Challenges posed by sand and dust storms

GS Paper 1/ 3

 Syllabus: Geophysical phenomena/Climate/Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation

Source: DTE

 Context: According to the UN, sand and dust storms (SDS) have increased dramatically in frequency and severity in recent years.

What is SDS?

• They are common meteorological hazards in arid and semi-arid regions, usually caused by thunderstorms/ strong pressure gradients associated with cyclones, which increase wind speed over a wide area.
• These strong winds lift large amounts of sand and dust from bare, dry soils into the atmosphere, transporting them hundreds to thousands of km away.

Impact:

• On weather/climate/environment:
  • Dust particles act as condensation nuclei for cloud formation affecting the amount and location of precipitation.
  • Airborne dust functions in a manner similar to the greenhouse effect, which affects the energy reaching the Earth’s surface.
  • SDS are recurring environmental phenomena which reduce air quality, and visibility.
• On human health:
  • Particles larger than 10 μm are not breathable, and thus can only damage external organs.
  • Particles smaller than 10 μm, often get trapped in the nose, mouth and upper respiratory tract, and thus can be associated with respiratory disorders such as asthma, etc.
• On the land and marine ecosystems:
  • Surface dust deposits are a source of micronutrients for both continental and maritime ecosystems. For example, Saharan dust is thought to fertilise the Amazon rainforest.
  • But dust also has many negative impacts on agriculture/food security, including
    • Reducing crop yields by burying seedlings,
    • Causing loss of plant tissue,
    • Reducing photosynthetic activity and
    • Increasing soil erosion.

Primary hotspots of the dust storm are:

• Sahara Desert,
• Middle East,
• Taklamakan Desert in northwest China,
• Southwest Asia,
• Central Australia,
• Etosha and Makgadikgadi basins of southern Africa,
• Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and
• Great Basin in the US

Concerns raised by the UN:

• Around 2 million tonnes of sand and dust enter the atmosphere annually.
• SDS often originate in dryland areas, which cover 41% of the Earth’s land surface and comprise some of the most fragile ecosystems, highly susceptible to global climate change.
• Human-induced climate change has increased the frequency and intensity of SDS.
• The impact of SDS is felt in all regions of the world, both in developed and developing countries.
• The growing intensity and frequency of SDS present a formidable challenge to achieving SDGs.
• SDS are linked to at least 11 of 17 SDGs. These include –
  • SDG 1 on ending poverty,
  • SDG 2 on ending hunger,
  • SDG 3 on health for all,
  • SDG 6 on water and sanitation,
  • SDG 8 on inclusive and sustainable economic growth,
  • SDG 11 on sustainable cities,
  • SDG 13 on climate action and
  • SDG 15 focuses on combating desertification, land degradation.
• These will especially affect Africa and the Middle East where desertification is most common.
• However, the global recognition of SDS as a hazard is generally low.

Steps taken/needed:

• The UN General Assembly recognised (in 2015) that SDS pose a great challenge to the sustainable development of affected countries and regions.
• The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) observed the first-ever International Day of Combatting Sand and Dust Storms on July 12, 2023.
• Achieving SDGs ⇄ Reducing the occurrence and impact of SDS in affected areas.
• Arresting land degradation:

• The SDS policy and planning should reduce societal vulnerability by mitigating the effects of wind erosion.
• A multi-sectoral process bolstered by information-sharing should involve short-and long-term interventions, engage multiple stakeholders and raise awareness of SDS.

Conclusion: Addressing SDS requires an integrated approach, which involves sustainable land management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction including early warning systems and international cooperation.

Insta Links:

Sand and dust storms

Mains Links:

Discuss how dust storms are formed. Examine the impact of climate change on the formation of dust storms.