Regional midterm strategy for sand and dust storms management in Central Asia for 2021–2030

In collaboration with key partners, the UNCCD Secretariat provides the following methodological and technical assistance for affected countries to implement 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. The objective and priorities of this Regional Strategy have been drawn from the analytical research organized in each of the countries, as well as from national and regional consultations with the participation of key stakeholders.

The publication lays out the following key priorities: 

• Area 1. Strengthening SDS knowledge, which will help reduce SDS-associated risks. Awareness of potential harms, risks and related mitigation measures will be increased and better communicated. Strengthened knowledge will also help inform integrated and synergistic interventions and stimulate knowledge and technology transfer. 
• Area 2. Mitigating the impact of anthropogenic sources of SDS, which is aimed at eliminating the environmental and socioeconomic causes of desertification, land degradation and drought (DLDD), as well as at understanding the impact of SDS on various sectors of the economy in both source and destination areas. 
• Area 3. Ensuring regional cooperation and joint action. This would provide the necessary basis for solving environmental problems in Central Asia through coordinated and joint actions, especially in the Aral Sea basin.