Lessons from the 2022 European Drought through an Interdisciplinary Lens: working with the Drought in the Anthropocene (DitA) Network

The 2022 European drought was a record-breaking event in both severity and spatial extent, exposing critical shortcomings in current drought risk management across the continent. Drawing on two companion studies developed within the Drought in the Anthropocene (DitA) network, this contribution presents integrated insights from a Europe-wide survey of 481 water managers and hydroclimatic data, to reflect on the state of drought preparedness and institutional responses.

The first study offers a physical-to-policy overview of the drought, highlighting how intensifying climate hazards and rising water demands are amplifying drought risks. Impacts were widespread, with Mediterranean regions particularly hard-hit, and covering central and Eastern Europe throughout the summer. Many countries still show limited presence of preparedness and largely rely short-term and responsive measures, highlighting rregional disparities in response capacity. Nevertheless, the study also points towards significantly growing awareness and preparedness. The second study focuses on institutional preparedness. It shows that organisations with forecasting systems or drought management plans in place responded significantly earlier and rated their actions as more effective. Furthermore, over one-third of respondents reported updating or introducing management plans following the previous droughts, indicating a general learning trajectory in the aftermath of major events. Both studies end by advocating for a European Drought Directive to enshrine systemic, long-term, and coordinated drought risk management approaches in European governance.

These findings were only made possible thanks to the broad, interdisciplinary, and collaborative nature of the DitA network. Its widespread reach allowed us to connect with practitioners across 30 countries, making it one of the most comprehensive surveys of the management of the 2022 European drought. The interdisciplinary composition of the network also enabled the research to speak directly to high-level policy questions, bridging science and governance. Together, these two studies demonstrate how systemic drought risk emerges from the interplay between biophysical changes and institutional preparedness, and how tackling these challenges requires interdisciplinary approaches. The 2022 drought must not only serve as a warning signal but also as a turning point towards coordinated, systemic, and equitable drought risk governance in Europe.