap represents not only a financial challenge but also an opportunity to rethink how the economic system works and reorient it towards more equitable and resilient growth.

    China and Sri Lanka Move Closer to Free Trade Agreement Amid Global Trade Uncertainty

    Speaking at a business forum attended by around 100 Chinese companies eager to explore investment and trade opportunities in Sri Lanka, Minister Wang called for accelerating negotiations on the FTA.

    Sri Lanka’s Elephant Corridor Plan ‘Unscientific’

    Nearly 5,000 elephants and 1,600 people have been killed in the last 15 years in clashes between elephants and humans in Sri Lanka, home to one of the largest remaining populations of Asian elephants, according to official figures.

    New Projections Show Extreme Glacier Loss Already at 2°C

    Staying close to 1.5°C on the other hand preserves at least some glacier ice in all regions, even Scandinavia, with 20-30 per cent remaining in the four most sensitive regions; and 40-45 per cent in the Himalayas and Caucuses; stressing the growing urgency of the 1.5°C temperature goal and rapid decarbonization to achieve it.
    - Advertisement -

    Government Extends Interest Relief for Farmers, Reinforces KCC and MISS as Pillars of Agricultural Credit

    Through the KCC framework, farmers benefit from revolving credit facilities for up to five years. This flexible structure allows them to draw and repay funds as per their seasonal requirements without having to reapply for loans each season.

    Legal Battle Brews Over Rampant Illegal Sand Mining in Meghna River

    The massive profits coupled with a weak legal framework have drawn influential individuals with political connections into the sand mining business, making it dangerous for environmental activists and journalists to speak out.

    Must read

    Can Money Change the World?

    What prevents even a small fraction of these funds from flowing toward sustainability? This gap represents not only a financial challenge but also an opportunity to rethink how the economic system works and reorient it towards more equitable and resilient growth.

    China and Sri Lanka Move Closer to Free Trade Agreement Amid Global Trade Uncertainty

    Speaking at a business forum attended by around 100 Chinese companies eager to explore investment and trade opportunities in Sri Lanka, Minister Wang called for accelerating negotiations on the FTA.
    - Advertisement -

    More from the sectionRELATED
    Recommended to you