Lessons learned in institutional preparedness and response during the 2022 European drought

Abstract. Droughts in Europe are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, with the 2022 drought surpassing previous records and causing widespread socio-economic impacts. Using a Europe-wide survey (n = 481 across 30 countries) combined with hydroclimatic data (i.e., Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index; SPEI), we quantify how forecasting systems and Drought Management Plans (DMPs) affected response timing and perceived effectiveness. It specifically assesses the role of forecasting systems and Drought Management Plans (DMPs) in improving preparedness and in facilitating more effective and timely responses. Our findings show that organisations with forecasting systems or DMPs in place implemented drought response measures on average two and one months earlier respectively than those without, and rated their effectiveness higher. Additionally, the study investigates how drought management practices and awareness have evolved as a consequence of the 2018 European drought and how recent experiences shape water managers' perceptions, with 35 % of the respondents indicating introducing or updating their DMPs after the 2018 drought. The findings emphasize the necessity of a standardized, continent-wide drought risk management coordination to address the multifaceted nature of drought risk by integrating climatic and societal factors, and advocates for a Drought Directive as a means to achieve this. This research aims to inform policy development towards sustainable and holistic drought risk management, highlighting the crucial roles of preparedness, awareness, and adaptive strategies in mitigating future drought impacts. This study and its companion paper The 2022 drought needs to be a turning point for European drought risk management are the result of a study carried out by the Drought in the Anthropocene (DitA) network, an IAHS initiative.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Natural hazards and earth system sciences
Published
2026-02-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-26-955-2026
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Hydrology and Drought Analysis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
36.62
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Lessons learned in institutional preparedness and response during the 2022 European drought

María Carmen Llasat, Benedetta Moccia, Elin Stenfors, Marleen Lam et al.
1 citations
Natural hazards and earth system sciences
Hydrology and Drought Analysis
36.62
article

Lessons learned in institutional preparedness and response during the 2022 European drought

María Carmen Llasat, Benedetta Moccia, Elin Stenfors, Marleen Lam, Viorica Nagavciuc, Fabio Russo, Anastasiya Shyrokaya, Pedro Henrique Lima Alencar, Claudia Teutschbein, Faranak Tootoonchi, Giuliano Di Baldassarre, Scott J. McGrane, Serena Ceola, Marthe Wens, Mariana Madruga de Brito, Ilias Pechlivanidis, Elena Ridolfi, Raffaele Vignola, Daniela Cid, Svitlana Krakovska, Samuel Sutanto, Riccardo Biella, Andrijana Todorovic, Patricia Trambauer
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract. Droughts in Europe are becoming increasingly frequent and severe, with the 2022 drought surpassing previous records and causing widespread socio-economic impacts. Using a Europe-wide survey (n = 481 across 30 countries) combined with hydroclimatic data (i.e., Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index; SPEI), we quantify how forecasting systems and Drought Management Plans (DMPs) affected response timing and perceived effectiveness. It specifically assesses the role of forecasting systems and Drought Management Plans (DMPs) in improving preparedness and in facilitating more effective and timely responses. Our findings show that organisations with forecasting systems or DMPs in place implemented drought response measures on average two and one months earlier respectively than those without, and rated their effectiveness higher. Additionally, the study investigates how drought management practices and awareness have evolved as a consequence of the 2018 European drought and how recent experiences shape water managers' perceptions, with 35 % of the respondents indicating introducing or updating their DMPs after the 2018 drought. The findings emphasize the necessity of a standardized, continent-wide drought risk management coordination to address the multifaceted nature of drought risk by integrating climatic and societal factors, and advocates for a Drought Directive as a means to achieve this. This research aims to inform policy development towards sustainable and holistic drought risk management, highlighting the crucial roles of preparedness, awareness, and adaptive strategies in mitigating future drought impacts. This study and its companion paper The 2022 drought needs to be a turning point for European drought risk management are the result of a study carried out by the Drought in the Anthropocene (DitA) network, an IAHS initiative.

Natural hazards and earth system sciencesVol. 26(2)
Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava (RO), Uppsala University (SE), Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (DE), Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SE), Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE), University of Strathclyde (GB), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), University of Belgrade (RS), State Institution National Antarctic Scientific Center (UA), Institute of Forest Ecology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Deltares (NL), Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute (UA), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (ES), Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (SE), Technische Universität Berlin (DE), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), Sapienza University of Rome (IT), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL), Wageningen University & Research (NL), University of Bologna (IT), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ES), Stanford University (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 0%
Hydrology and Drought Analysis
36.62
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.