This ambitious long-term research program will provide cutting-edge technology, accurate forecasts and products, and capabilities to mitigate and assess Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) risks. These objectives will be achieved through the development of five strategic goals:

• PROCESSES AND VARIABILITY: To expand our understanding of dust sources, emission, transport, and variability across multiple time scales.
• DUST EFFECTS: To Better Understand and Quantify Dust Effects upon Weather, Climate, Atmospheric Chemistry and Ocean Biogeochemistry.
• FORECASTS AND NEW PRODUCTS: To Improve and Develop SDS forecasts, Predictions and Reanalysis Datasets.
• IMPACTS AND MITIGATION: To assess and mitigate dust impacts on key sectors of society and economy.
• DISSEMINATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: To promote SDS capacity building, technology transfer, dissemination and public engagement.