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News August 25, 2026
Yale CEA and UNCCD Unveil International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO) Phase II at COP17
The International Drought Resilience Observatory (IDRO), the first global observatory dedicated to drought resilience, unveiled Phase II at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia this week.
Developed by UNCCD with Yale Center for Ecosystems and Architecture (Yale CEA) and partners under the International Drought Resilience Alliance (IDRA), the launch marks IDRO’s transition from the pilot version unveiled at COP16 to an online platform that can help countries move beyond monitoring drought hazards to strengthening their resilience. At its core is the world’s first Drought Resilience Index (DRI), enabling countries to assess their capacity to anticipate, prepare for and adapt to drought while identifying vulnerabilities and informing more effective policies and investments. New AI-powered features can help policy-makers, technical experts and the public interpret complex data and turn it into practical insights.
Featuring eight in-depth country case studies across five continents, the platform is now open for review to users worldwide, whose feedback will help further refine the tool. Moving forward, the focus will be on working with IDRA member countries to assess how the tool can inform and enhance their decision-making processes.
María Jesús Rodríguez de Sancho, Director General for Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification, which co-chairs IDRA with Senegal, said: “As a Mediterranean country, Spain knows first-hand the economic, social and environmental costs of drought. Our experience has shown us that resilience cannot be built through isolated efforts. That is why Spain has invested in the development of IDRO and the Drought Resilience Index as part of the drive to proactively manage drought risk.”
A screenshot from the IDRO website. Through its open-source platform, IDRO bridges the gap between scientists and decision-makers, promoting collaboration and ensuring strategies are grounded in both science and community needs.