The challenge of adopting mitigation and adaptation measures for the impacts of sand and dust storms in Eastern Mediterranean Region: a critical review

Abstract

Sand and dust storms (SDS) are a major disruptor in both the source areas where they occur and at distant locations. This critical review aims to address the question of whether mitigation and adaptation measures have been or can be implemented and what is the optimal scale of their implementation to negate the impacts of SDS in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR)? Measures which differ in approach are also assessed by recording their successes, failures, and future challenges. We conclude that developing and implementing appropriate mitigation or adaptation measures for SDS at the local level is feasible but, at a wider scale, is a new challenge. This challenge is even more complex in areas like the EMR and the SDS sources affecting it, as it is a crossroad of air masses originating from three major SDS areas, which exhibit economic, political, and social diversity. This review also aims to identify successful mitigation strategies that have been used for similar environmental issues and to draw attention to the lack of adaptation measures in the region. This critical synthesis will serve as a guide for public stakeholders considering measures to mitigate or adapt to SDS based on their effectiveness and the area of implementation.

Use of Optical and Radar Imagery for Crop Type Classification in Africa: A Review

“…Despite these few attempts to use high-resolution satellite imagery, there are a lower number of studies in the literature that address the crop mapping and especially crop type mapping in Africa throughout the use of a combination of high-resolution satellite imagery. Additionally, radar imagery proves instrumental in assessing primary tillage, especially in contexts like conservative agriculture in Morocco, estimating the timing of tillage activities [ 39 ]. Hyperspectral data emerges as a potential contributor, providing enhanced spectral information compared to radar and optic data, potentially enriching classification outcomes [ 40 ].…”