UN experts have warned of the dangers of sand and dust storms. This is an underestimated problem that is now becoming dramatically more common in parts of the world, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), based in Bonn, announced on Wednesday.
A significant part of the problem is due to human activities and global and regional political responses are needed. Sandstorms caused devastating damage in North and Central Asia to Africa, the report said. In the affected areas, soil is being removed and harvests are failing.
More disadvantages than advantages
In addition to the resulting economic consequences, health problems such as respiratory diseases may also arise, according to the UNCCD experts. Although the benefits are limited – the sandstorms also transported soil nutrients that benefited other areas – they do not outweigh the damage.
According to the UNCCD, the effects of the phenomenon extend far beyond the regions of origin: an estimated two billion tons of sand and dust are released into the atmosphere worldwide every year. An important source is the Aral Sea in Central Asia: more than 100 million tons of dust and toxic salts are blown up there every year. The UNCCD is meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan until Friday.
Long term dangers
According to UNCCD experts, the fact that the phenomenon is underestimated as a disaster risk in parts of the world is likely due to the fact that in many cases there are no direct deaths. The long-term health, as well as economic and other effects, have only been documented to a limited extent. According to UNCCD experts, the problem is exacerbated by inappropriate land and water use, droughts and climate change.
“But just as sand and dust storms are increased by human activities, they can also be reduced by human actions,” Ibrahim Thiaw, executive secretary of the UNCCD, said in a statement. In concrete terms, sensible use of soil and water should ensure more vegetation and protect the soil. There is also a need for a monitoring and early warning system.
Source: Krone
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