Ten key insights and gaps to inform drought risk research, policy and practice

Abstract

Droughts are deeply intertwined with socio-economic and ecological systems across temporal and spatial scales. They are getting more severe and frequent under climate change and human pressures, affecting livelihoods, socio-economic sectors and the environment. Addressing these multifaceted impacts of droughts now and in the future will require actionable insights and a comprehensive research agenda. In this Perspective we draw on the interdisciplinary expertise of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences Working Group on ‘Drought in the Anthropocene’ and participants of the Drought Resilience +10 conference, a follow-up to the first High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policy in 2013. We synthesize ten key insights from drought research that have emerged in the past decade and highlight their relevance for policy and practice. Furthermore, we identify ten critical research gaps that must be addressed over the coming decade to further guide drought governance, strengthen drought resilience and effectively combat the water crisis.