Regional Programme to Combat Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) Seminar on the Legal Aspects of Dust Storms,...

Regional Programme to Combat Sand and Dust Storms (SDS)

Seminar on the Legal Aspects of Dust Storms, centre for International Law Studies, Dubai, 9 February 2015

(delivered by Skype)

Abdul-Majeid HaddadClimate Change Coordinator, UNEP/ROWA

Regional Programme to Combat Sand & Dust Storms

Objective & Outline of the PresentationOUTLINE

1. What we know so far about SDS phenomenon in the Region from UN perspective

2. What are the gaps in knowledge

3. The Regional Programme:– Conceptual Framework– Strategy, Components & Structure

4. Progress so far with programme development

5. Obstacles & Challenges

6. Future activities and recommendations for next steps

Objective:

To present the programme

concept & update on its latest development


Common language necessary!

Storms or Sand Encroachment or Dunes?

Sand Storms or

Dust Storms?

Sand or Dust?

Dust storms cannot be stopped by natural or artificial barriers because it leaves a column of suspended dust reaching 1 km height, so it has to be managed at the source and coped with at the recipient end

Hot spots (source areas) are point source (small exporting area) within a cluster (large area)

Primary sources (originating area) and secondary sources (dust coming from the primary source blown through this secondary source area)

Rising or suspend or blowing dust?

Regional = Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Jordan + (GCC: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE) although sources from other

countries exist (e.g North Africa)

Important to be clear since each need different mitigation interventions although they contribute to each other’s solutions especially if local

source is at the same time regional source (e.g dust = fine particles less than 6 microns)


Cited Studies About Dust Sources in the region

(UCAR, 2012)(Al-Dousari, 2012)(Humaid et. al, 2007)

WHERE THE DUSTS ARE COMING FROM?


Dust Trade BalanceCountry Local Sources Export to

(Regional Source)

Import from (Regional)

Turkey Anatolia (soil erosion) ??? North African (winter & spring)Southwest, central-eastern Sahara in summer;Jordan/Syria/Saudi Arabia (Extension of Nafud Desert)Upper Euphrates (Iraq)

Syria Eastern Badia (most of the year)

Iraq, Jordan, Turkey

North Africa, Arabian Peninsula (summer)

Jordan Al Badia region Iraq?? North Africa, Arabian Peninsula (spring & summer, khamaseen)

Iraq Numerous locations clustered in 4 large areas (Al Jazeera, North Al Tharthar Lake, Zubair desert, alluvial plain between Tigris & Euphrates), east of Tigiris

Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iran

Syria, Jordan?

Saudi Arabia

Numerous UAE, Iran, Bahrain, Kuwait

Syria/Jordan (extension of Nafud desert)Iraq (lower Mesopotamia), Central desert (Da’hna)Sudan (Tokar Gap), Oman, UAE, Yemen (Empty Quarter)

Kuwait Small local sources Limited Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia

Iran Local sources (west, centre & east)

Iraq, UAE, Oman Iraq (from several areas), Saudi ArabiaBetween Caspian & Aral SeaTuran depressionDry lakebeds (central region)Turkmenistan (Land Strait Lake!)Sistan Basin


Dust Trade Balance - continue

Country Local Sources Export to (Dust

Sources) (Regional)

Import from (Regional)

Bahrain Small locations Limited Iraq, Saudi Arabia (Da’hna & empty Quarter), Iran (southern coast of the Gulf)

Qatar Small locations Limited Same as Bahrain

UAE Empty Quarter Qatar, Bahrain, Iran

IraqSaudi ArabiaAfghanistan, Pakistan

Oman Empty Quarter ??? IraqIran (southern coast of the Gulf)Yemen

Still debatable among countries, political consensus needed


Regional approach requires good understanding of climate and land use dynamics on larger as well as local geographical scales

This informs exact interventions at the local level

Upto now, such knowledge is INCOMPLETE

BUT

The Regional Programme is a transboundary environment initiative, focus on Dust Storms)

Solutions focuses on soil, water & ecosystem management

Knowledge Gaps


Location of AERONET stations in West Asia. Stations circled in red correspond to present operationally active stations.

Country Gravimetric Method NRT (Beta** or TEOM***) Chemical A nalysis

United Arab Emirates

~40

Islamic Republic of Iran

5 118

Kuwait 3 11 (2 NRT)

Oman* 4 (with a mobile unit)

Saudi Arabia 5

Turkey 45 (cities) More than 100 (cities) 45 (cities)

NOT ENOUH MONITORING STATIONS

Number of PM10/ PM2.5 stations per country in the West Asia Region


Root Causes, Drivers, Climate & Land dynamics Not Yet Well Defined at the Source Areas, We

need local studies (example below)

IRAQ IRAN

Al Jazeera Hammad Basin (transboundary with Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia)

Alluvial Plain(Dalmaj to Rumaithah)

Eastern Sand Belt (transboundary with Iran)

Heet (salah e-ldin province)

South West Cluster (Khuzestan and Ilam provinces)

South East Cluster (Sistan, Blueshitan & Karman provinces)

Gypsum, Wadis,Rangelandpastoralists

Rangeland 24% of lad area of Iraq

Fertile agriculture land

Wind soil erosionSalty

??/ Soil & Alkaline

Water & watershed management issues

Mining Land degradation

Degraded vegetation cover

Land degradation, land use, land abandonment

AgricultureOver grazingWatershed management

Tillage practices

Land & water management issues

??? ??? ??? Salty soil

Land abandonment

??? ??


Any programme to combat SDS should be comprehensive as to address the full cycle of sand and dust storms:

Issues Requires knowledge & capacities for

Causes and sources Knowledge on land use, drought, desertification

transportation & climate dynamics

Historical trends, prediction climate models, region-wide assessment

Monitoring, early warning & preparedness

Network of monitoring stations, early warning system, communication, public alert and advisory tools

Impacts Assessments Impacts on health, productivity and economy as a whole

Prevention and Effective Mitigation

Land & ecosystem rehabilitation, appropriate and nation-wide designed programme of soil fixation, plantations, wind barriers, etc

Management Strong Science-Policy Link, Institutional Collaboration at the governorate, country and regional levels, LEGAL ASPECTS

Knowledge Gaps

Iraq Programme to Combat Sand & Dust Storms

However, we have regional Complimentarity in capacities & experiences

Country Turkey

Iran Iraq Kuwait

Saudi Arabia

UAE Oman

Qatar Syria

Jordan

Dust Monitoring (in-situ)

? ?? ?? ??

Dust Monitoring (satellite)

Air Quality Monitoring

Forecasting & Modeling

Dust mineralogy & geological studies

?? ??

Control of Soil Erosion & Dune Movements

Sand fixation

Land Management

Water Management

Greening & Green belts

Community & Livelihoods Approaches


The Regional Programme - Rationale

1. Alarming acceleration in the frequency and pervasiveness of SDS in the West Asia Region (and the additional concern that climate factors are going to be further compounding drivers of the SDS problem);

2. The transnational nature of the SDS problem (that requires a concerted, coordinated approach); and,

3. The lack, so far, of strategic, technically sound interventions in areas along the SDS corridor (national initiatives are patchy and perhaps not using the most appropriate technologies).

4. It will provide a catalyzing and harmonizing function that is critical for the data gathering and targeted interventions required to solve the regional SDS problems over the long-term. The Regional Programme will hopefully prevent the social and economic costs of sand and dust storms in the West Asia Region from escalating.


Programme Objectives

1. Understand & diagnose the problem

2. Propose and get Consensus on

the Solutions3. Implement The

Agreed Actions4. Monitor, Learn

and Scale Up

To strengthen cooperation among countries of the region (and within countries)

To enhance scientific and societal knowledge about the causes, sources, impacts, dynamics of and coping with the SDS

To reduce sources and impacts of SDS through the design and support to the implementation of innovative and scalable solutions

To establish systems of coordinated and state-of-the art monitoring and early warning

Step-Wise Approach


Understand & diagnose the problem

Propose and get Consensus of the

Solution

Implement The Agreed Actions

Monitor, Learn and Scale Up

Sce

ince Special Assessment of

the SDSResearch, Measurement and AssessmentInnovation and Knowledge NetworkMonitoring & Early Warning System

Polic

y

Regional Cooperation Framework

Country-Level Action Network

Dust Storms Fund/Facility

Act

ion

Country Level Action Plans

Investment Projects

The Programme Step-Wise Approach

The Corresponding Programme Components

OVERVIEW OF REGIONAL PROGRAMME TO COMBAT SAND AND DUST STORMS(strategic partnership for transformational and scaled-up actions to realize impacts)

Regional Programme to Combat SDS

Investment Programme(Mega and Community-Level Projects)

Country Action Plans

Research, Measurement & Assessment

Monitoring & Early Warning

System

Financial Mechanism/Fund/

Facility

Innovation & Knowledge

Network

Country-level Action Network

Preventing• water use

• ecosystem management

• Land use plans

Coping

• Adaptation

• Prep’dness

Mitigating

• Agriculture investment

• Green belts

Controlling

• Wind shields

• Sand fixation

• Artificial applications

Policy•institutions•Incentives/Funding•Stakeholder consultations

Science/Research

•Science/Knowledge•Monitoring/E-Warning•Capacity Building

Technical ProgrammeRegional Cooperation Framework

Ministerial Body

Secretariat Regional CentreTask Force

Regi

onal

Ass

essm

ent o

f SD

S

Expe

rt G

roup


Outline of the Three Elements of the Programme

Component Features

Regional Cooperation Framework

(guiding the cooperation initiative)

Sets Broader goal, & objectivesClarify Governing rules (participation & decision-making)Implementation mechanismFinancial mechanismSupportive institutional structuresAreas of interventions and technical programme

Financial Mechanism

(to make and sustain impacts)

Contributions & funding sources (initial equal share)Gradual and voluntary contributionsDecision-making on fund allocationAccountability & reporting

Technical Programme

(Designed by countries)

Largest share for country-level actionsRegional components including regional centreCapacity buildingTechnology & knowledge transfer

Volunta

ry


SDS Programme StructureHigh-Level Ministerial Meeting

(Ministers of Member Countries)Regional Steering

Committee

Scientific Advisory Panel

REGIONAL COOPERATION FRAMEWORK

Field Projects

Observation , Monitoring & Early

Warning System Regional Networking & Expert

Groups

Meteorology Expert Group

Monitoring &

Evaluation

Research Network

Land & Water

EG

Site to Site

Network

Technical ProgrammeTrust Fund

SDS Focal Points

National SDS Committees

Programme Management

Unit

Fram

ewor

k Fo

rum


Phases of the Programme

Activity Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

1. Project Management Unit (PMU) 0.5 1.0 - 2.0 3.0 - 5.0

2. Technical Programme

Regional Assessment of SDS 0.5 1.0 1.0

Regional Cooperation Framework 0.5 1.5 3.0

Research, Measurement & Assessment 0.5 2.0 3.0

Innovation & Knowledge Network 1.0 2.0 5.0

Monitoring & Early Warning System 5.0 5.0 – 10.0

Financial Mechanism 0.5 1.0 2.0

Country Action Plans 0.5 1.0 2.0

3. Investment Projects 10.0 >10

Total 4 25.5 > 41

Phase I Phase II Phase III

securing funding, essential activities, 3 years time

medium budget, pilot and scalable activities, 5 years

higher budget, full implementation and large investment components

Expected ResultsGood understanding of the problem; identifying knowledge gaps; cooperation among countries mainly at the technical and research level; nucleus of the facilitation mechanism (interim secretariat); large scale partnership programme developed and roundtable for resources mobilization.

In-depth understanding of the problem especially on local level processes, its impact and comprehensive region-wide approach to its solution; knowledge bases; enhanced cooperation of countries through sustained process of reaching consensus and agreeing on actions; one facility on dust storm established and operational; specialized and policy networks established; design & implementation of pilot projects; strategy for scaling up the investment.

Facilities on dust storm established and operational; specialized and policy networks and centres of excellence established/assigned; SDS controlled, mitigated and coping strategies; standard of living upgraded in affected rural and urban areas through large scale green investment projects.


Consultation Process So Far1. Outcome of Kuwait Special Session,

November 2012

1. Special session on the scientific aspects of the regional programme, 21 November 2012 during the Dust and Dust Storms Conference organized by Kuwait Environment Public Authority

2. About 25 scientists participated

3. First introduction of the regional programme concept

4. Recommendations on improving the design of the programme

5. Alignment of the regional programme with the recommendations of the Kuwait Dust Storms Conference


Consultation Process So Far2. Outcome of Nairobi meeting, 21 February

20131. Meeting at the level of Ministers and Head of

Delegations to UNEP Governing Council, 21 February 2013, Nairobi

2. Countries present: Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, UAE

3. Statements from countries supporting the programme:– Confirmed transboundary nature of the problem– Pledges from Iran and Iraq to contribute financially to the

trust fund– Encouraged countries to join hands to address the

problem– Emphasizing solving the problem from the root cause and

at the source– Need to discuss technical details and giving adequate

time to countries to come up with appropriate strategies

4. UAE offer to host a technical meeting in Abu Dhabi


Consultation Process So Far3. Outcome of the technical Meeting, Abu Dhabi,

6-7 May 20131. Hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Water and

the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology of the UAE

2. Total of 52 participants attended

3. Agenda covered all technical aspects of the programme

4. Five major outcomes:– Road map for the development of the Programme– Agreement on the overall programme framework

including technical bodies such as the Regional Steering Committee and the thematic expert groups

– Recommendations on the draft regional cooperation framework and regional trust fund

– Establishment of the Observation and Early Warning System

– Agreement on Listing the Hot Spots and Pilot Projects


1. Work on Proposed Preliminary List of Hot Spots

Country

Name and Location

Type and summary of the Intervention (mitigation, adaptation, controlling, preventing, etc)

Additional details (e.g. ecological, social significance, likely contribution to impacts, etc)

Status (under implementation, in the national plan, or new)

2. Consider Enhancing Observation Network

Countries Agreed to Proceed with

3. Review the proposed TOR for Reg. Cooperation Framework & Trust Fund


Progress so Far1. WMO-UNEP Regional Assessment on SDS-WAS Capacities

2. Hot Spots identified for Iraq, Syria, Iran

3. Iraq National SDS programme almost completed

4. AEMET & BSC are working on establishing the SDS-WAS Node for West Asia (thru its portal)

5. A draft Regional Master Plan under review

6. A project proposal (US $7M) submitted to GEF for funding (covering GEF-eligible countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey); rejected by the GEF

7. Alternative smaller project (MSP US $1.98M proposed)

8. Resource mobilization strategy developed


The programme Faced with Considerable Challenges

Political & Conceptual:• GCC position: the question of who is responsible for

action: (burden should be on source countries, cannot intervene to solve another transboundary issue. i.e water)

• Geopolitics of the region• The sensitivity of which country seen to be leading!• No firm political action seen!

Legal: No regional legal framework to hook to; GCC only has such legal cooperation mandate, putting it under global conventions like UNCCD, UNFCCC, is even more challenging; ROPME being a regional organisation with a regional agreement (Kuwait Action Plan) does not have the broad mandate needed, it is only marine environment


The programme Faced with Considerable Challenges

Security: Accessibility to major source areas and local authorities (e.g., Iraq & Syria)

Technical:• Not enough knowledge about processes at the local

level, no concrete economic and health impact studies to make the case

• No quick fix, projects will take time to show impacts

Financial: no concrete pledges (US $$$$) from countries or donors so far, UNEP uses its core resources for programme development


Conclusions & recommendations

Tackling transboundary environment problems takes long time so it needs patience, persistence and stable funding and capacities

Expanding partnerships with the scientific community is necessary to reach out to governments

We still need considerable impacts studies to make the case for intervention and how it will tackle the problem

Collaboration with the centres of excellence on legal aspects and sharing experiences are welcome

Regional Programme to Combat Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) Seminar on the Legal Aspects of Dust Storms,...

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