Drought Relief to Proactive Resilience
Prelims:
Environment
& Ecology
Mains:
GS Paper III-Disaster
and disaster management, conservation and environmental degradation
Current relevance:
At
the Ministerial Dialogue on “Accelerating Drought Resilience” during UNCCD
COP17 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, India called for a fundamental shift
in drought management from reactive relief to proactive, technology-enabled
resilience.
Highlights:
UNCCD COP17:
1.
COP17
of the UNCCD is being
hosted by Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar.
2.
Theme:
“Restoring Land. Restoring Hope”.
3.
The
UNCCD was adopted in 1994, following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
4.
It
is one of the three Rio Conventions, along with:
·
UNFCCC — Climate Change
·
CBD — Biological Diversity
·
UNCCD
— Desertification and
land degradation
5.
UNCCD
is the sole legally binding international agreement linking
environmental management directly with sustainable land stewardship.
6.
Land
degradation currently affects up to 40% of the planet’s land surface.
India’s Integrated Approach
to Drought Resilience:
1.
Integrated
Drought Management:
India follows a multi-institutional approach combining rainfall
monitoring, satellite-based drought assessment, mitigation measures and
coordinated preparedness at inter-ministerial and State levels.
2.
Early
Warning & Anticipatory Action: Predictive technologies and localised early-warning systems
help detect emerging dry conditions and enable timely intervention before they
develop into severe crises.
3.
Community
Resilience: The
approach seeks to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable communities to
anticipate, withstand and absorb drought-related environmental shocks.
4.
Shift
in Strategy: India
advocates moving from dependence on post-disaster relief towards proactive
preparedness and resilience-based drought management.
Land–Water Linkages in
Drought Resilience:
1.
Catchment
& Riverscape Forestry:
India emphasises restoring vegetation in catchments and riverscapes as an
important component of drought-resilience strategies.
2.
Soil
& Water Conservation:
Forestry interventions can reduce soil erosion, improve water retention and
enhance groundwater recharge, thereby strengthening the capacity of landscapes
to cope with dry conditions.
3.
Ecosystem-based
Resilience: Integrating
land restoration with water management strengthens water security and
reduces the vulnerability of rural landscapes to drought.
4.
Example:
Rejuvenation of 13 Major Rivers: The Government has prepared DPRs for
forestry-based rejuvenation of 13 major rivers — including the
Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Narmada, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery. Proposed
interventions include afforestation, catchment treatment, ecological
restoration and soil-moisture conservation, aimed at controlling erosion and
enhancing groundwater recharge.
Significance:
1.
Proactive
Drought Management:
Shifts the focus from post-disaster relief to prevention, preparedness and
long-term resilience.
2.
Technology-enabled
Preparedness:
Predictive technologies, satellite assessments and early-warning systems can
support timely identification and management of drought risks.
3.
Ecosystem
& Water Security:
Catchment restoration, riverscape forestry and proactive land management can
strengthen landscape and water resilience.
4.
Community
Resilience: Enhances
the ability of vulnerable communities to anticipate and withstand
drought-related shocks.
Way Forward:
1.
Strengthen
Early Warning: Expand
the use of predictive technologies, satellite assessments and localised
monitoring systems.
2.
Integrate
Land & Drought Policies: Mainstream catchment restoration, riverscape forestry and sustainable
land management into drought-resilience strategies.
3.
Promote
Global Cooperation: Use
platforms such as UNCCD COP17 to strengthen collaboration among
governments, scientists, civil society and financial institutions.
4.
Translate
Commitments into Action:
Convert global environmental commitments into measurable and investable
solutions for water and food security over the coming decade.
Source:
THE HINDU - https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/drought-a-defining-developmental-challenge-says-environment-minister-at-unccd-conference/article71389332.ece