6 June 2025 | Geneva, Switzerland
The Coalition organized a side event on “Integrating Sand and Dust Storms Risk Reduction into Disaster Resilience Strategies” on 6 June 2025 during at the 2025 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction that was held in Geneva from 2-6 June 2025.
The side event provided a platform for advancing the integration of sand and dust storms (SDS) management within national and local disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies. It did so by encouraging cross-sectoral collaboration and highlighting the importance of strengthening governance mechanisms to enhance preparedness and response.
By focusing on understanding the multi-dimensional impacts of SDS, the event fostered better recognition of these hazards within global DRR frameworks, including the Sendai Framework, ad the country and community levels.
The event was jointly organized by ESCAP and ESCWA as Coalition Co-Chairs on behalf of the Coalition and included speakers by Coalition members, including the UNCCD, WHO and WMO. The Government of Mongolia, as the incoming host of UNCCD COP17, delivered an intervention during the event.
Speakers highlighted ways to mitigate vulnerabilities associated with SDS and how to leverage guidelines and early warning systems developed by United Nations agencies for monitoring and reporting SDS impacts. Success stories and practical solutions for integrating SDS risk reduction and management into national and local DRR frameworks were highlighted, including a country case study by the National Emergency Management Agency of Mongolia. Opportunities for transboundary, regional and interregional cooperation to reduce the risk and negative impacts of SDS through effective exchange of data, information and expertise were demonstrated and discussed during the side event.
