Regional midterm strategy for sand and dust storms management in Central Asia for 2021–2030
Publication year
Resource type
UNCCD Library
Material Type
ebook
A long-term vision of the Regional Strategy for Sand and Dust Storms Management in Central Asia for 2021–2030 is to reduce the vulnerability of Central Asian countries and communities to the effects of SDS by mitigating active sources and planning for proactive measures in destination areas.
Recognizing the increased risk of droughts and sand and dust storms (SDS), Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) adopted decisions to tackle the negative impacts of droughts and SDS1
In collaboration with key partners, the UNCCD Secretariat has provided affected countries with methodological and technical assistance to implement these decisions to strengthen preparedness and resilience to droughts and SDS. The UNCCD Secretariat also initiated a pilot project on Regional Approaches for Combating Sand and Dust
Storms (SDS) and Drought in Central Asia in 2020, which was implemented by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) between 2020 and 2021.
More than 80 per cent of about 400 million ha of the territory of Central Asia is covered by deserts and steppes, which coupled with climate change and lasting droughts, represent a natural source of SDS. Unsustainable practices of irrigation farming and livestock grazing, mining and other construction activities create conditions for the formation of anthropogenic SDS sources. The drying up of the Aral Sea led to the development of 5.5 million ha of salty desert, which is a source of 100 million tons of dust and poisonous salt.
The impacts of SDS are multifaceted, intersectoral and often transnational. It is suggested that salts from the Aral Sea region are being detected along the coast of the Antarctic, on glaciers in Greenland, in Norwegian woods and other regions around the globe (O’Hara et al. 2000). Despite the increasing frequency of SDS in the region and their growing economic impact, Central Asian countries do not have fully operational national SDS forecasting, early warning and monitoring systems. This hinders data exchange between SDS source and destination countries and
undermines coordinated preparedness and mitigation efforts.
Recognizing the increased risk of droughts and sand and dust storms (SDS), Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) adopted decisions to tackle the negative impacts of droughts and SDS1
In collaboration with key partners, the UNCCD Secretariat has provided affected countries with methodological and technical assistance to implement these decisions to strengthen preparedness and resilience to droughts and SDS. The UNCCD Secretariat also initiated a pilot project on Regional Approaches for Combating Sand and Dust
Storms (SDS) and Drought in Central Asia in 2020, which was implemented by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) between 2020 and 2021.
More than 80 per cent of about 400 million ha of the territory of Central Asia is covered by deserts and steppes, which coupled with climate change and lasting droughts, represent a natural source of SDS. Unsustainable practices of irrigation farming and livestock grazing, mining and other construction activities create conditions for the formation of anthropogenic SDS sources. The drying up of the Aral Sea led to the development of 5.5 million ha of salty desert, which is a source of 100 million tons of dust and poisonous salt.
The impacts of SDS are multifaceted, intersectoral and often transnational. It is suggested that salts from the Aral Sea region are being detected along the coast of the Antarctic, on glaciers in Greenland, in Norwegian woods and other regions around the globe (O’Hara et al. 2000). Despite the increasing frequency of SDS in the region and their growing economic impact, Central Asian countries do not have fully operational national SDS forecasting, early warning and monitoring systems. This hinders data exchange between SDS source and destination countries and
undermines coordinated preparedness and mitigation efforts.
Geographical Keywords
Central Asia
Keywords
sand and dust storms
regional assessment
monitoring and reporting
drought