A/RES/75/222 GA

United Nations A/RES/75/222 General Assembly Distr.: General 30 December 2020 20-17621 (E) 070121 *2017621* Seventy-fifth session Agenda item 19 (i) Sustainable development: combating sand and dust storms Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 21 December 2020 [on the report of the Second Committee (A/75/457/Add.9, para. 7)] 75/222. Combating sand and dust storms The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 70/195 of 22 December 2015, 71/219 of 21 December 2016, 72/225 of 20 December 2017, 73/237 of 20 December 2018 and 74/226 of 19 December 2019 on combating sand and dust storms, Reaffirming its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, in which it adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and people-centred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets, its commitment to working tirelessly for the full implementation of the Agenda by 2030, its recognition that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development, its commitment to achieving sustainable development in its three dimensions – economic, social and environmental – in a balanced and integrated manner, and to building upon the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals and seeking to address their unfinished business, Reaffirming also its resolution 69/313 of 27 July 2015 on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which is an integral part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, supports and complements it, helps to contextualize its means of implementation targets with concrete policies and actions, and reaffirms the strong political commitment to address the challenge of financing and creating an enabling environment at all levels for sustainable development in the spirit of global partnership and solidarity, Reaffirming further the Paris Agreement1 and its early entry into force, and encouraging all its parties to fully implement the Agreement, and parties to the United __________________ 1 Adopted under the UNFCCC in FCCC/CP/2015/10/Add.1, decision 1/CP.21. A/RES/75/222 Combating sand and dust storms 20-17621 2/6 Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change2 that have not yet done so to deposit their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, where appropriate, as soon as possible, Highlighting the synergies between the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement, and noting with concern the findings contained in the special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change entitled Global Warming of 1.5°C, Recalling United Nations Environment Assembly resolutions 1/7 of 27 June 2014 on strengthening the role of the United Nations Environment Programme in promoting air quality,3 2/21 of 27 May 2016 on sand and dust storms4 and 4/10 of 15 March 2019 on innovation on biodiversity and land degradation,5 Acknowledging the work done by the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, 6 towards mitigating sand and dust storm issues at source, and acknowledging also the continuing support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations for countries affected by sand and dust storms through the promotion of sustainable land use management, agroforestry, shelter belts, afforestation/reforestation and land restoration programmes, which all contribute to sand and dust storm source mitigation, Recalling the outcomes of the fourteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in New Delhi, India, from 2 to 13 September 2019, including decision 25/COP.14 of 12 September 2019 entitled “Follow-up on policy frameworks and thematic issues: sand and dust storms”,7 Noting the adoption, by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific at its seventy-second session, of resolution 72/7 of 19 May 2016 on regional cooperation to combat sand and dust storms in Asia and the Pacific, Noting also the endorsement by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific at its seventy-fifth session of the recommendation by the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management to establish a subregional cooperation mechanism for slow-onset hazards with a focus on sand and dust storms in South-West and Central Asia, Recalling its resolution 66/288 of 27 July 2012, in which it endorsed the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, entitled “The future we want”, Recalling also its resolutions 71/229 of 21 December 2016, 72/220 of 20 December 2017, 73/233 of 20 December 2018 and 74/220 of 19 December 2019 on the implementation of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, Taking note of the Regional Programme to Combat Sand and Dust Storms of the United Nations Environment Programme, and taking note also of other initiatives, including the ministerial meeting on sand and dust storms held in Nairobi on __________________ 2 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1771, No. 30822. 3 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixty-ninth Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/69/25), annex. 4 Ibid., Seventy-first Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/71/25), annex. 5 UNEP/EA.4/Res.10. 6 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1954, No. 33480. 7 See ICCD/COP(14)/23/Add.1. Combating sand and dust storms A/RES/75/222 3/6 20-17621 21 February 2013 on the margins of the twenty-seventh session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum of the United Nations Environment Programme, Recalling the Sendai Declaration and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, adopted at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction and endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 69/283 of 3 June 2015, and recognizing that one of the priorities for action of the Framework is an understanding of disaster risk for prevention and mitigation and for the development and implementation of appropriate preparedness and effective response to disasters, which continue to undermine efforts to achieve sustainable development, Acknowledging that, based on the notion of hazards as defined in the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005–2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters,8 addressing multidimensional hazards, including those posed by sand and dust storms, contributes towards the achievement of the goals, targets and priorities for action set out in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, Noting with great concern the threat to human health, safety and well-being caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the severe disruption to societies and economies and the devastating impact on lives and livelihoods, and that the poorest and most vulnerable are the hardest hit by the pandemic, reaffirming the ambition to get back on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by designing sustainable and inclusive recovery strategies to accelerate progress towards the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and to help to reduce the risk of future shocks, and recognizing that the COVID-19 pandemic requires a global response based on unity, solidarity and renewed multilateral cooperation, Stressing the need for cooperation at the global and regional levels with a view to managing and mitigating the effects of sand and dust storms through the enhancement of early warning systems and the sharing of climate and weather information to forecast sand and dust storms, and affirming that resilient action to combat sand and dust storms requires a better understanding of the severe multidimensional impacts of sand and dust storms, including the deterioration of the health, well-being and livelihood of people, increased desertification and land degradation, deforestation, loss of biodiversity and land productivity, and their impact on sustainable economic growth, Expressing deep concern about the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on human health and well-being, while taking into consideration that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenges faced by people in vulnerable situations, and noting with concern that sand and dust storms may exacerbate the symptoms of COVID-19, in addition to the other negative impacts that can be associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disorders such as asthma, tracheitis, pneumonia, allergic rhinitis and silicosis, Emphasizing the relevance of the efforts and cooperation of Member States at the regional and international levels to control and reduce the negative impacts of sand and dust storms on human settlements in vulnerable regions, taking note of the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran in hosting a regional meeting of environment ministers in Tehran on 29 September 2010, welcoming the holding of other meetings with the active participation of all countries, and taking note with appreciation of __________________ 8 A/CONF.206/6 and A/CONF.206/6/Corr.1, chap. I, resolution 2. A/RES/75/222 Combating sand and dust storms 20-17621 4/6 other ongoing initiatives by various countries to combat sand and dust storms, especially at the regional level, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;9 2. Recognizes that sand and dust storms and the unsustainable land management practices, among other factors, that can cause or exacerbate these phenomena, including climate change, pose a serious challenge to the sustainable development of affected countries and regions, also recognizes that, in the past few years, sand and dust storms have inflicted substantial economic, social and environmental damage on the inhabitants of the world’s arid, semi-arid and dry subhumid areas, especially in Africa and Asia, and underscores the need to treat them and to promptly take measures to address those challenges; 3. Recalls the convening of a high-level interactive dialogue on sand and dust storms, held at Headquarters in New York on 16 July 2018, bringing together Member States, observer States and observers of the General Assembly, United Nations system entities, regional commissions and other stakeholders to discuss action-oriented recommendations and address the challenges faced by the affected countries, including ways to improve policy coordination at the global level to tackle those challenges in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, during which the continuing need to confront the challenges presented by sand and dust storms was highlighted; 4. Welcomes the operationalization of the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms, which aims, inter alia, to promote and coordinate a collaborative United Nations system response to the growing issue of sand and dust storms on a local, regional and global scale, ensuring that unified and coherent action is taken, and to facilitate the capacity-building of Member States, raise their awareness and enhance their preparedness and response to sand and dust storms in critical regions; 5. Recognizes the importance of new and innovative technologies and best practices in combating sand and dust storms, as well as their sharing and transfer on mutually agreed terms; 6. Encourages regional, subregional and interregional organizations and processes to continue to share best practices, experiences and technical expertise in combating sand and dust storms to address the root causes and impacts of sand and dust storms, including through improved implementation of sustainable land management practices, and to promote regional cooperation in this matter to reduce the risks and impact of future sand and dust storms and to provide affected countries with capacity-building and technical support from the relevant United Nations organizations, such as the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Health Organization, within their respective mandates, to this end; 7. Invites all affected Member States as well as relevant entities of the United Nations development system, regional organizations and other relevant stakeholders to endeavour to meet the objectives set out in the present resolution; 8. Reaffirms that climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and, among other factors, is a serious challenge to the sustainable development of all countries, including those affected by sand and dust storms, and emphasizes that, among other factors, climate change is an important potential contributor to future wind erosion and the risk of sand and dust storms, especially the occurrence of more __________________ 9 A/75/278. Combating sand and dust storms A/RES/75/222 5/6 20-17621 extreme wind events and the movement towards drier climates, although reverse effects are possible; 9. Recognizes that sand and dust storms cause numerous human health problems in different regions around the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, and that there is a need to reinforce protective strategies to reduce the negative impacts of sand and dust storms on human health, invites the World Health Organization, with the cooperation of other relevant United Nations system entities, as appropriate, to support affected countries in combating health problems caused by sand and dust storms, within their respective mandates, welcomes the formation of a working group on sand and dust storms to discuss emerging issues and share information under the Global Platform on Air Quality and Health of the World Health Organization, and also welcomes the finalization of a report on the health effects of sand and dust storms as part of the current update to the World Health Organization air quality guidelines, and the development of standard operating procedures to assess and address the short-term health effects of desert dust by the World Health Organization, in collaboration with experts from the World Meteorological Organization; 10. Emphasizes that sand and dust storm issues will constitute important components of the global coalition on health, environment and climate change launched in May 2018 by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization to improve coordination and reduce the 12.6 million deaths each year that are attributed to environmental risks, especially air pollution; 11. Commends the United Nations Environment Assembly on its commitment to addressing sand and dust storms, and in this regard notes Environment Assembly resolution 2/21 of 27 May 2016 on sand and dust storms, adopted during its second session, and resolution 4/10 of 15 March 2019 on innovation on biodiversity and land degradation, adopted during its fourth session; 12. Welcomes the convening of the fourth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi from 11 to 15 March 2019, under the theme “Innovative solutions for environmental challenges and sustainable consumption and production”, and also welcomes its ministerial declaration; 10 13. Commends the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, on its efforts to develop both a global base map of sand and dust storm sources, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization, and a sand and dust storms compendium, in collaboration with the Science-Policy Interface of the Convention and other relevant United Nations system entities, as a comprehensive collation of material designed to provide information and guidance on how to assess and address the risks posed by sand and dust storms and plan actions to combat their recurrence and impacts; 14. Welcomes the fourteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in New Delhi, India, from 2 to 13 September 2019, also welcomes the New Delhi Declaration and other relevant outcomes adopted by the parties during the Conference, namely decision 25/COP.14, and reaffirms the importance of addressing sand and dust storms under the Convention; __________________ 10 UNEP/EA.4/HLS.1. A/RES/75/222 Combating sand and dust storms 20-17621 6/6 15. Encourages the relevant entities of the United Nations, including the World Health Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Meteorological Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the Secretariat, within their respective mandates and resources, and donors to continue to provide capacity-building and technical assistance for combating sand and dust storms and to continue to support the implementation of the national, regional and global action plans of the affected countries; 16. Acknowledges the global assessment of sand and dust storms prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme in collaboration with other relevant United Nations system entities, including the World Meteorological Organization and the secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which sets out proposals for consolidated and coordinated technical and policy options for responding to sand and dust storms; 17. Invites the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms, within its existing mandate and resources, to prepare recommendations on mitigating the common effects of both COVID-19 and sand and dust storms on the respiratory systems of infected people, as part of the report of the Secretary-General to be submitted to the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session; 18. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, and decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-sixth session, under the item entitled “Sustainable development”, the sub-item entitled “Combating sand and dust storms”. 48th plenary meeting 21 December 2020

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