The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Airborne Dust Bulletin No. 9, published in July 2025, states that sand and dust storms are a significant and growing global concern. Sand and dust storms now impact 330 million people across these countries, disrupting economies, threatening health, and accelerating environmental degradation. These storms are “fast becoming one of the most overlooked yet far-reaching global challenges of our time,” according to Philemon Yang, president of the UN General Assembly.

Source: X-Las Vegas Dust Storm (2^nd July, 2025) 

These storms destabilize economies, endanger sustainable development, and cause premature deaths due to land degradation, climate change, and unsustainable activities. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo pointed out, “Sand and dust storms do not just mean dirty windows and hazy skies. They cost millions of dollars and negatively impact the health and well-being of millions of people” (WMO, 2025).

They contribute to environmental deterioration and affect infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, and human health. Despite being a natural process, human-induced variables, such as inadequate land and water management, increase the frequency and severity of these events (WHO, 2025).

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Where Do They Originate and Impact?

North African and Middle Eastern deserts account for over 80% of the world’s dust, with areas such as Chad’s Bodélé Depression, where dust concentrations can range from 800 to 1,100 µg/m³, contributing significantly (WMO, 2025). These particles can travel thousands of kilometers, impacting far-off places including the Americas, Europe, and the Caribbean.

For example, Saharan dust has been reported in Florida, while storms from Central Asia have affected China’s air quality. Their transboundary nature was evident in 2023, when a large dust storm originating in Mongolia spread to China, Korea, and Japan, affecting over 4 million square kilometers.

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When Do They Occur?

Although they occur throughout the year, sand and dust storms are more prevalent in specific seasons, such as spring and summer in the Middle East. The WMO study was published on July 10, 2025, the same day the UN General Assembly acknowledged the growing threat of transboundary dust storms and the urgent need for global action.

Source: X

Why Are They Increasing?

Due to climate change, which exacerbates droughts and dries out soils, leaving them more vulnerable to wind erosion, sand and dust storms are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity. Overgrazing, deforestation, and inappropriate farming methods are examples of unsustainable practices that worsen soil degradation and increase dust emissions. This rise in global storm activity is linked to both human activity and natural weather phenomena such as cyclones.

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How Do They Impact People and the Environment?

The World Health Organization estimates that 3.8 billion people were exposed to dangerously high dust levels between 2018 and 2022, an increase from 2.9 billion between 2003 and 2007.

Although long-distance dust transport affects many nations, populations in dust-source regions, such as North Africa and the Middle East, are at the most significant risk. For instance, in spring 2025, schools and offices were closed in Kuwait and Iran, while hospitals in Iraq were overwhelmed with respiratory cases due to heavy storms.

Health Impacts

Studies estimate that exposure to fine dust particles (PM2.5) from these storms causes approximately 400,000 premature deaths annually and is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (Global Health Impacts of Dust Storms, 2021). These particles can also cause conjunctivitis, meningitis, and Valley Fever, and can exacerbate conditions like asthma. With rising exposure, the WHO warns of a growing public health crisis.

Economic Costs

Annual losses across the Middle East and North Africa total $150 billion, equivalent to nearly 2.5 percent of the region’s GDP. In 2017, wind erosion resulted in $154 billion in damage to agriculture, transportation, and healthcare in the U.S. Globally, crop yields (which may drop by up to 25%), solar energy losses, and air travel delays compound the economic burden.

Environmental Impacts

These storms aggravate land degradation and threaten food security by lowering agricultural yields. Despite these damages, dust also plays a crucial role in global biogeochemical cycles; for instance, fertilizing distant ecosystems, such as the Amazon.

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Global and National Responses

To encourage action, the UN General Assembly declared 2025–2034 the UN Decade on Combating Sand and Dust Storms on July 12, 2025, and marked the first International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms.

With support from global partnerships, including a $10 million pledge by Saudi Arabia at COP16 in 2024, the WMO’s Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System is improving early warning systems. National efforts are also underway; for instance, South Africa is implementing its Draft National Dust Control Amendment Regulations, 2025.

Key Statistics

Sand and dust storms now impact 330 million people, highlighting a complex threat that blends climate change, land mismanagement, and transboundary hazards. International cooperation, early warning systems, and sustainable land-use policies are crucial for reducing risks and protecting communities around the world.

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