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Committee

Guide

Topic A

Drought: An eye into the future. Water shortage

resulting in conflicts

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction2. Drought3. Causes and stages of drought4. Impact of Droughts5. Drought M itigation and Monitori ng6.Water Scarcity7. Conclusion8. Questions to be thought about9.Maps10.Bibliography11.Fur ther Reading

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1. Introduction

During the last decades the world has faced many challenges in all everyday life aspects. Apart from dealing

with wars, economic crisis and political and social problems it has also affronted the severe consequences of

climate change and environmental issues. The causes and the effects of environmental problems are various

and numerous and countries in different regions all over the world, non-governmental organisations and

international organisations have been searching for a solution to these issues.

One of the most significant issues caused by climate change, human actions and natural causes is watershortage. Recognising that access and use of water is a fundamental Human Right and that its lack can

provoke severe problems on health and safety of people United Nations have been trying to find a solution

to this issue and has achieved a lot. However, a great number of people, rising up to almost a billion, along

the world still have no access to it and much discussion has to be made so that provision of water is

guaranteed.

Two of the most basic and crucial causes of drought are climate change and global warming. Climate change

is when the climate is altered over time for a long time as a result of human or natural influences while

global warming is the increase of the Earths surface median temperature over time. Indications show that

drought will become a more commonly faced issue while the duration of these droughts is also going to be

increased. This issue of water shortage is further worsened by the pollution of the existing drinkable andusable water.

2.DroughtDefinition: Drought is a sustained and regionally extensive occurrence of below average natural water

availability. Drought can be characterized as a deviation from normal conditions in the physical system

(climate and hydrology), which is reflected in variables such as precipitation, soil water, groundwater

and stream flow. 1According to the European Drought Centre drought should not be mixed with water

scarcity or aridity as the first implies a long-term imbalance of available water resources and demands and

the second is a permanent feature of a dry climate.

Although it may be considered that areas with extremely high temperatures are affected by drought it should

be underlined that areas with extreme low temperatures can also suffer from long periods of drought.2

Therefore it can be assumed that drought is a worldwide phenomenon which can occur in areas with

different characteristics and it also varies itself from one region to another. Drought has wide ranging

social, environmental and economic impact. The most severe social consequences of drought are, however,

found in arid or semi-arid regions where the availability of water is already low under normal conditions.3

Drought can be divided in two categories; climatic drought, meteorological and hydrological, and

agricultural drought. While referring to the first one it is essential for the government to know which areasare classified as arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, as these areas are considered more subjected to

desertification. The maps of these areas can be easily created using the EWBMS (Energy and Water Balance

Monitoring System) system whose data products are related to the United Nations Convention to combat

desertification (UNCCD). On the other hand agricultural drought is often expressed in terms of soil

moisture, e.g. Plant Available Water... Here satellite data can be of use. Relative evapotranspiration is

closely related to soil moisture.4

1University of Oslo: Department of Geosciences; Droughts and Climate Change;

http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdf2It is mainly caused by low precipitation and high evaporation rates, but in regions with a cold climate, temperatures below zerocan also give rise to a winter drought.

University of Oslo: Department of Geosciences; Droughts and Climate Change;

http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdf3European Drought Centre, What is drought?;http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/

4EARS: Drought Monitoring;http://www.ears.nl/co2_emissions.php

http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdfhttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdfhttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdfhttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdfhttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://www.ears.nl/co2_emissions.phphttp://www.ears.nl/co2_emissions.phphttp://www.ears.nl/co2_emissions.phphttp://www.ears.nl/co2_emissions.phphttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdfhttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/downloads/droughts_and_climate_change_2007.pdf

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More specifically, a drought in terms of meteorology takes into account deficiencies in measured

precipitation. Each year's measurements are then compared to what is determined as a "normal" amount of

precipitation and drought is determined from there. For hydrologists, droughts are monitored by checkingstream flow and lake, reservoir, and aquifer water levels. Precipitation is also considered here as itcontributes to the water levels.5. Furthermore, agricultural droughts that can impact crop production andcause changes to the natural distribution of various species. The farms themselves can also cause droughts

to happen as soil is depleted and therefore cannot absorb as much water, but they can be impacted bynatural droughts as well.6

Some of the most affected areas worldwide are Horn of Africa, Sudan and Chad, India, China, Pakistan,

Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. Moreover, in Northern America areas which are affected and could be in

the future are Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada. Some of the worst droughts of the past century have also

been experienced in the Amazon Basin and in Australia. Last but not least the worst droughts in decades

have been monitored in Western Africa the last years.

All these areas have faced or are going to face droughts which result in lack of food and conflicts. More than

2,5 billion people are affected everyday and World Food Program has acknowledged that food was needed

in most cases. Some of the consequences of drought in these areas were: grave ecological catastrophes and

food shortages in the Horn of Africa, the Darfur Conflict, because of drought combined with desertification

and overpopulation, lack of drinking water and problems with agricultural irrigation in India, possibledestruction of the Amazon Rainforest and destruction of forests in Australia.

3.Causes and stages of DroughtIt is generally acknowledged that drought is lack of rainfall, which is related to the amount of water vapour

in the atmosphere. Furthermore, drought occurs when the upward forcing of the air mass containing water

vapour reduces, because if this air does not rise the rain will not be formed.

There are various factors that could cause drought and most of them easily understood but hard to prevent. A

main cause of drought is the relation between high and low pressure systems7.Both systems are experiencedat all areas of the world and it is regular for high-pressure systems to be replaced by low-pressure ones as

they pass through these areas. On the other hand, when a high-pressure system is installed over an area then

sunny and dry weather which insists for a long period of time can lead to drought. These low and high

pressure systems can be stalled by jet streams and by the cold and warm water current in the oceans. Well

known are the effects of the warm water current in the Pacific Ocean, also known as El Nio, which brings

low pressure systems and provoke hurricanes and storms to North America. Moreover, the cold water

current, La Nia, is a major cause of drought. The opposite occurs in Asia, where El Nio brings drought

and La Nia storms.

As far as water vapour is concerned; drought is the result of the incapacity of air currents to bring the water

vapour to the right areas at the appropriate and needed times. Winds transfer the water that evaporates fromthe oceans to other regions and when the winds are not strong enough and this does not happen huge issues

and complications rise.In the eastern United States, moisture is carried up from the Gulf of Mexico by

northward blowing winds. This moisture is then pushed by other winds until it reaches the Midwest. Thiswater then falls to the ground, supporting the farms in that region. However, if the winds dont blow at the

right time, in the right direction, or with enough force, the moisture falls in other areas and that Midwest

region suffers from drought. A similar phenomenon occurs in Southeast Asia. Usually, summer winds known

as monsoons carry water vapour north from the Indian Ocean inland, providing desperately needed rain.Sometimes, however, instead of blowing from north to south, they blow east to west. When that happens, the

5&6

About.com: Geography: Drought, Its Causes, Stages and Problems;http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htm 7When there is high air pressure, air falls instead of rising. With the air pressing down in a high pressure zone, no currents of water vapourare carried upward. As a result, no condensation occurs, and little rain falls to earth. In addition, high-pressure areas push clouds and air

currents downward and away, resulting in sunny, cloudless weather. Low-pressure systems see cloudier, stormy weather.Forces of Nature:Droughts;http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtml

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htm

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Stages of drought are various and they can be defined differently according to the area they are developed at,

although similar. The first stage, least severe of the stages, is commonly declared when a drought can be

approaching and is known as drought warning or watch. Next steps are drought emergency and disaster or

critical drought. Critical drought stage is declared when a drought has occurred for a long period and water

sources begin to be depleted. During this stage, public water use is limited and oftentimes drought disaster

plans are put into place.12

For example, in Australia droughtfrequency is crucial. Researchindicates that severe drought affects

some part of Australia about onceevery 18 years. This does not

indicate that severe droughtregularly and predictably recurs

every 18 years; intervals between

severe droughts have varied fromfour to 38 years. We have long

historical rainfall records to give a

clearer picture of what is 'normal'for an area, and how much variationmight be expected.

There is little chance that all

Australia could be in drought at thesame time. Some droughts are long-

lived; some are short and intense,causing significant damage. Some

can be localised while other parts ofthe country enjoy bountiful rain.

Some regional droughts are not

related to El Nio events, and aretherefore harder to forecast.

Examples of each of these types of

drought are shown in the picture.13

4.Impact of DroughtsThe lives of the people living in the areas which are influenced by droughts, agriculture, the economic andsocial development and the environment of these areas are widely affected by droughts. Some of the effects

of drought can be halted cropping programs, decreased breeding stock, vegetation loss and soil erosion

while it could also threaten the permanent erosion of the capital and resources of farms. Moreover, water

quality could also be affected and it toxic algae outbreaks could occur. Apart from people, highly affected

are the animals and plants for the zones involved and bushfires and dust-storms can be observed often

during dry times. Regardless of a drought's stage, there are short and long term consequences with anydrought because of nature and society's dependence on water. Problems associated with drought can have

economic, environmental, and social impacts on both the areas where they occur and areas that haverelations with those where the drought happens.

14

12

About.com:Geography: Drought, Its Causes, Stages andProblems;http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htm13

Australian Government: Bureau of Meteorology: Living with drought;

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtml14

Geography about .com: Consequences and Mitigation of Drought;

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htm

The spectre of drought, Source: Australian Government: Bureau of Meteorology: Living with

drought; http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtml

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtmlhttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtmlhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtmlhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htm

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Two of the most significant consequences of drought are human migration and environmental refuges. Land

degradation and desertification combined with drought can lead to conflicts and migration as people move to

areas or try to take under their control in order to use dwindling natural resources. This then depletes the

natural resources of the new area and takes workers away from the original area. Furthermore, food

insecurity and starvation, especially in Africa, demolition of habitats and loss of biological diversity are

major issues that drought causes. These problems are further worsened by the social and economic

instability which is caused by drought, leading to increased povertyand therefore social unrest is likely to

develop.The above mentioned including climatic variability, provoked by reduced carbon sequestration, are

considered extremely costly events in Africa.

Countries that base their development, economic growth and entire economies , such as those of Africa, on

rain-fed agriculture, infrastructure and exploitation of natural resources , which depend on climate factors,

are extremely exposed to drought, desertification and their effects. Therefore, the populations of these areas

are also keen to raise conflicts with other populations while they are also sensitive to heavy diseases.

According to the UNECA 2008 Overview of drought and desertification situation in Africa, the

consequences are mostly borne by the poorest people and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). In theregion, women and children in particular, bear the greatest burden when land resources are degraded and

when drought sets in. As result of the frequent droughts and desertification, Africa has continued to witnessfood insecurity including devastating famines, water scarcity, poor health, economic hardship and social

and political unrest.

An interesting example15of economic impact of drought given in the same report is that of Sub-Saharan

Africa. According to the Overview approximately two thirds of fertile and cultivable land are expected to be

lost by 2025. This land degradation currently leads to the loss of an average of more than 3 percent

annually of agriculture GDP in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Moreover, in Ethiopia, GDP loss fromreduced agricultural productivity is estimated at $130 million per year and in Uganda degradation in the

dry lands threatens to wreck havoc on the countrys economy and escalate poverty as these dry landsconstitute the Uganda cattle corridor, which accounts for over 90 percent of the national cattle herd and

livestock production contributes 7.5 percent to the GDP and 17 percent to the agricultural GDP, whilst

drought and floods account for 80 percent of loss of life and 70 percent of economic losses linked to

natural hazards in Sub-Saharan Africa.

16

It is also believed that countries where the governments are unable to raise their funds in order to invest in

economic and agricultural production so that they will be able to achieve rural and urban economic

development are more vulnerable to drought and desertification, which are expected to rise, putting the

economic growth in risk. It should also be underlined that it is crucial for these societies to reduce the

dependence of the poor on the natural environment.17

Another sector widely affected by drought is food security as food crops cannot be supported because of

water scarcity. The same problem affects grass and grain used to feed livestock and poultry. When drought

undermines or destroys food sources, people go hungry. When the drought is severe and continues over a

long period, famine may occur18. In addition households affected by drought are capable of finding the

adequate resources in order to deal with the shortages. Consequently the society is led to food insecurity andhunger rises, affecting millions. It is estimated that if land degradation pace remains the same more than a

half of cultivated agricultural area in Africa could be unusable by the year 2050 and the region may be ableto feed just 25 percent of its population by 2025 which would be calamitous since Africa depends

15Lack of water means less irrigation for the crops, less drinking water, less water for hygiene, and less hydro-electricity. In developing

countries droughts cause bad disease, famine, and death.Most people think of droughts happening in the deserts of Africa and Asia. But droughts occur in Europe as well. In fact, Spain is among thecountries suffering from the worst drought since 1990. Other countries in Europe facing water shortages include Scotland, western Russia,

Denmark, Norway and Germany., Damp Water: The Effect of Droughts and Where they Occur; http://dampwater.tripod.com/id2.html 16,17The drought of 1990/1991 in Zimbabwe resulted in a 45 percent drop in agricultural production but also a 62 percent decline in the value

of the stock market, a 9 percent drop in manufacturing output and a GDP drop of 11 percent. Similarly, in Kenya, the drought of 1999-2001 cost

the economy some 2.5 billion dollars. As a proportion of the national economy this is a very significant loss and can best be thought of as 2.5billion dollars of foregone development, for example, hospitals and schools not built., United Nations Economic Commission for Africa:

Overview of drought and desertification situation in Africa; http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdf 18Food aid to the subcontinent accounts for approximately 50 percent of the yearly budget of the World Food Aid Programme,United NationsEconomic Commission for Africa: Overview of drought and desertification situation in Africa;http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdf

http://dampwater.tripod.com/id2.htmlhttp://dampwater.tripod.com/id2.htmlhttp://dampwater.tripod.com/id2.htmlhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://dampwater.tripod.com/id2.html

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on agriculture.19

Drought also influences water availability causing harm not only to the environment but also thirst to both

humans and animals of the regions affected. While humans could live for weeks without food consumption

they cannot survive more than a few days without water. Moreover this lack of water withholds future

economic growth. According to UNECAs Overview on Drought in Africa it is foreseen that annual average

rainfall will be reduced, deteriorating Southern Africas desertification driving it to absolute water scarcity

along with North Africa. These regions will be able to sustain their needs only if water is transferred out of

agriculture into other sectors thus making them increasingly dependent on imported food.20These issues

could also provoke conflicts between population while it worsens the situation of women and children who

might be forced to work longer as they are responsible for fetching water for the households in Africa.

Another dimension of the impacts of drought is that of its consequences on biodiversity. Biodiversity in

lands and especially dry lands is crucial to the peoples of world as it is a major factor of development, being

the origin of cereals and legumes such as barley, wheat, faba beans and lentils. Drought and desertification

combined with climate changes of the present and the future can drive to escalation of biodiversitys

degradation. Habitat and species degradation and loss could provoke loss of economic and biological

productivity. Such loss could be provoked from overgrazing which causes soil erosion, reduces the overall

protective soil cover and it alters the composition of the vegetation. Plant biodiversity will change overtime, unpalatable species will dominate, and total biomass production will be reduced.21

Furthermore,

drought could have as results insect infestations and plant diseases, decrease in air quality and increased risk

of fires.

Drought can also have impacts on energy as it directly affects hydropower and it changes the growth rates of

trees and electricity generation loss. For instance a decrease at the level of the water at a dam could drive to

huge electricity loss. A great example of this loss is the case of Ghana where the level at Akosmombo dam

fell below 240 feet, during first half of 2007, thus causing a reduction in hydro-electricity generations which

shedding of electricity. Moreover, changes in growth rates of trees affect the lives of people as the scarcity

of other resources makes them depend on wood.

Most of the economic impacts of drought are associated with agriculture and the income generated from

crops. In times of drought, the lack of water can often cause a decline in crop yields, and thus a reduction in

income for farmers and an increase in the market price of products since there is less to go around. In a

prolonged drought, unemployment of farmers and even retailers can occur, having a significant impact on

the economy of the area andthose with economic ties to it.22

To conclude there are three possible ways that droughts can impact the world: economic, social and

environmental. The first category includes losses of croplands, fertile lands, timber, agriculture and fisheries.

The second category includes conflicts which could be developed between population of areas affected by

drought, related to the areas affected by drought or dependent on them as a result of the need of people tofind water resources and to control and use fertile land and other commodities. Moreover, abandonment of

cultural traditions, loss of homelands, changes in lifestyle, and increased chance of health risks due to

poverty and hygiene issues are also possible social results of drought. Last but not least, environmental

effects include migration, reduced air quality, soil erosion and changes in biodiversity.

19United Nations Economic Commission for Africa: Overview of drought and desertification situation in Africa;

http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdf 20&21 It is estimated that nearly 230 million Africans will be facing water scarcity, and 460 million will live in water-stressed countries, by 2025

thus increasing the number of countries subjected to water stress or water scarcity from 14 to 25. United Nations Economic Commission forAfrica: Overview of drought and desertification situation in Africa;http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdf 22About.com: Geography: Consequences and Mitigation of Drought ;http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htm

http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdf

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The most important mitigation measures are soil and water conservation. This way soil can absorb

precipitation and it also allows farmers to use less water since it is absorbed and not washed or run off.

Another positive effect is that it creates less water pollution by the pesticides and fertilizers. Water

conservation is most commonly achieved through regulated public use of water such as watering of yards,

swimming pools, car washing.23

Finally, desalination of seawater, water recycling, and rainwater harvesting are all things that are

currently under development to build on existing water supplies and further reduce the impacts of drought indry climates. Whatever method is used however, extensive monitoring of precipitation and water usage arethe best way to prepare for a drought, inform the public on the problem, and implement conservation

strategies.24

6.Water ScarcityDefinition: According to Food and Agriculture Organisation imbalances between availability and demand,the degradation of groundwater and surface water quality, intersectoral competition, interregional and

international conflicts, all contributes to water scarcity.

According to FAO water scarcity is often the result of water shortage and it is observed in arid and semi-arid

zones which suffer from droughts and climate variability that is combines with overpopulation, population

growth and economic development. FAO also states that water use has been increasing rapidly and in the

last century it has grown more than twice as much as the population while it is estimated that by 2025

approximately 2 million people will be living in areas where water scarcity is monitored. It is also

underlined that two-thirds of the total world population will live under stress conditions with rapidly

growing urban areas placing heavy pressure on neighbouring water resources.

Measures that government could take in order to address the issues require local, national and international

cooperation and collaboration. It is essential the nation which share management of same water resources

such as lakes, rivers and aquifers cooperate in order to face these problems. Furthermore, integration thatconsiders development, supply, use and demand is needed with an emphasis on people, their livelihood and

the ecosystems that sustain them. Ecosystems, like rivers and forests, should also be protected and restored

as they filter, store, capture and release water.

7.ConclusionDrought and water scarcity are issues that still affect billion people around the world although access to safe

water and sanitation have been recognized as priority targets in the Millennium Developments Goals and

Johannesburg plan of action of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. One way or another people

depend on water and it is crucial for them and their activities whether they are farmers, fishers or

entrepreneurs.

It is therefore essential that governments take the measured needed to secure their citizens from water

scarcity and drought which have severe consequences, ecological, environmental, social and economic.

Some of these possible issues that could rise are underdevelopment, famine, disease, decreases water and

soil quality, conflicts between population of areas affected and environmental damages. Clear policies,

monitoring systems, emergency contingency plans and education of people are only some of the measures

that could be taken in order to face the results of drought.

Taking all these into account leaders of the world should cooperate and collaborate in both bilateral and

international level while keeping their peoples need a top priority of their agendas. Right to water isessential for the conservation of life and lack of it can and will lead to fatal aftermaths and chain reactions.

23&24About.com: Geography: Consequences and Mitigation of Drought ;http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htm

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought_2.htm

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8.Questions to be thought aboutDrought is a phenomenon observed in various areas around the world that can impact people, animals, plants

and social and economic systems. While many measures have been taken these years it is essential that

United Nations do not pause or terminate their efforts in order to decrease droughts impacts on peoples

lives and assist countries which suffer or can possibly suffer from it and water shortage.

Taking into consideration these, the fact that right to water is a fundamental human right and the possiblefuture consequences of drought the United Nation Environmental Program should ponder the following

questions:

- How could the connection between drought and food-crisis be reduced? Which are the most

suffering countries and how could they be assisted?

- Could we prevent droughts? How could the monitoring systems be enhanced?

- Have the measures taken in the countries that suffer from drought been powerful enough? Did they

manage to achieve the goals that were put? How could they be reinforced?

- How can new technologies help to these effects of droughts and lack of water?

- Could drought lead to immigration and conflicts? How could this be prevented?

- Which are the appropriate measures that should be taken in areas where water shortage has already

leaded to conflict between populations?

Moreover, although they are not completely related to the area, delegates could also deliberate ondeforestation, climate change mitigation and carbon policies as they are all related to the causes which

provoke drought.

Last but not least a question that is essential is what does the future bring? What is the part of United

Nations and United Nations Environmental Program in this future?

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9.MAPS

Drylands , UNCCD Source :http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2011/menu.php

http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2011/menu.phphttp://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2011/menu.phphttp://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2011/menu.phphttp://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/june17/2011/menu.php

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Drought in the Future, from 2000-2099 Source: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research;

http://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decades

http://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decades

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10.Bibliography1. About.com: Geography: Drought, Its Causes, Stages and Problems;

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htm

2. About.com: Geography: What causes droughts?;http://weather.about.com/od/drought/f/droughts.htm3. Australian Government: Bureau of Meteorology: Living with drought;

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtml

4. BBC: Water Shortage a Global Problem :http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4796909.stm5. European council: Water Scarcity and Droughts, In depth Assessment;

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/pdf/comm_droughts/2nd_int_report.pdf

6. European Drought Centre: What is drought?;http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/7. Find Articles in the CBS: Business Library: Erosion, drought and deserts; when man is careless, water

can be a destroyer;http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1310/is_1985_Jan/ai_3581832/

8. Forces of Nature: Droughts;http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtml

9. Global Water System Project:http://www.gwsp.org/home.html;http://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.html

10.Global Water:http://www.globalwater.org/11.Sara Pantuliano, Sara Pavanello;Taking drought into account. Addressing chronic vulnerability

among pastoralists in the Horn Africa (2009);http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3591.pdf

12.The NY Times: Lush Land Dries Up, Withering Kenyas Hopes;http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/africa/08kenya.html

13.United Nations Economic Commission for Africa: Overview of drought and desertification situationin Africa;http://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdf

14. United Nations report: Desertification, Drought and Climate Change;http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/trends_africa2008/desertification.pdf

15.United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Countries Experiencing Serious Droughtand/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa;

http://www.unccd.int/convention/text/convention.php?annexNo=0

16.United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change;http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/background/items/1349.php

17.UNISDR: China and Africa Step Up Cooperation on Drought Risk Reduction;http://www.unisdr.org/archive/22316

18.UNISDR:Drought: Living with Risk: An Integrated approach to reducing societal vulnerability todrought;(2005)http://www.unisdr.org/2005/task-force/tf-adhoc/droughts/WGD-doc1.pdf

19.UNISDR: Mapping Drought Patterns and Impacts: A global perspective;http://www.unisdr.org/files/11475_MappingDroughtPatterns1.pdf

20. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Climate change: Drought may threaten much ofglobe within decades;http://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-

globe-within-decades

21.USA Drought Monitor;http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/22.World Meteorological Organization: Drought Monitoring and Early Warning: concept, progress and

future challenges (2006);http://www.unisdr.org/files/1856_VL102123.pdf

23.World Meteorological Organization: Drought Management;http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_930_en.html

24.World Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN:http://www.fao.org/emergencies/home0/hazard_and_emergency_types/drought/en/

http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htmhttp://weather.about.com/od/drought/f/droughts.htmhttp://weather.about.com/od/drought/f/droughts.htmhttp://weather.about.com/od/drought/f/droughts.htmhttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtmlhttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4796909.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4796909.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4796909.stmhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/pdf/comm_droughts/2nd_int_report.pdfhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/pdf/comm_droughts/2nd_int_report.pdfhttp://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1310/is_1985_Jan/ai_3581832/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1310/is_1985_Jan/ai_3581832/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1310/is_1985_Jan/ai_3581832/http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://www.gwsp.org/home.htmlhttp://www.gwsp.org/home.htmlhttp://www.gwsp.org/home.htmlhttp://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.htmlhttp://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.htmlhttp://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.htmlhttp://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.htmlhttp://www.globalwater.org/http://www.globalwater.org/http://www.globalwater.org/http://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3591.pdfhttp://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3591.pdfhttp://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3591.pdfhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/africa/08kenya.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/africa/08kenya.htmlhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/trends_africa2008/desertification.pdfhttp://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/trends_africa2008/desertification.pdfhttp://www.unccd.int/convention/text/convention.php?annexNo=0http://www.unccd.int/convention/text/convention.php?annexNo=0http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/background/items/1349.phphttp://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/background/items/1349.phphttp://www.unisdr.org/archive/22316http://www.unisdr.org/archive/22316http://www.unisdr.org/2005/task-force/tf-adhoc/droughts/WGD-doc1.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/2005/task-force/tf-adhoc/droughts/WGD-doc1.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/2005/task-force/tf-adhoc/droughts/WGD-doc1.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/files/11475_MappingDroughtPatterns1.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/files/11475_MappingDroughtPatterns1.pdfhttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/http://www.unisdr.org/files/1856_VL102123.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/files/1856_VL102123.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/files/1856_VL102123.pdfhttp://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_930_en.htmlhttp://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_930_en.htmlhttp://www.fao.org/emergencies/home0/hazard_and_emergency_types/drought/en/http://www.fao.org/emergencies/home0/hazard_and_emergency_types/drought/en/http://www.fao.org/emergencies/home0/hazard_and_emergency_types/drought/en/http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_930_en.htmlhttp://www.unisdr.org/files/1856_VL102123.pdfhttp://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/http://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www2.ucar.edu/news/2904/climate-change-drought-may-threaten-much-globe-within-decadeshttp://www.unisdr.org/files/11475_MappingDroughtPatterns1.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/2005/task-force/tf-adhoc/droughts/WGD-doc1.pdfhttp://www.unisdr.org/archive/22316http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/background/items/1349.phphttp://www.unccd.int/convention/text/convention.php?annexNo=0http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/publications/trends_africa2008/desertification.pdfhttp://www.uneca.org/eca_resources/publications/books/drought/chap2.pdfhttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/africa/08kenya.htmlhttp://www.odi.org.uk/resources/download/3591.pdfhttp://www.globalwater.org/http://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.htmlhttp://www.water-energy-food.org/en/home.htmlhttp://www.gwsp.org/home.htmlhttp://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/droughts/causesofdroughts.shtmlhttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1310/is_1985_Jan/ai_3581832/http://www.geo.uio.no/edc/http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/quantity/pdf/comm_droughts/2nd_int_report.pdfhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4796909.stmhttp://www.bom.gov.au/climate/drought/livedrought.shtmlhttp://weather.about.com/od/drought/f/droughts.htmhttp://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/drought.htm

8/14/2019 UNEP1.pdf

15/15

25.WG-Crop:DROUGHT PREPAREDNESS AND DROUGHT MANAGEMENT;http://www.wg-crop.icidonline.org/2doc.pdf

26.FAO of UN: Inference of a Drought Mitigation Action Plan;http://www.fao.org/emergencies/home0/hazard_and_emergency_types/drought/en/

27.FAO :Inferences of a Drought Mitigation Action Plan;ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/ai149e/ai149e.pdf

11.Fur ther reading1. Agriculture.com:Various Stages of Drought;http://www.agriculture.com/news/crops/various-stages-

of-drought_2-ar20414

2. Almanac of Policy Issues: Global Warming;http://www.policyalmanac.org/environment/global_warming.shtml

3. City of Southlake Texas, Stages of drought contingency;http://www.ci.southlake.tx.us/waterconservation/stages_of_drought_contingency.htm

4. NASA Earth Observatory. Drought: The creeping disaster;http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/DroughtFacts/printall.php5. Lester R. Brown, 2006: The earth is shrinking: Advancing deserts and rising seas squeezing

civilization. Earth Policy Institute;http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/2006/Update61.htm

6. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/

7. Robert H. Webb/Michael Collier;Floods, Droughts, and Climate Change8. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious

Drought and/or DesertificationParticularly in Africa (UNCCD);

http://www.unccd.int/convention/text/convention.php?annexNo=0

9. Windows to the Universe: Effects of Climate Change

Today;http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/cli_effects.html,

10.UNCCD: The Convention;http://www.unccd.int/convention/menu.php11.UNECA : Assessing Progress in Africa Towards the Millennium Development Goals, MDG Report

2011 :http://www.uneca.org/mdgs2011/

12.UNESCO: International Hydrological Program;http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-

sciences/environment/water/ihp/

13.United Nations: Index to Programs:http://esa.un.org/subindex/pgViewTerms.asp?alphaCode=W

14.Water Net:http://www.waternetonline.ihe.nl/

15.Water and Sanitation Program:http://www.wsp.org/wsp/

16.Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council:http://www.wsscc.org/

17.Water Watch: Drought:http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/new/index.php?id=ww_drought

18.Water Watch: Water and Sanitation Organizations:http://www.wsp.org/wsp/about/Water-and-

Sanitation-Organizations19.World Water Council :http://www.worldwatercouncil.org/

All sites were last visited 11/2011

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