July 2011: At the Expert Meeting on the Preparation of a Compendium on National Drought Policy, a group of international scientists took the first step toward preparing a Compendium on National Drought Policy in the context of the need to develop pro-active, risk-based national drought policies.

The meeting, which took place from 14-15 July 2011 in Fairfax, Virginia, US, is based on the recognition that, with reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stating that the world has been more drought-prone during the past 25 years and that climate projections indicate an increased frequency of droughts in the future, a national drought policy is necessary.

Participants began to consolidate guiding principles for national drought policies based on favoring preparedness over insurance, insurance over emergency relief, and local incentives over government regulation, noting that solutions are region and location specific. The meeting addressed how national drought policies have been implemented, elements of national drought policies, and drought plans. The second day focused on the drafting of a Compendium on National Drought Policy.

This meeting will feed into a 2012 High Level Meeting on National Drought Policy. The meeting was jointly organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), George Mason University, the US National Drought Mitigation Center and the US Department of Agriculture. [WMO Press Release] [Meeting Website] [Concept Note]