Drought: Science and Policy

Comprehensive coverage of understanding, prevention, and risk management of extreme drought events, with examples of approaches followed in water–stressed regions

This book describes the progress made in our understanding of severe drought and explains how we can deal with and even avoid complete devastation brought on by such punishing events. It brings forward advanced knowledge on drought hazard analysis and management, particularly from EU–funded research projects, to assist in the development of the corresponding drought management plans. In addition, this book addresses issues of social vulnerability to drought and science–policy interfaces, which are important elements of drought management. 

Divided into three sections, this book covers the diagnosis of physical processes, historic drought and the trends in historic drought, and perspectives of future drought. It takes an academic approach to risk evaluation, including characterization of drought episodes, development of indicators of risk in hydrological and agricultural systems, and analysis of the role of socio–economic instruments for risk mitigation. It also discusses the interactions that have resulted in the complex institutional framework, and highlights the importance of stakeholder involvement and awareness building for successful drought management. In addition, Drought: Science and Policy features a collection of case studies that include the description of effective measures taken in the past.

Addresses the growing issue of drought preparedness planning, monitoring, and mitigation Teaches methodologies and lessons focused on specific, drought–prone regions so the applications have more significance Provides examples of approaches followed in water–stressed regions (river basin and national scale) with drought analyses at the pan–European scale

Drought: Science and Policy will be an invaluable reference for researchers and practitioners in the field as well as Masters students taking relevant courses in drought management and natural disaster management.

CH 1 Diagnosis of drought–generating processes
Henny A.J. Van Lanen, Anne F. Van Loon & Lena M. Tallaksen

CH 2 Recent  trends in historical drought
Kerstin Stahl, Lena M. Tallaksen & Jamie Hannaford

Ch 3 Historic drought from archives: beyond the instrumental record
Emmanuel Garnier

Ch 4 Future drought
Henny A.J. Van Lanen, Christel Prudhomme, Niko Wanders, Marjolein H.J. Van Huijgevoort

Ch 5 on the institutional framework for drought planning and early action
Ana Iglesias, Luis Garrote, Alfredo Granados

Ch 6 Indicators of social vulnerability to drought
Gustavo Naumann, Hugo Carrão, Paulo Barbosa

Ch 7 drought vulmerability under climate change: A case study in la plata basin
Alvaro Sordo, Luis Garrote

Ch 8 drought insurance
Teresa Maestro, Alberto Garrido, María Bielza

Ch 9 Drought and WATER management in THE NETHERLANDS

Ch 10 Improving drought preparedness in Portugal
Susana Dias, Vanda Acácio, Carlo Bifulco and Francisco Rego

Chapter 11 Drought management in the Po river basin, Italy
Dario Musolino, Claudia Vezzani, Alessandro de Carli, Antonio Massarutto, Alessio Picarelli, Francesco Puma

Chapter 12 Experiences in proactive and paRTICIPATORY DROUGHT Planning and management in the Jucar river basin, Spain
Joaquin Andreu, David Haro, Abel Solera and Javier Paredes

Chapter 13 Drought risk and management in Syros Island, Greece
Dionysis Assimacopoulos and Eleni Kampragou

Ana Iglesias, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Avenida de la Complutense SN, 28040 Madrid, Spain. 

Dionysis Assimacopoulos, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9, Heroon Polytechneiou str., Zografou Campus, GR–15780, Athens, Greece. 

Henny A.J. van Lanen, Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group, Wageningen University, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.