Shocking UN report reveals 70 lakh people die prematurely every year due to...
New Delhi: According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, sand and dust storms affect about 330 million people in more than 150 countries, and these are having a serious impact on health, economy and environment. What does WMO say?
WMO representative Laura Patterson told the United Nations General Assembly that about 2 billion tons of dust is released every year, which is equivalent to 300 Giza pyramids of Egypt. She said that more than 80% of the world's dust comes from the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. It spreads hundreds and thousands of kilometers, crossing continents and oceans. What is United Nations General Assembly, in resolution 77/249?
The United Nations General Assembly, in resolution 77/249, proclaimed 12 July as the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms, and declared the period from 2025 to 2034 the United Nations Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms. General Assembly President Philemon Yang said that these storms are increasingly becoming a global challenge due to climate change, land degradation and non-sustainable practices. He said that the particles generated by these storms cause 7 million premature deaths every year. They increase respiratory and heart diseases. They reduce crop production by 25%, which increases the problems of hunger and migration. How much damage is caused by sand and dust?
Rola A. A. H. Dashti, the head of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, said, 'The annual cost of dealing with these storms in the Middle East and North Africa is $ 150 billion, which is about 2.5% of GDP.'
She said that storms in the Arab region this spring filled hospitals in Iraq with respiratory patients. Schools and offices in Kuwait and Iran were forced to close. Dashti stressed that it is important to include sand and dust storms on the global and national agenda. She stressed the need for collective will and funding to implement solutions such as land restoration, sustainable agriculture and integrated early warning systems.
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