The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling decisions 25/COP.14, 22/COP.14 and 31/COP.13, Also recalling the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 2/21 and 4/10, and United Nations General Assembly resolutions 70/195, 71/219, 72/225, 73/237, 74/226, 75/222 and 76/211,
Reiterating that the global frequency, intensity and duration of sand and dust storms have increased in the last decade and that sand and dust storms have natural and human causes that can be exacerbated by desertification/land degradation and drought, biodiversity loss and climate change,
Urging a proactive approach to enhance cooperation and coordination at global, regional and subregional levels to address the causes and impacts of sand and dust storms while promoting and supporting initiatives to streamline comprehensive sand and dust storms preparedness that reduces the risks and boosts the resilience of affected and vulnerable communities and ecosystems,
Acknowledging with appreciation the progress made so far under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification to address sand and dust storms in terms of resilience, preparedness, early warning and capacity-building,
1. Welcomes the Sand and Dust Storms Compendium: Information and Guidance on Assessing and Addressing the Risks and the Sand and Dust Storms Toolbox, and invites Parties to make use of the Compendium and the Toolbox to strengthen their preparedness for sand and dust storms;
2. Requests Parties affected by sand and dust storms to enhance the integration and coherence of sand and dust storms impact mitigation measures, including those addressing anthropogenic sources, in related policy areas at national and subnational levels with a view to advancing integrated land-use planning and landscape management;
3. Also requests Parties to strengthen multi-stakeholder platforms and regional initiatives that contribute to addressing sand and dust storms linked to desertification/land degradation and drought, taking note of the regional and subregional nature of their impacts, while paying particular attention to involving Indigenous peoples and local communities, women, youth and other people in vulnerable situations;
4. Invites the secretariat, within its scope and mandate and subject to financial resources, and financial partners to provide, upon request, support to Parties to design and implement national plans and policies in order to cope with sand and dust storms linked to desertification/land degradation and drought; 5. Requests the secretariat and the Global Mechanism, within the scope and mandate of the Convention, subject to the availability of resources, and in collaboration with partners, to:
(a) Develop a voluntary policy guideline, in consultation with countries affected by sand and dust storms, to assist in the integration of sand and dust storms management into key policy areas;
(b) Continue developing the Sand and Dust Storms Toolbox, including the global Sand and Dust Storms Source Base-map and other geographic information system platforms, data and tools, as feasible, and supporting the capacity of country Parties to use them, in particular to improve knowledge of effects related to desertification/land degradation and drought;
(c) Compile an inventory of existing sand and dust storms-related tools and technologies beyond the Sand and Dust Storms Toolbox and make this information available to Parties;
(d) Facilitate, as appropriate, the organization of a science–policy dialogue on sand and dust storms as a contribution to developing further guidance and policies to address sand and dust storms;
(e) Participate actively in the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms and enhance cooperation and collaboration with United Nations agencies, organizations and treaties to address sand and dust storms source mitigation, including in the work of the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms on developing a global implementation initiative on sand and dust storms to address anthropogenic sand and dust storms sources and data/information gaps;
6. Also requests the Global Mechanism, within its scope and mandate, to support the development of transformative projects and programmes and financing options related to anthropogenic sand and dust storms source mitigation;
7. Invites the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms as well as its members and other relevant United Nations entities, within their mandates and resources, to continue their collaboration to assist affected Parties in developing and implementing national and regional policies on sand and dust storms including early warning, risk assessment and anthropogenic source mitigation;
8. Also invites technical and financial institutions and other stakeholders in a position to do so to provide support for countries to achieve their voluntary land degradation neutrality targets related to combating sand and dust storms linked to desertification/land degradation and drought;
9. Requests the secretariat to:
(a) Present a report on the implementation efforts relevant to this decision at the twenty-first session of the Committee for the Review of the Implementation of the Convention;
(b) Present a report on policy issues relevant to this decision to the Conference of the Parties at its sixteenth session.
