Droughts Hotspot #4 - Final guidance

During this final workshop, we will finalize the research project framework together and write the action plan for the Drought Hotspot.

WORKSHOP GOALS

• Articulate areas for joint work : following the November 7 workshop, review the summaries from each of the four groups and pool ideas
• Write the outline of the Droughts Hotspot : areas of focus and issues to be addressed, key activities envisaged, desired impact, etc.
• Lay the foundations for an action plan : milestones, team, roles.

 

REMINDER OF THE NOVEMBER 7 WORKSHOP

This workshop brought together PSL researchers and stakeholders involved in drought issues :

• Alexandre ALIX, International Manager at Pôle Aqua-Valley
• Sylvie PAREY, Senior Research Engineer EDF-R&D
• Théophile CLERC, Economic Research Officer for Climate Change Adaptation at Agence de l'eau Seine-Normandie
• Isabelle RICHAUD, Project Manager for Climate Change Adaptation at the Ministère de la Transition écologique
• Mathis JOFFRAIN, Senior Natural Disaster Modeler at AXA Group Risk Management
• Alexis GUILPART, Coordinator of the Water and Aquatic Environments Network at France Nature Environnement
• Géraud GUIBERT, Honorary President of La Fabrique Écologique, Senior Advisor and Part-time Rapporteur at the Cour des Comptes
• Laurent DUBUS, Emeritus Expert in R&D at RTE, specializing in "Weather, climate, and impacts on the electrical system"
• Thibaut GRIESSINGER, Doctor of Cognitive Science, Research Consultant on Ecological Transition (behavioral approaches to public policy), Co-founder of the Laboratoire des déviations écologiques
• Catherine SOULARD, Climate and Environment Expert (investment and insurance) at Crédit Agricole Assurances
• Vincent FESNEAU, Project Coordinator, "Forest Fire Protection" Advisor at CNPF (National Center for Forest Ownership)

Non-academic stakeholders shared how droughts are weakening their region or their activity and explained their expectations by answering the following questions :

• What are the challenges and/or tensions related to drought in my region and/or that I have worked on : environmental, economic, or human ?
• What questions or areas of interest would I like to explore with researchers to better understand or act on these issues ?

They formed small groups and drafted a discussion paper, addressing the following issues :

• What are their main concerns regarding drought management ?
• What governance interfaces enable change ?
• How can we better engage in the deliberative spaces where stakeholders develop public policy ?
• How can we develop public policy that is consistent with existing knowledge ?
• How can we develop effective public policy for adapting to droughts ?

DELIVERABLES

Academic and non-academic participants discussed the challenges of droughts in their regions. One issue per region was identified and four working groups were created to consider possible courses of action :

Group 1          Aude                                       Droughts in the Mediterranean arc

Group 2          Southwest                               Forests and adaptation

Group 3          Brittany                                    Anticipating risk

Group 4          Île-de-France & Beauce          Sharing intensively used resources