海角大神

With episodes of drought increasing in severity, frequency, and lasting for longer and longer periods, even the most considered and steadfast risk management plans fail. This year, in Australia and the United States, whole states have been drought declared, in Queensland and California, respectively. In response to these crises, governments have reacted in different ways, from crisis aid to ensure farmers (and their families) do not go hungry at night to longer-term adaptation initiatives.

The聽UN Convention to Combat Desertification聽(UNCFF) Executive Secretary聽Luc Gnacadja, stated: 鈥淒rought is not a charismatic disaster, like a tsunami or an earthquake. It doesn鈥�t happen overnight. Instead it is slow and silent, insidiously creeping up on us. That is why its impact is often hugely underestimated. Drought causes more deaths and displacement than tsunami and earthquakes combined.鈥�

Policymakers across the world have attempted to offset the unexpected consequences of the drought in different ways. One key similarity, however, does exist鈥攁 focus on crisis management.聽Professor Linda Botterill, Professor in Australian Public Policy at the聽University of Canberra, stated that faced with worsening conditions,聽government鈥檚 scramble to meet the immediate needs of the drought-stricken.

Central to the crisis management approach is assistance via emergency funding to assist farmers in drought-affected areas. In Australia, more than聽80 percent聽of the state of Queensland has been drought-declared over the past year鈥攖he聽largest area of the state ever聽to be declared in a state drought.聽

In response, Prime Minister Tony Abbott, announced a聽drought assistance package聽worth approximately聽US $300 million, which is in addition to state government funding of approximately聽US $60 million. Key components of the package included: more generous criteria for accessing income support, drought concessional loans, assistance to install water-related infrastructure, as well as social and mental health services.

The recent package is short-term policy response that reacts to the most immediate and damaging effects of drought.聽 Reactions to this type of assistance have argued that the words 鈥渟upport鈥� and 鈥渞elief鈥� conjures up a short-term fix only鈥� a 鈥渓eg-up鈥�, a prop, a brace. Botterill claimed:聽鈥淚n the absence of a considered drought policy package, governments run the risk of ad hoc policymaking. That is not in the best interest of farmers, their communities, or the sector as a whole.鈥�

Generally, there appears to be a聽long-term policy void, stated聽National Farmers Federation聽President,聽Brent Finlay.聽鈥淭his package is designed to provide assistance here and now.聽We need a drought policy framework that (also) focuses on preparedness,鈥澛爃ighlighted Finlay.

In June, a聽High Level Meeting on National Drought Policy Report, stated: 鈥渦ntil 2013, despite the repeated occurrences of droughts, no concerted efforts on a global level were made to initiate a dialog on the formulation and adoption of proactive national drought policies.鈥� There is a聽role to play for government to play to focus risk reduction with complementary drought mitigation or preparedness plans, stated the report.

In California, a US $687 million聽drought relief package聽was recently signed into law. A significant portion of this funding鈥擴S $549 million鈥攊s going towards fast tracking bond money into a number of key water developments. These include the recapturing of storm water, recycled water, and improved management of groundwater. Although the cost and benefit of such projects has not been verified, the Californian infrastructure projects are illustrative of a longer-term focus on risk management in the context of drought.

Drought is a complex problem with severe economic, social, and environmental consequences. Although this complexity necessities hard work and a collective approach, the rewards can be huge.聽Luc Gnacadja聽of the UNCCD highlighted, 鈥渂uilding drought resilience is a聽long-term smart investment聽with a聽guaranteed high return.鈥�