emirates7 - The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has revealed that sand and dust storms impact 330 million people across more than 150 countries, causing increasing damage to public health and the global economy.
In its annual Airborne Dust Bulletin, the WMO emphasized the importance of improving monitoring, forecasting, and early warning systems.
The report noted that while the global average of annual dust surface concentrations in 2024 was slightly lower than in 2023, significant regional differences exist. In the most affected areas, dust levels in 2024 exceeded the long-term average from 1981 to 2010. Every year, approximately 2 billion tonnes of sand and dust are released into the atmosphere.
Over 80% of global dust originates from deserts in North Africa and the Middle East, and can travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers across continents and oceans.
Although much of this is a natural phenomenon, factors like poor water and land management, drought, and environmental degradation are increasingly contributing to the problem.
Issued ahead of the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms on July 12, the report reiterated that while natural causes remain significant, human activities are worsening the issue.
In 2024, dust concentrations were below the long-term average in many source regions but above average in areas where dust is deposited.
Regions most vulnerable to dust transported over long distances include the northern tropical Atlantic Ocean (between West Africa and the Caribbean), South America, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and central-eastern China. Notably, in 2024, African dust crossed the Atlantic, reaching parts of the Caribbean.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted that sand and dust storms do more than dirty windows and hazy skies—they harm millions of people’s health and quality of life, and cause millions of dollars in damages by disrupting air and ground transportation, agriculture, and solar energy production.
She stressed that the bulletin shows rising health risks and economic costs, and that investing in early warning systems and mitigation measures would yield significant benefits. This is why addressing sand and dust storms is a key focus of the Early Warnings for All initiative.
A new indicator developed by the WMO and World Health Organization revealed that from 2018 to 2022, about 3.8 billion people—nearly half the global population—were exposed to dust levels above WHO safety limits, marking a 31% increase from 2.9 billion people during 2003-2007.
Exposure varied widely, from just a few days in less affected regions to over 87% of days (more than 1,600 days in five years) in the most dust-prone areas. These findings were published in the 2024 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report.
The economic impact of dust storms is often underestimated. For example, a US case study estimated that dust and wind erosion cost $154 billion in 2017 alone—more than four times the 1995 estimate.
This figure includes expenses related to household damage, crop losses, wind and solar energy disruptions, mortality linked to fine dust exposure, health costs from diseases like Valley fever, and transportation impacts. The actual costs are likely much higher, as many economic effects—such as impacts on human health, water cycles, aviation, and grazing lands—have not been fully evaluated, according to the study published in Nature.
In its annual Airborne Dust Bulletin, the WMO emphasized the importance of improving monitoring, forecasting, and early warning systems.
The report noted that while the global average of annual dust surface concentrations in 2024 was slightly lower than in 2023, significant regional differences exist. In the most affected areas, dust levels in 2024 exceeded the long-term average from 1981 to 2010. Every year, approximately 2 billion tonnes of sand and dust are released into the atmosphere.
Over 80% of global dust originates from deserts in North Africa and the Middle East, and can travel hundreds to thousands of kilometers across continents and oceans.
Although much of this is a natural phenomenon, factors like poor water and land management, drought, and environmental degradation are increasingly contributing to the problem.
Issued ahead of the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms on July 12, the report reiterated that while natural causes remain significant, human activities are worsening the issue.
In 2024, dust concentrations were below the long-term average in many source regions but above average in areas where dust is deposited.
Regions most vulnerable to dust transported over long distances include the northern tropical Atlantic Ocean (between West Africa and the Caribbean), South America, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and central-eastern China. Notably, in 2024, African dust crossed the Atlantic, reaching parts of the Caribbean.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted that sand and dust storms do more than dirty windows and hazy skies—they harm millions of people’s health and quality of life, and cause millions of dollars in damages by disrupting air and ground transportation, agriculture, and solar energy production.
She stressed that the bulletin shows rising health risks and economic costs, and that investing in early warning systems and mitigation measures would yield significant benefits. This is why addressing sand and dust storms is a key focus of the Early Warnings for All initiative.
A new indicator developed by the WMO and World Health Organization revealed that from 2018 to 2022, about 3.8 billion people—nearly half the global population—were exposed to dust levels above WHO safety limits, marking a 31% increase from 2.9 billion people during 2003-2007.
Exposure varied widely, from just a few days in less affected regions to over 87% of days (more than 1,600 days in five years) in the most dust-prone areas. These findings were published in the 2024 Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change report.
The economic impact of dust storms is often underestimated. For example, a US case study estimated that dust and wind erosion cost $154 billion in 2017 alone—more than four times the 1995 estimate.
This figure includes expenses related to household damage, crop losses, wind and solar energy disruptions, mortality linked to fine dust exposure, health costs from diseases like Valley fever, and transportation impacts. The actual costs are likely much higher, as many economic effects—such as impacts on human health, water cycles, aviation, and grazing lands—have not been fully evaluated, according to the study published in Nature.