Episodes of desert dust affecting Europe are intensifying, especially in Southern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, posing mounting challenges for air quality and public health, according to a new international study with key contributions from researchers at the Cyprus Institute.
The study, published in Nature, connects the increasing severity of Saharan and other desert‑dust intrusions to broader climate‑related shifts, including worsening drought and desertification in North Africa and changes in atmospheric systems that favor dust transport toward Europe.
Researchers said the findings show climate change is influencing not only temperatures and extreme weather but also the air people breathe.
Southern Europe now experiences about 46 dust events annually, significantly raising concentrations of airborne particles and degrading air quality. Dust accounts for roughly one‑third of the annual PM10 levels considered acceptable by the World Health Organization.
The study links dust episodes to spikes in asthma and higher mortality. Recent years have seen daily mortality rise by about 0.67% during dust events, while respiratory hospitalizations among children increased by roughly 2.5%.
The research highlights particular relevance for Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, among the regions most affected and showing the sharpest increase in dust intensity over the past decade. Average dust concentrations in Southern Europe are more than double those recorded in Central and Northern Europe.
Scientists at the Cyprus Institute’s CARE‑C center, co‑authors of the study, said desert dust is a natural feature of the region but noted that episodes and their impacts are intensifying. They warned that conditions favoring stronger dust events are evolving in connection with climate change, meaning dust could become an even greater challenge for air quality and public health in the coming years.
They said improved adaptation strategies, alongside efforts to address climate change, will be crucial.
