Dust episodes affecting Europe are intensifying, especially in Southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, posing growing challenges for air quality and public health, according to a new international study with a significant contribution from researchers at The Cyprus Institute.
The study, published in the leading scientific journal Nature, links the increasing intensity of dust transport from the Sahara and other desert regions to broader environmental changes that are associated with climate change. Specifically, this includes worsening drought and land degradation in North Africa, as well as shifts in atmospheric circulation patterns that favour the transport of dust towards Europe.
The findings highlight that the impacts of climate change may go beyond temperature changes and weather extremes, into affecting the quality of the air we breathe.
Impact of dust on air quality and public health
Southern Europe already experiences around 46 dust episodes each year. These events increase concentrations of particulate matter in the atmosphere and contribute to poorer air quality.
Indicatively, the study found that transported dust in the region accounts for approximately one third of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual mean particulate matter pollution (PM10) guideline value for air quality.
High concentrations of transported desert dust may have adverse health effects, including asthma exacerbation and increased mortality. The study found that in recent years, desert dust episodes in Southern Europe have been associated with an approximately 0.67% increase in daily mortality, and with a 2.5% increase in respiratory hospitalisations among children.
Significance for Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean
The research shows a gradual increase in transported dust across Europe over the past century, as shown by dust measurements in Alpine glacier ice.
However, the findings are particularly significant for Cyprus, as the Eastern Mediterranean is among the European regions most affected by transported desert dust and has experienced among the greatest increases in the intensity of dust episodes over the past decade.
The study also found that average concentrations of desert dust in Southern Europe are more than twice as high as in Central and Northern Europe.
As researchers from The Cyprus Institute's Climate and Atmosphere Research Center (CARE-C) and co-authors of the study, explain, desert dust is a natural phenomenon that has long been a feature of the region. However, the new study shows that dust episodes and their associated impacts have been intensifying over time, and the conditions that favour more intense dust episodes are changing in ways that are consistent with the influence of climate change.
This means that desert dust could become an even greater challenge for air quality and public health in the years ahead. Better preparedness for more intense dust episodes, together with continued action to address climate change, will be essential for protecting public health and improving air quality.
