Dust Storm Diplomacy

In March 2021, Seoul woke up under a thick yellow haze - the worst dust storm in a decade. South Korea blamed China, who promptly blamed Mongolia. Fingers were pointed, narratives emerged, and what seemed like a weather event quickly became a diplomatic one. Since then, dust storms have continued to blight the region, and have emerged as a source of continual transborder tension. Joining Esau in this episode, Dr Thomas White, co-author of the article Foul Weather Friends? The Transnational Politics of Dust Storms Between China and Mongolia, and Prof Andreas Baas, a physical geographer with expertise in desertification and land degradation. Together, they unpack how dust storms stir up more than sand - touching on nationalism, environmental diplomacy, and the politics of green solutions - questions that resonate far beyond the Gobi Desert. You can read more about this topic here This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kingsglobalaffairs.substack.com