Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroglu reviews on the sand and dust storms that have been raised recently.
Stressing that the irregularities in rainfall regime, particularly climate change, are the main causes of torrential evaporation and the drought and desertification of sand and dust storms, Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroglu said that "The amount of dust released to the atmosphere in the world is around 2 billion tonnes per year. The deserts in the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula constitute 70 per cent of the total sand and dust emissions in the world."
“Turkey provides investment and support to the large green wall initiative of Pan Africa to prevent African-sourced dust“
Prof. Eroğlu, stating that Turkey is conducting important work on combating sand and dust in both domestically and abroad "We are a country that is always open to cooperation with our neighbors and other countries. In this context, we supported many international workshops, training courses, meetings and projects. In addition, Turkey is providing millions of dollars of investment and support to the large green wall initiative of Pan Africa to stop this dust-borne powder in place, doing woodworking activities in Africa, opening water wells, building dams."
"The cause of Dust Formation and Dust Movement is not the Dams Constructed in Turkey"
Recently, in the Iranian press, Prof. Veysel Eroğlu stated that dust and sandstorms in the region are subject to groundless claims that the dam in Turkey is the cause of the storms.
"Contrary to Iran's allegations, there has been a decrease in sand and dust storms throughout the Middle East since 2013. Iran is taking the sand and dust storms from the west, as a result, Iran's sand and dust source areas are Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, even Egypt and Libya. Contrary to the allegations of Iranian officials and the press, the cause of dust formation and dust transport is not the dams built in Turkey."
"In Iran, which criticizes Turkey for dams, 647 dams are operating and 260 dams are under construction. Iran transfers its water needs by transferring water between basins, transferring 1,460 billion m3 of water per year from Huzistan Province to the central basin, which causes the Hawizeh swamps to dry out and cause sand and dust storms. The desertification that occurs in Iran due to the wrong water policies is turning itself into sand and dust storm. As a result, sand and dust storms are suffering in Turkey as well. Sand and dust storms are not the dams built by Turkey. On the contrary, these dams have great benefits to the whole region3"
Even in arid periods water is given to Syria and Iraq
Underlining that water was given to Syria and Iraq at the expense of drastically reducing the water level in the dam reservoir during the dry season, Prof. Veysel Eroğlu said "In the last 30 years, an average of 718 cubic meters of water has been released per year from Turkey to Syria in response to a 500 cubic meter commitment in the Euphrates River. 3On July 16, 2017, an arid month, the amount of water left from Turkey to Syria used an average of 526 cubic meters per second3.3.
"With Ilısu Dam, floods will be prevented on the Tigris River and water losses due to evaporation will be reduced in the basin."
He also said that the construction of Ilısu Dam continued. Veysel Eroğlu said that "In the Ilısu Dam, Iraqi officials will be informed 6 months before the embargo, and water will be kept within a plan that will not harm our Iraqi brothers.As stated in the Treaty of Friendship signed with Iraq in 1946, Fırat, Tigris and the dams to be held in the arms of Turkey in the borders of the region is the benefit of all countries."
"The evaporation caused by the dams in Iraq is three times higher than Turkey."
Source: www.ormansu.gov.tr