use planning, financing water efficiency, developing drought risk management
plans and early warning system on droughts, and further optimizing the use of EU
Solidarity Fund and European mechanism for Civil Protection are suggested actions
by the European Commission. Across all policy instruments and actions, improving
knowledge and data collection regarding water quantity is a critical first step.
Despite such suggested policy options and supplemental actions, currently, the
European Commission notes that most measures applied by the member states
target pressures, status and impacts, and lack focus on targeting key drivers
(European Commission 2012a, c). Adoption of policy instrument mixes, which
include water conservation, agricultural stewardship and awareness-raising campaigns, are highly recommended to combat this gap (EEA 2009; Water Scarcity and
Droughts Expert Network 2007).
2.2.2 EU Drought Policy Objectives
At the EU level, drought policy objectives share common themes. They include:
(1) promoting risk management policies, (2) promoting drought preparedness and
mitigation and planning measures and (3) consideration of financial assistance tools
(Wilhite et al. 2014).
Engaging risk assessment and addressing management practices are essential to
drought policy objectives moving forward (Kampragou et al. 2011). A risk management approach seeks to address hazard prediction and vulnerability, centering
on pre-disaster preparedness measures and long-term risk reduction as means to
reduce vulnerability and increase drought resiliency (Kampragou et al. 2011).
Such an approach is best captured by drought preparedness policy, which refers
to actions undertaken prior to drought events intentionally designed to improve the
ability of institutions to appropriately respond to a drought event operationally. This
is most often accomplished through drought mitigation, which refers to actions
undertaken prior to drought events designed to minimize impacts on people, the
economy and the environment (Kampragou et al. 2011). Even though drought
events are highly variable and geographically specific, differing in intensity,
duration and spatial extent, general guidelines for processes and measures to be
applied and implemented in the event of a drought are essential (Kampragou et al.
2011).
2.2.3 Policy Instrument, Measures and Strategies
In the literature, the definition of policy instruments is diverse and widely debated.
In this book, policy instruments are defined as the fluid tools, techniques or
mechanisms for achieving overarching policy objectives, in this case: the establishment of drought resilience (Bressers and O’Toole 2005; Flanagan et al. 2011;
2 European Drought and Water Scarcity Policies
23
plans and early warning system on droughts, and further optimizing the use of EU
Solidarity Fund and European mechanism for Civil Protection are suggested actions
by the European Commission. Across all policy instruments and actions, improving
knowledge and data collection regarding water quantity is a critical first step.
Despite such suggested policy options and supplemental actions, currently, the
European Commission notes that most measures applied by the member states
target pressures, status and impacts, and lack focus on targeting key drivers
(European Commission 2012a, c). Adoption of policy instrument mixes, which
include water conservation, agricultural stewardship and awareness-raising campaigns, are highly recommended to combat this gap (EEA 2009; Water Scarcity and
Droughts Expert Network 2007).
2.2.2 EU Drought Policy Objectives
At the EU level, drought policy objectives share common themes. They include:
(1) promoting risk management policies, (2) promoting drought preparedness and
mitigation and planning measures and (3) consideration of financial assistance tools
(Wilhite et al. 2014).
Engaging risk assessment and addressing management practices are essential to
drought policy objectives moving forward (Kampragou et al. 2011). A risk management approach seeks to address hazard prediction and vulnerability, centering
on pre-disaster preparedness measures and long-term risk reduction as means to
reduce vulnerability and increase drought resiliency (Kampragou et al. 2011).
Such an approach is best captured by drought preparedness policy, which refers
to actions undertaken prior to drought events intentionally designed to improve the
ability of institutions to appropriately respond to a drought event operationally. This
is most often accomplished through drought mitigation, which refers to actions
undertaken prior to drought events designed to minimize impacts on people, the
economy and the environment (Kampragou et al. 2011). Even though drought
events are highly variable and geographically specific, differing in intensity,
duration and spatial extent, general guidelines for processes and measures to be
applied and implemented in the event of a drought are essential (Kampragou et al.
2011).
2.2.3 Policy Instrument, Measures and Strategies
In the literature, the definition of policy instruments is diverse and widely debated.
In this book, policy instruments are defined as the fluid tools, techniques or
mechanisms for achieving overarching policy objectives, in this case: the establishment of drought resilience (Bressers and O’Toole 2005; Flanagan et al. 2011;
2 European Drought and Water Scarcity Policies
23