International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms 2026 - 12 July

International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms 2026 - 12 July

• Observed: July 12 annually.
• UNGA Resolution: A/RES/77/294 on 8 June 2023.
• First Observance: July 12, 2023.
• UN Decade: 2025-2034 declared as UN Decade on Combating SDS.
• 2026 Event: Held at UN HQ, New York, USA, theme "From Source to Impact: Protecting Land and Life from Sand and Dust Storms."
• Impact of SDS: Health, environmental, socio-economic.
• UPSC Relevance: GS3 - Environment, Desertification, Climate Change, UNCCD.
• Mains Angle: Sand and dust storms as transboundary environmental issue.