US EditionSand and dust storms affect about 330 million people in over 150 countries, UN agency says
UNITED STATES, JUL 10 – The World Meteorological Organization warns that poor land and water management and climate change increase sand and dust storms, affecting 330 million people in over 150 countries annually.
- On July 12, 2025, the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization announced that approximately 330 million individuals in more than 150 countries are impacted by sand and dust storms worldwide.
- These storms are caused by a mixture of environmental elements such as rainfall and airflow, alongside human influences like land misuse, unsustainable activities, and the impacts of climate change.
- The report highlights global dust hotspots like South Africa's West Coast and Chad, where dust concentrations can reach up to 1,100 micrograms per cubic metre, causing significant health, economic, and environmental impacts.
- Assembly President Philemon Yang highlighted that particles carried by sand and dust storms are responsible for approximately 7 million early deaths each year, while also decreasing crop production by as much as 25%, which in turn leads to food insecurity and displacement.
- The UN General Assembly has proclaimed the period from 2025 to 2034 as a decade dedicated to addressing the challenges posed by sand and dust storms, emphasizing the need for expanded solutions, enhanced early warning capabilities, and coordinated international action to mitigate their health and economic impacts.
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WMO report reveals urgent need for action against rising dust storms in Southern Africa
A new World Meteorological Organization report warns of the exacting toll that sand and dust storms are having on global health and economies. The report pinpoints South Africa’s West Coast as a dust hotspot, with some of the highest concentrations in the southern hemisphere.
We remember Saharan dust from recent years, when it reached the Czech Republic and caused, for example, beautiful sunsets. However, this dust also brings important nutrients to the Amazon region. On the other hand, it can cause respiratory problems due to increased concentrations of coarse dust particles in the atmosphere (PM10).
These storms are part of the Earth's natural cycle, but desertification, melting glaciers and other human-induced changes can cause even more wind-borne dust - with potentially deadly consequences.
UN Hosts High-Level Meeting to Tackle the Rising Impact of Sand and Dust Storms “Working Across Agendas for Resilience and Sustainability” (UN-ESCWA - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia)
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Today, 12 July is the day marked for the worldwide celebration of the International Day to Fight Sand and Dust Storms, which aims to raise awareness of the devastating effects of these natural phenomena; in addition to promoting actions to mitigate them. Sand and dust storms affect millions of people in different regions of the planet, causing damage to health, agriculture, infrastructure and the environment. That is why, with this date, we seek…
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