Description

A recent Red Cross report named droughts as the second most severe disaster based on the numbers of causalities worldwide. Furthermore, global climate change is expected to increase the number and severity of droughts in many regions. However, it is very difficult to assess the changes in drought occurrence rates due to lack of direct observations, limitations of many drought indices, as well as difficulties in distinguishing long-term climate change from decadal-scale drought variability.

While some researchers blame global climate change for increased damage from the droughts, others name increased human activities and exposure as the main factors. Understanding changes in drought hazard is critical for developing an adaptation strategy, especially for water resource management.

In this study, we propose to analyze the historical changes of the drought hazard as well as in the water resource system of a region, using various in-situ and remote sensing data sources (precipitation, vegetation, soil moisture, evaporation, etc).

Objectives and Methodology

For this research topic the following main research question(s) could be considered:
- How can the different types of drought be best monitored in the selected region?
- How has drought hazard changed in last 30 years?
- What is the quality of the precipitation records (in-situ and satellite)?
- What are the main triggering factors for the recent changes in drought hazard?
- What is the impact of humans on these droughts?
- What is the influence of global climate change on droughts?

Further reading