Drought Action Catalyst

The scale of human suffering from droughts continues to highlight that we are still not doing enough. These events continue to be a leading cause of death, socioeconomic loss and displacement globally in their impact. According to recent EM-DAT statistics, between 2000 and 2024, over 1.6 billion people in 117 countries were affected, causing 25,000 deaths and more than $240 billion in economic losses (EM-DAT, 2024). This crisis demands on the ground relief and mitigation actions.

Why a Drought Action Catalyst?

There are many solutions and success stories across different fields and geographies to build from, but access to this knowledge by governments and other decision-makers is often difficult. To respond to this, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), with partners and alliances from across the world, will spearhead an ambitious initiative called the Drought Action Catalyst to support the delivery of on-the-ground actions over the next decade.  

The Drought Action Catalyst is founded on partnership and is designed to support joint efforts in partner countries, through knowledge sharing and solution developments to bring actions that are locally effective, owned, and sustainable.  It is built on two key elements:  

• Accelerating action:  It will bring together appropriate solutions drawn from experience that stretch across different sectors, fields of expertise, and geographies, so action can be catalyzed at an unprecedented scale of impact. It aims to avoid reinventing the wheel or starting from scratch.   
• Strengthening collaboration through partnerships: Foster collaboration across many different partners, including with political leaders to design integrated solutions, raise awareness, mobilize drought financing and investment, and increase commitments to building drought resilience. 

The drought actions catalyzed will come under the following broad areas:  

• Advance futureproofing of drought management policies  
• Co-design and locally adapt cutting-edge solutions, and tools  
• Drought governance and planning system  
• Enhance knowledge sharing and capacity support from many sources including key local partners and stakeholders   

Launched at the UNCCD COP16, this platform will bring together a collaborative network of partnerships and alliances who have combined expertise and experience that span hundreds of countries and drought events. By creating this diverse and inclusive network of partners, the Catalyst will mobilize collective action needed to build drought resilience in the countries and communities where support is most needed. 

Ideas of actions under the Drought Action Catalyst 

The Catalyst will use the three pillars of the Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP), as the framing for solution design, and will integrate solutions across many different sectors and environments reflecting local vulnerabilities. The spectrum of activities will reflect local needs, but these give some examples. 

Pillar 1: Monitoring and Early Warning:  

This pillar forms the foundation of proactive drought management, enabling informed decision-making and timely action to be triggered. It builds upon existing platforms and develop and implement robust systems to monitor drought-related indicators and provide early warnings of potential drought events. By investing in robust monitoring and early warning systems, the Drought Action Catalyst will empower communities and nations to anticipate and prepare for drought events, thereby reducing their vulnerability and enhancing their resilience. 

Pillar 2: Vulnerability and Impact Assessment 

This pillar is crucial for understanding the complexities at a local level of drought impacts and an understanding of the underlying causes of vulnerability to drought.

Pillar 3: Drought Preparedness, Response and Mitigation 

Developing and implementing drought response and mitigation strategies to minimize the adverse impacts of drought and build resilience. This pillar focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive strategies to effectively address drought events and minimize their adverse impacts, ultimately building resilience within communities and ecosystems. 

Geographic priorities  

The Catalyst will prioritize its geographic focus on regions and countries facing the greatest challenges in achieving drought resilience. These include sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, Central America, Small Island Developing States, fragile and conflicted-affected states and transition economies.  

Call to action

The Drought Action Catalyst is a pivotal initiative aimed at addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by drought through a collaborative and strategic framework. The alarming statistics underscore the urgency of our collective response: over 1.6 billion individuals affected and economic losses exceeding $240 billion from 2000 to 2024 highlight the critical need for effective action. As droughts become increasingly severe and frequent, it is essential that we adopt a proactive, integrated approach to drought management that transcends traditional silos. 

UNCCD’s COP16 ambition is to be “more than a critical milestone — it represents a moonshot moment to raise global ambition and accelerate action on land and drought resilience through a people-centered approach.”  

We urge all stakeholders — including governmental entities, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and community groups — to actively engage with the Drought Action Catalyst. Your participation is vital in fostering a comprehensive response to drought challenges.