UN Sand & Dust Storms Meeting: Saudi Arabia's Efforts Gain Recognition
The High-level Meeting on Sand and Dust Storms, which took place at the UN headquarters in New York, also praised the Kingdom's role in spearheading regional cooperation.
The meeting convened in the context of the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms, marked on July 12 each year. International Recognition
The high-level meeting hailed the Kingdom's global initiative to boost early-warning systems for sand and dust storms, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
It also highlighted Saudi Arabia's cooperation with regional centers affiliated with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to strengthen dust combat, pointing to the Kingdom's $10 million commitment over 5 years to enhance the capabilities of the vulnerable countries. Unwavering Commitment
On its part, Saudi Arabia underscored its firm commitment to supporting climate and environmental action, and fostering scientific and technical cooperation to tackle the impacts of sand and dust storms, on the local, regional and international levels.
These initiatives come in line with the Kingdom's strategic vision and ongoing efforts to protect the environment and achieve sustainability.
On this occasion, the deputy CEO of the National Center for Meteorology (NCM) and Executive Chief of the Sand and Dust Storm Regional Center, Jumaan Al-Qahtani, outlined the Kingdom's efforts to combat dust storms under Saudi Vision 2030.
These efforts include the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), the Middle East Green Initiative, and the establishment of specialized centers such as the Regional Center for Sand and Dust Storms, the Climate Change Center, the Cloud Seeding Program, and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development. Saudi Arabia's Efforts
Al-Qahtani highlighted the establishment of the Regional Center for Dust and Sand Storms in Jeddah in 2022, which marked a strategic milestone toward improving dust storms' prediction and strengthening early-warning.
The Jeddah Center serves as a hub for supporting early-warning systems, data exchange, capacity building, and mitigating the health and economic impacts of storms in coordination with the WMO.
Furthermore, Al-Qahtani boasted the Kingdom's scientific and research efforts, including hosting the First International Conference on Dust and Sand Storms in Riyadh in March 2024.
They also include hosting regional workshops in collaboration with the WMO and ESCWA (the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia), and cooperating with international centers such as WMO Barcelona Dust Regional Center.
In the light of this, he announced Saudi Arabia's readiness to host the second International Conference on Sand and Dust Storms in 2026 to build on the scientific momentum and assess the progress achieved since the Riyadh declaration, in addition to discussing challenges and solutions related to dust and sand storms. Tangible Results
Owing to Saudi Arabia's tireless efforts and environmental initiatives, the Kingdom has planted over 142 million trees and reclaimed more than 436,000 hectares of degraded land.
It has also managed to protect 18% of its land, under the (30×30) plan endorsed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in addition to launching 7 royal reserves, representing 13.5% of Saudi Arabia's total area.
Moreover, Al-Qahtani emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to supporting international efforts and expanding partnerships to develop early-warning systems, protect human and the environment, and build more resilient societies in the face of climate change and dust storms. Dangers of Sand & Dust Storms
Under the theme 'Sand and Dust Storms: Working Across Agendas for Resilience and Sustainability,' the high-level meeting convened at the UN headquarters on July 10 to discuss the challenges posed by sand and dust storms on affected countries. It also aimed to promote practical, coordinated actions at both regional and global levels.
Moreover, the Secretary-General of the WMO, Celeste Saulo, highlighted the dangers of sand and dust storms, which 'affect more than 150 countries and impact about 330 million people worldwide.'
Saulo explained that 'about 2 billion tons of dust are emitted yearly, equivalent in weight to 307 Great Pyramids of Giza,' adding that 'more than 80% of the global dust budget emanates from the North African and Middle Eastern deserts.'
However, this dust has a global impact because it can travel hundreds and thousands of kilometers across continents and oceans, profoundly affecting health and quality of life, air and ground transport, agriculture and the environment, and solar energy production.
Sand and dust storms are exacerbated by climate change, land degradation and unsustainable practices. They contribute to 7 million premature deaths every year, causing respiratory and cardiovascular disease, according to Assembly President, Philemon Yang. They also reduce crop yields by up to 25%, causing hunger and driving migration.
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