September is not only the beginning of the school year, but also an ideal opportunity to reconsider the challenges facing each of us. The beginning of 2025 was very dry – many regions of Poland experienced a lack of rain, rivers and lakes reached record lows, and farmers and gardeners struggled with water shortages. Such phenomena have become increasingly frequent in recent years, and forecasts indicate that drought could be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century.
Tag Archives: Stop Drought campaign
A few hours of rain are enough for lawns to turn green and flowers to bloom. For this reason, many people believe that drought is an easily reversible problem, and that a week of heavy rain is enough to stave off a prolonged drought. However, hydrology isn’t so simple. Drought is a complex, multi-stage, and often hidden phenomenon, and its reversal depends not solely on the previous week’s weather. Short-term rainfall isn’t enough to address the consequences of drought. But what does effective “irrigation” actually look like?
Every year, on June 17th, we celebrate the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. This date was established by the UN General Assembly in 1994, marking the 31st anniversary of the adoption of the UNCCD
Drought is affecting Polish cities here and now. It’s not just a problem for farmers, affecting the quantity and quality of crops. We’re also dealing with it in cities, both large and small.
When updating the Drought Effects Counteracting Plan (uDECP), broad cooperation of many groups is very important.
On May 27, one topic dominated in Cracow: how to effectively counteract the effects of drought in our country. Experts discussed the needs and achievements in this area, and students from fields related to water management presented their unconventional ideas. This was the first meeting of this type integrating them around the topic of combating drought. The 2nd “Stop Drought! Start Retention!” Conference, at the University of Agriculture in Cracow, was attended by nearly 200 people. The event was broadcast online on YouTube by Polish Waters.
33 years ago – on May 22, 1992, the Convention on Biological Diversity was held. Eight years later, in December 2000, the UN General Assembly commemorated this event by declaring May 22 as the International Day of Biological Diversity. This holiday aims to increase public awareness of biological diversity and its importance for socio-economic development. In 2025, the motto will be “Harmony with nature and sustainable development.”
One of the main goals of the “Stop Drought! Start Retention!” project is an educational campaign. We aim to raise awareness about the threat of drought, its causes, and ways to mitigate its effects.
A survey on the issue of drought in Poland and actions to counteract its effects will begin soon. At the same time, preparations are already underway for the second nationwide conference “Stop the Drought! Start Retention!” State Water Holding – Polish Waters is counting on just as much interest as during the first conference! The full recording of the previous event has been published on YouTube (link), and answers to the most frequently asked questions from participants have been published here (link).
The update of the Drought Effects Counteracting Plan (uDECP) aims to update the assessment of areas at risk of drought, as well as to review the directions of action proposed in the DECP.
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