Increase Cooperation, Commit to Practical Action towards Limiting Sand, Dust Storms, Secretary-General Stresses in Conference Message

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the International Conference on Combating Sand and Dust Storms, in Tehran today:

Excellencies, dear friends, we are facing a perfect storm. Human activities are degrading land and changing the climate, leading to drought, desertification and soaring temperatures.

More frequent, more brutal sand and dust storms are a result.  These are destroying crops, killing livestock, damaging industry and harming human health.  Over 330 million people are already affected, with the most vulnerable suffering the most.

But, just as human activity is fuelling these tempests, human action can help to calm them.  That requires international cooperation.  We must enhance preparation for storms and reduce their impact.  That is why we are pushing for greater support and investment to improve early warning systems.

We must tackle the causes — by supporting farmers to conserve topsoil, and by restoring ecosystems and landscapes.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration provides a road map to 2030 to conserve and restore our degraded lands and ecosystems.  And we must strengthen water management, including by improving irrigation methods, and increasing resilience, recognizing that access to clean water resources is a human right.

Excellencies, there is no question:  to limit storms, we must also limit heating.  That requires the world to act now to combat global temperature rise, by accelerating action to reduce emissions and keep the increase to 1.5°C.

I have proposed a Climate Solidarity Pact — in which all big emitters would make extra efforts to cut emissions; and wealthier countries support emerging economies to do so.

And I have put forward an acceleration agenda to super-charge these efforts.  That includes urging developed countries commit to reaching net zero as close as possible to 2040, and emerging economies as close as possible to 2050. It also calls on developed countries to deliver the finance promised for climate action, including adaptation, and all countries to operationalize the loss and damage fund at COP28 [twenty-eighth United Nations Climate Change Conference] this November.  I urge countries to put both into effect.

Excellencies, friends, cooperation is key.  I urge you to use your time in Tehran to build partnerships, increase cooperation and commit to practical action.  Together, we can help to calm the storms, and build a safer, healthier, more sustainable world for us all.  Thank you.