Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought
The international community is developing policy measures and actions to help the people most vulnerable to drought to take early action to avoid loss of life, and the heavy and growing losses of livelihoods and damage to property and ecosystems following droughts.
The Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought (IWG) was established in September 2019 during UNCCD COP14, and the first outcomes of this initiative could become effective as early as 2022.
What is it?
Intergovernmental Working Group on Drought (IWG) is a working group set up to develop effective policy and implementation measures for addressing drought impacts in the context of UNCCD. It will present its findings and recommendations for consideration by the Parties at the fifteenth session of UNCCD COP in the fall of 2021.
What is its mandate?
- To take stock of and review the existing policy, implementation and institutional coordination frameworks, including partnerships, on drought preparedness and response
- To consider options for appropriate policy, advocacy and implementation measures at all levels for addressing drought effectively under the Convention
- To carry out the task in the context of a wider holistic and integrated approach to disaster risk reduction and enhancing the resilience of communities and ecosystems
Who is part of it?
The IWG is composed of 30 members. They consist of a maximum of three Party representatives nominated by each of their respective regional groups. There are five groups altogether. The regional representatives were identified from nominations submitted by national governments. An additional 15 participants are drawn from key stakeholders, and include United Nations organizations, the Science-Policy Interface, other scientific organizations, regional organizations and civil society organizations.
How can organizations and countries contribute?
Parties, international organizations, civil society organization and other stakeholders in this issue have made submissions on:
- Policy, implementation and institutional coordination frameworks and implementation measures for addressing drought under the Convention; and
- Barriers, challenges, opportunities and implementation measures as well as preparing for, responding to, and recovering from drought.
What are the IWG responsibilities?
Members of the IWG have the responsibility to:
- Contribute directly to delivering the outputs of the IWG as agreed by UNCCD COP 14 and described in the opening paragraph above, drawing from a range of resources including UNCCD background documents and the resource materials and the work of other entities referenced within them, such as
- Drought Resilience Adaptation and Management Policy Framework (DRAMP): Technical guidelines
- Drought Impact and Vulnerability Assessment: A Review
- The Land-Drought Nexus
- The menu of options for addressing drought under the UNCCD
- UNCCD-led Drought Toolbox
- Other peer-reviewed scientific and technical products and SPI products dealing with drought issues
- Maintain the highest standards of scientific and technical excellence, professionalism and collegiality; and
- Draw in expertise from their network and all relevant domains in the context of the IWG.
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