The Stream, March 10: Global Drought Responses Hurt by Lack of Coordination

The Global Rundown

A United Nations official says better drought management and response requires better coordination between government agencies. Taiwan released plans for measures to combat its drought, while wine growers and miners contend with a severe drought in Chile. A new study suggests temperatures in the northern hemisphere could begin to rise quickly. Microbes in groundwater could be essential to cleaning up arsenic contamination, researchers in Oregon found.

“The situation is expected to get worse by all [climate change] models.The desert is extending very few countries have the right integrated policies to prepare for drought or to manage it after it occurs.”–Mohamed Bazza, senior water resource officer for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), on the competition and lack of communication between various government agencies that can hinder drought response. (Reuters)

By The Numbers

7.5 percent Cut in water supplies for factories in several Taiwanese cities that will begin March 13. The country introduced a series of measures this week to deal with a severe drought. Taiwan Today

0.25 degrees Celsius Rate of temperature increase per decade that scientists say could occur by 2020 in the northern hemisphere. It would be the fastest rate of increase in at least 1,000 years. Guardian

Science, Studies, And Reports

Feeding the microbes that naturally live in groundwater could boost their ability to transform arsenic into safer forms, researchers at the University of Oregon found. The method could be used to clean up drinking water contaminated with high levels of arsenic. Oregon Public Broadcasting

On The Radar

A severe drought in Chile is threatening the country’s wine growing regions and mining operations while increasing the risk for forest fires. While some large companies may turn to desalination, smaller companies fear their profits may dry up soon. Bloomberg

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek