Final Workshop of the GRoW project GlobeDrought

On November 3rd and 4th, 2020, the final workshop of the GRoW project GlobeDrought took place, organized by the Institute for Environment and Human Security of the United Nations University (UNU-EHS). At the virtual event, 74 participants addressed questions relating to the characterization, prognosis, monitoring and risk minimization of drought events.

The overarching goals of the workshop were (1) taking stock of pressing political needs regarding droughts and associated risks, (2) creating a common knowledge base and identifying research gaps, and (3) developing recommendations for science, practice and policy.

While the first day of the workshop focused on the global scale, the second day took a closer look at South Africa. In addition to keynotes and project presentations by national and international stakeholders, group discussions took place that enabled the exchange between the 74 participants from science, government organizations, the private sector and civil society.

One of the identified conclusions of the final workshop is that successful drought risk management can only take place across sectors and scales. In this context, there is a need to identify political decision-makers as well as to strengthen responsible ministries and institutions. In addition, it is crucial to tailor drought-related information and tools to the specific sectors and scales to ensure they fit the purpose and contribute to bridging the gap between science and practice.

More information on the GlobeDrought final workshop is available here.