Droughts will continue to occur in the future and it is very likely that water scarcity and the risk this poses to the economy, society, and environment will increase due to climate change, and increasing pressure on water supplies from population growth and environmental management obligations.
Results from MaRIUS have highlighted that the frequency and intensity of droughts experienced in the past is likely to change.
This has large implications in terms of overall drought risk. Furthermore, changing patterns of demand, land use, practices and socio-economic conditions can all affect future risk. The models and methods developed, and analysis undertaken as part of MaRIUS, are key to understanding such risks and uncertainty and supporting the transition to more risk based drought management. A risk-based approach will enable the development of management measures whose costs and impacts are in proportion to the probability and consequences of water scarcity, informed by a mature understanding of droughts from the perspectives of a range of communities and stakeholders.