Geneva, (EFeverde).- The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) indicated that the concentration of sand and dust in the atmosphere worldwide was lower in 2023 than in 2022, but remained above the average of recent years.
The United Nations Meteorological Agency reported that sand and dust storms carry 2 billion tons of these polluting particles into the atmosphere each year, which can travel thousands of kilometers, a phenomenon that negatively affects economies, ecosystems and the climate.
The World Meteorological Organization noted that part of this is the result of human action, particularly as a result of mismanagement of water and land resources.
The Secretary-General of the Organization reminded Argentina that the phenomenon of global warming, which has also been accelerated by human activity, produces droughts and evaporation that reduce the vegetation cover of the soil, which also contributes to the increase in sand and dust storms. Celeste Saul.
The highest concentrations of these particles in the air last year, reaching 800-1,100 micrograms per cubic meter, were recorded in areas of Chad, while the highest levels in the southern hemisphere were recorded in areas of central Australia and the west coast of America and southern Africa, according to the United Nations.
Most affected areas
The areas most exposed to sand and dust from deserts or dry areas were West Africa, the Caribbean, South America, the Mediterranean, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and central and eastern China.
This last region experienced the largest sandstorm of the year last March, when particles from Mongolia spread across 20 provinces in China, affecting more than four million square kilometers.
The World Meteorological Organization noted that there were also storms that crossed entire oceans, such as the one that transported sand from Africa to the Caribbean.
The agency noted that some of the consequences of this increase in sand and dust concentrations are positive, for example with regard to marine biodiversity, because these particles transported and deposited in the oceans can help generate phytoplankton and thus increase food for many species.
Some studies have calculated, for example, that as a result, it has contributed to an increase in the numbers of species such as bonito, and thanks to this, the catch of this type of tuna has multiplied by 250 in the last seven decades. . EFEverde.
ABC
“Award-winning alcohol trailblazer. Hipster-friendly internetaholic. Twitter ninja. Infuriatingly humble beer lover. Pop culture nerd.”