TOWARDS NATIONAL DROUGHT POLICIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REGION WHITE PAPER This document was discussed at the Regional Conference on Drought Preparedness for Latin America and the Caribbean Region Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, 14–16 August, 2017, organized by the UNCCD, FAO, WMO and the Government of Bolivia. Editors: Daniel Tsegai (UNCCD), Robert Stefanski (WMO) and Patricia Mejias Moreno (FAO) Author: Antonio Magalhaes Graphic Design: Helga Karsten (UNCCD) United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) UN Campus Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1 53113 Bonn Germany Tel: +49-228 / 815-2800 Fax: +49-228 / 815-2898/99 www.unccd.int [email protected] All rights reserved Publication does not imply endorsement Printed in Germany on recycled paper. Published by UNCCD, Bonn, Germany April 2018 © UNCCD, 2018 Disclaimer The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the agencies or countries involved in this project. The designations employed in the White Paper and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the UN agencies. Unless otherwise indicated, the ideas and opinions expressed by the contributors do not necessarily represent the views of their employers. The publishers would welcome being notified of any remaining errors identified that the editing process might have missed. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................................................5 Acronyms ...............................................................................................................................................5 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................7 Introduction: Drought policies, planning and management in LAC .....................................9 Section 1: Three pillars of a drought policy ..............................................................................10 Pillar 1: Monitoring and early warning (MEW) ................................................................10 Drought monitoring .............................................................................................................10 Climate forecasting ..............................................................................................................13 Early warning systems (EWS) ...........................................................................................15 Pillar 2: Vulnerability and impact assessments ...............................................................16 Drought as a hazard ............................................................................................................17 Vulnerability ...........................................................................................................................17 Economic, social and environmental impacts ............................................................19 What is being done? ............................................................................................................20 Methodologies of impact studies ...................................................................................21 Methodologies of vulnerability studies ........................................................................21 Options for drought policies .............................................................................................22 Pillar 3: Mitigation and response ..........................................................................................22 Mitigation strategy .............................................................................................................23 Drought response ...............................................................................................................24 Section 2: Drought preparedness at national level................................................................25 Section 3: International and regional cooperation .................................................................26 Section 4: The ten-step process and the three pillar structure ........................................27 Section 5: Institutional, financial and gender dimensions ...................................................28 Coordination, implementation and stakeholder participation ....................................28 Coordination.........................................................................................................................28 Implementation ..................................................................................................................28 Capacity building ................................................................................................................29 Participation and gender .................................................................................................29 Sources of financing ..........................................................................................................29 Evaluation .............................................................................................................................29 Final Remarks: Drought policies and political will .................................................................29 Annex I: Drylands and drought in LAC ........................................................................................30 Aridity indices .............................................................................................................................30 Impacts of droughts in LAC ....................................................................................................32 Response to drought in LAC ..................................................................................................34 How to reduce the impacts of drought ..............................................................................35 Annex II: Towards national drought policies ............................................................................36 Disaster management cycle ..................................................................................................36 The Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) (2005-2015) ...................................................37 The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 ............................37 High-level Meeting on National Drought Policy (HMNDP) ..........................................37 Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP).................................................37 UN-Water initiative on Capacity Development to Support National Drought Management Policies (NDMP) and the LAC workshop ...............................38 UNCCD and the emphasis on drought risk mitigation: .................................................38 COP 11 .................................................................................................................................38 COP 12: ................................................................................................................................38 Africa Drought Conference ............................................................................................39 Latin America and the Caribbean Drought Policy Conference ...........................39 Santa Cruz de la Sierra Drought Conference Declaration ....................................40 COP 13: ................................................................................................................................40 The UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement ..............................................................................40 The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) .....................................................................................40 Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) ...................................41 References ..........................................................................................................................................42 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A previous version of this White Paper was prepared by and representatives of FAO, WMO, the World Bank and Antonio Rocha Magalhães, consultant to the UNCCD, the government of Bolivia. and Marilia Castelo Magalhães. During the preparation The following document was extensively discussed during of the document, they counted on continuous guidance the Conference. Special thanks go to all participants and and advice of Daniel Tsegai of UNCCD, Mohamed Bazza to the three Working Groups whose review of the White and Patricia Mejias Moreno of FAO and Robert Stefanski Paper offered valuable comments and suggestions. of WMO. Additional written comments were received from Patricia Mejias Moreno, Emilio Garcia, Jason P. Williams, Ana Maria This White Paper is an outcome of the Regional Rivero Santos, Eduardo Sávio Martins, Norma Munguía Conference on Drought Preparedness in LAC Region, Aldaraca, David Ortega-Gaucin, and Pablo Viegas Aurélio. held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, on 14–16 August, A special recognition goes to the Government of Bolivia, 2017. The conference was organized by UNCCD, FAO, especially the Bolivian Minister of Environment, His WMO and the government of Bolivia, and was attended Excellency Mr. Carlos René Ortuño Yáñez and his team by national focal points of the UNCCD in the LAC region who hosted the conference. ACRONYMS