Mark Svoboda, Climatologist Monitoring Program Area Leader National Drought Mitigation Center University of Nebraska-Lincoln Monitoring Drought Beyond the Americas CHANGE Workshop Mexico City, Mexico March 5-6, 2009

NDMC International Activities Morocco Drought Observatory Drought/Climate Change Coping Strategies-UNDP DDC NATO Science Program- Czech Republic South Korea National Drought Center Australian-U.S. Drought Workshop China/US Drought Monitoring Project w/NOAA/USDA North American Drought Monitor UNESCO Integrated Drought Risk Management Center for Southern Africa Mediterranean Drought Mitigation Workshop African Drought Risk Policy Forum w/UNDP DDC ISDR Drought Discussion Group MEDROPLAN Project-EC Pakistan National Drought Center Jordan TCP-FAO Drought Management Center SE Europe

Multiple competing values Multiple, competing objectivesEcosystemshealth Hydropower Recreation Floodcontrol Agriculture Consumptive use

Percent Change in Total Population, Source: U.S. Geological Survey, National Atlas of the United States

Drought Monitoring Centre for Southeast Europe (DMCSEE), Slovenia

Beijing Climate Center

NIDIS Objectives Creating a drought early warning information system Coordinating national drought monitoring and forecasting systemsCoordinating national drought monitoring and forecasting systems Providing an interactive drought information clearinghouse and delivery system for products and services—including an internet portal and standardized products (databases, forecasts, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), maps, etc)Providing an interactive drought information clearinghouse and delivery system for products and services—including an internet portal and standardized products (databases, forecasts, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), maps, etc) Designing mechanisms for improving information to support coordinated preparedness and planningDesigning mechanisms for improving information to support coordinated preparedness and planning

Early Warning System components Monitoring and forecastingMonitoring and forecasting Risk assessment: Indicators and triggersRisk assessment: Indicators and triggers Drought risk planning and preparednessDrought risk planning and preparedness Drought PortalDrought Portal Communication and EducationCommunication and Education

Drought.gov

Regional Networks West Asia Network Mediterranean Network Eastern and Central European Network South American Network North American Network Sub-Saharan African Network Asian Network

Individually, many nations will be unable to improve drought coping capacity. Collectively, through global, regional, and national partnerships, we can share information and experiences to reduce the impacts of drought. Global Drought Preparedness Network

What is GEOSS?: The Global Earth Observation System of Systems The Global Earth Observation System of Systems will provide decision-support tools to a wide variety of users. As with the Internet, GEOSS will be a global and flexible network of content providers allowing decision makers to access an extraordinary range of information at their desk.

Global Drought Click on a Location to Zoom to Information for the Continent Zoom to Region: Region

Add/Overlay Map: Pamler Z-Index Palmer Drought Index Palmer Hydro Drought index Vegetation Health Soil Moisture Add/Overlay Map: Pamler Z-Index Palmer Drought Index Palmer Hydro Drought index Vegetation Health Soil Moisture

Tailoring and interpretation of national products needed for regional, watershed and local detail (usability, flexibility) Upscaling of local data to create regionally specific monitors and risk assessment

Where are we now?: Drought Monitoring State of the Science Heightened awareness as a result of IPCC AR4 An explosion of good work/tools/products out there over the past 5 years Impediments remain Lack of coordination Lack of trigger ties to any drought plans Resources Lack of data/long-term data Lack of institutional cooperation GDPN/GEOSS is a way to learn/leverage from one another Many regions/countries are working together to better monitor drought (NADM et al.) Monitoring of impacts globally is virtually non-existent

The combination of the inherent uncertainty of natural variability, plus projections for a warmer climate in the 21 st century, make early warning and adaptation more important than everThe combination of the inherent uncertainty of natural variability, plus projections for a warmer climate in the 21 st century, make early warning and adaptation more important than ever NIDIS offers a framework for integration and mainstreaming of vulnerability and hazard information to support adaptation strategiesNIDIS offers a framework for integration and mainstreaming of vulnerability and hazard information to support adaptation strategies NIDIS is viewed as a prototype for a National Climate Service……could a GIDIS serve in a similar capacity?NIDIS is viewed as a prototype for a National Climate Service……could a GIDIS serve in a similar capacity?

Key issues What climate and water/drought-related triggers are used for management and response seasonal operations, long-term planning (watershed, industry, state, county)?What climate and water/drought-related triggers are used for management and response seasonal operations, long-term planning (watershed, industry, state, county)? How can we most effectively develop and coordinate information for early warning (onset, duration, demise, impacts) into drought plans?How can we most effectively develop and coordinate information for early warning (onset, duration, demise, impacts) into drought plans? E.g. Exceptional Drought Operation Plan, Interim Operating Plan, Power needs etc?

Any Questions? Please contact me at: Mark Svoboda National Drought Mitigation Center Thank You Any Questions ?