Saudi Arabia launches Sand and Dust Storm Monitoring Initiative to strengthen global early warning systems
The Saudi Arabian Presidency of UNCCD COP16 announced the launch of an international sand and dust storm monitoring initiative. This effort, part of a regional early warning system, aims to enhance global early warning system capacity, complementing existing efforts overseen by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), SPA reports.
Unveiled during Resilience Day at COP16 in Riyadh, the initiative is a key component of the Riyadh Action Agenda. Discussions focused on funding solutions to combat land degradation, drought, and desertification. Annually, two billion tons of sand and dust enter the atmosphere—equivalent to 350 Great Pyramids of Giza—with over 25% of this volume attributed to human activity.
As part of this initiative, the Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS) node in Jeddah has become the fourth WMO-affiliated global node, joining nodes in Beijing, Barcelona, and Barbados.
Vice President of the National Center for Meteorology and Executive Chief of the Sand and Dust Storm Warning Regional Center Jumaan Al-Qahtani stated, "the center has developed three validated models for predicting regional sand and dust storms, which are now operational."
Al-Qahtani elaborated on the initiative's broader impact by saying: "Saudi Arabia has launched an international partnership to enhance early warning systems in countries lacking the necessary capacity.
The initiative will be implemented through WMO-accredited regional centers, with Saudi Arabia contributing $10 million over the next five years. We urge other UN organizations and countries to support this vital initiative."
A key topic at the summit was scaling global drought resilience. Saudi Arabia launched the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, securing $2.15 billion in funding.
Deputy Minister for Environment and Advisor to the COP16 Presidency Dr. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha said that "over 1.8 billion people are currently impacted by drought, a number expected to rise. Drought resilience must become a global priority, shifting from reactive responses to proactive readiness."
He added that "we are proud to launch this partnership with the support of stakeholders. We call on countries, organizations, the private sector, and NGOs to join us in targeting the 80 most drought-vulnerable countries."
In support of these efforts, the World Bank announced $24 billion in donor contributions through its International Development Association, generating $100 billion in financing for climate resilience, farmers, and infrastructure projects across 78 countries.
COP16 continues to mobilize global stakeholders to advance land restoration and drought resilience initiatives.
