Droughts in the Anthropocene: A digital exhibition

Hanna Gjerdi

By GRID-Arendal

December 11^th, 2019

In the age of the Anthropocene – the ongoing period in which humans are the dominant influence on climate and the environment – droughts are closely intertwined with human actions, cultures and responses.

Droughts can last from months to decades and affect small areas or hundreds of thousands of square kilometers. They have direct impacts on water resources, agriculture and ecosystems, and can act as potential catalysts for fires, heat waves and invasive incursions.

There is a growing understanding of how humans have amplified and worsened the effects of droughts on both the environment and human populations. Through human-induced climate change, humans have altered meteorological droughts, and by changing the movement and processes of water within landscapes, such as by diverting rivers and shifting land use, we have altered hydrological droughts. Droughts in the age of the Anthropocene therefore require us to use new approaches and share knowledge to find sustainable solutions to mitigate their effects.

GRID-Arendal, working together with UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP), the University of Southampton and the U.S. National Integrated Drought Information System, has produced Droughts in the Anthropocene, a digital exhibition.

Click to watch the exhibition's introductory video.

Through a number of case studies from around the world, the exhibition showcases the social, environmental and cultural impacts of droughts and water scarcity. It also puts the spotlight on innovative ways to better address the impacts of drought, highlighting solutions offered by a collaboration between scientists and local communities, and showcasing the important work of UNESCO IHP and partners in bridging science with society and policymakers. You can watch videos from the exhibition.

Exhibition and publication launch in Paris. Credit: Yrjan Kvam

A publication available in English/French and English/Spanish has been produced alongside the exhibition, giving a more detailed description of each of the case studies. It offers more in-depth information on the multiple ways droughts manifest throughout the world, and the many solutions that exist to address issues of water scarcity. The first exhibition and the launch of the English/French publication took place during the 40th session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris on November 18, and the launch of the English/Spanish version happened on 11 December at UN Climate Change Conference COP 25 in Madrid.