ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the very interesting conference on drought. With respect to drought monitoring, the situation is a little bit better both from the standpoint of the ground networks that we've heard about and, in the longer run, in terms of satellites, which offer great potential. International organizations have a long way to go before they can provide effective support to nations that are attempting to respond to drought. A few things are being done, but the results of the survey that Professor Dregne and others recently did for United Nations Environment Program sums up the situation regarding desertification activities. Turning to the role of government, everyone agrees, of course, that drought response plans are a good idea. A problem mentioned by several people, starting with the governor, is that most people have little interest in drought after it abates and, the politicians who respond to the needs of the people often ignore drought in the press of current problems.
