Droughts are slow-onset disasters with severe environmental, economic, and social consequences, disproportionately affecting regions with limited resources and institutional capacity. Climate change, land use practices, and their complex interactions exacerbate drought impacts, which vary in length, depth, and frequency, and interact with other hazards depending on environmental, socio-economic, and geographic contexts.
Key challenges to effective drought resilience include socioeconomic disparities, fragmented policies, financial constraints, and governance weaknesses. To address these gaps, this study focuses on developing indicators for assessing drought preparedness and resilience across different country types, rather than analyzing policy responses.
Drawing on a review of 16 national drought policies and frameworks, the study develops a global drought resilience framework comprising 12 global targets, 45 sub-targets, and 129 indicators, aligned with existing international frameworks. The framework is designed to standardize best practices, improve cooperation, and guide resilience-building across diverse contexts while distilling shared dimensions of preparedness and resilience.
The analysis emphasizes the role of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) indicators in supporting proactive drought management, where governance, political leadership, and evidence-based policymaking are as critical as financial and technological resources. It recommends flexible measurement tools and institutionalized assessment mechanisms to track progress and refine strategies. By establishing clear targets, standardized evaluations, and coordinated support, the framework enables a shift from reactive crisis response toward long-term resilience, strengthening accountability, optimizing resources, and enhancing global drought preparedness worldwide.