In News:

• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has released the “Global Drought Outlook 2025”, presenting a stark warning about the increasing frequency, severity, and impact of droughts worldwide.
• The report, titled “Global Drought Outlook: Trends, Impacts and Policies to Adapt to a Drier World”, offers a comprehensive assessment of drought patterns, consequences, and adaptation strategies, making it crucial for policymakers and global environmental governance.

Understanding Drought:

Drought is defined as a hydrological imbalance, characterised by prolonged periods of “drier-than-normal” conditions that deplete soil moisture, surface water, and groundwater. The report identifies three main types:

• Meteorological Drought: Caused by significantly below-average rainfall over an extended period.
• Agricultural Drought: Occurs when soil moisture becomes insufficient for crops and vegetation.
• Hydrological Drought: Involves declining water levels in rivers, lakes, and aquifers, affecting supply for human and ecological needs.

Global Trends and Projections

• Drought-Affected Land: The share of global land experiencing drought has doubled since 1900, driven by climate change and unsustainable land use.
• Current Impact (2023): Nearly 48% of the world’s land experienced at least one month of extreme drought.
• Regional Hotspots: Western USA, South America, Europe, Africa, and Australia are increasingly vulnerable.
• Groundwater Stress: Around 62% of monitored aquifers show declining trends.
• Future Risk: At +4°C global warming, droughts could become 7 times more frequent and severe by 2100, posing systemic global threats to food, water, and economic security.

Multidimensional Impacts of Drought

Ecological:

• 37% of global soils have dried significantly since 1980.
• River and groundwater depletion are threatening biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Economic:

• Drought-related losses are increasing by 3–7.5% annually.
• Modern droughts are twice as costly as in 2000; costs may rise 35% by 2035.
• Agriculture is most affected: crop yields drop up to 22% in drought years.
• Drought causes a 40% drop in river-based trade and a 25% decline in hydropower output.

Social:

• Droughts account for 34% of disaster-related deaths, though only 6% of disasters are droughts.
• It is a major driver of food insecurity, internal displacement, and climate migration, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Political instability and conflict often correlate with drought-induced resource scarcity.

Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

The OECD emphasizes a multi-sectoral approach to manage drought risks:

• Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM):
  • Balancing water use and renewal.
  • Promoting efficient and equitable water allocation.
• Nature-based Solutions (NbS):
  • Urban de-sealing to enhance groundwater recharge.
  • Landscape restoration to improve water retention and ecosystem resilience.
• Sustainable Agriculture:
  • Adoption of drought-resistant crops and micro-irrigation systems.
  • Can reduce water use by up to 76%.
• Urban Planning: Permeable infrastructure restores aquifers (e.g., US examples show 780 million m³/year recovery).
• Early Warning Systems: Enhanced drought monitoring, forecasting, and risk mapping.
• Policy Integration: Embedding climate resilience into national water and land-use policies.
• Cross-Sector Coordination: Engaging sectors like agriculture, energy, transport, construction, and health.
• Economic Benefits: Every $1 invested in drought resilience yields $2–$10 in benefits.