Droughts in the Americas: Regional priorities, early warning systems, and sustainable development

The report details a multi-stakeholder event focused on enhancing drought resilience in the Americas. It covers the role of the UNCCD in global drought economics, WMO climate findings for Latin America and the Caribbean, the technical requirements for drought early warning systems (EWS), and case studies from the Southern Cone and the Yacyretá hydroelectric plant. The document emphasizes the need for science-policy integration, innovative financing models involving the private sector, and the use of science diplomacy to coordinate regional responses to climate-driven water scarcity.

• Global drought trends show a 29% increase in frequency since 2000, with projections suggesting that global freshwater demand will exceed supply by 40% by 2030. Between 2022 and 2023, one in four people worldwide were affected by drought, and 85% of those impacted resided in low- and middle-income countries.
• The economic impact of drought is significant, with estimated damages from 2000 to 2019 at USD 128 billion, although annual costs may actually reach USD 307 billion when cascading impacts are considered.
• In 2024, Latin America and the Caribbean experienced severe climate instability, including the total loss of glaciers in Venezuela, a 21-day heatwave in Mexico causing 90 deaths, and devastating wildfires in Chile's Valparaíso region resulting in over 130 deaths.
• Drought early warning systems (EWS) differ fundamentally from flood EWS because droughts unfold over longer time periods and typically result in fewer immediate deaths, requiring long-term risk assessment and monitoring rather than rapid response communication.
• The Yacyretá hydroelectric power plant case study illustrates the complexity of transboundary water management during droughts, requiring bilateral negotiations between Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil to balance river navigation for goods transport against drinking water supply and environmental protection.
• Effective science-policy integration in the region requires moving away from 'one-size-fits-all' climate products toward localized, user-informed services co-developed with academic teams and specific sectors, such as apiculture and energy planning in Chile.
• Sustainable financing for drought resilience requires shifting from sole reliance on public investment to public-private partnerships, including the use of agricultural insurance and climate-resilient credit lines tied to sustainable land and water management.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2025). Droughts in the Americas: Regional priorities, early warning systems, and sustainable development. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Drought%20report%202025%20English.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Droughts in the Americas: Regional priorities, early warning systems, and sustainable development. 2025. https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Drought%20report%202025%20English.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=Droughts in the Americas: Regional priorities, early warning systems, and sustainable development |date=28 May 2025 |url=https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Drought%20report%202025%20English.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2025droughts, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{Droughts in the Americas: Regional priorities, early warning systems, and sustainable development}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2025}, month = may, url = {https://archive.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/Drought%20report%202025%20English.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }