Historical and future drought impacts in the Pacific islands and atolls

Abstract Drought is known as a “creeping disaster” because drought impacts are usually noticed months or years after begins. In the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), there almost no ability to tell when will begin end, especially for droughts other than meteorological droughts. Monitoring, forecasting managing in PICTs complex due variety of different ways occur, diverse direct indirect causes consequences drought, across PICT region. For example, vary significantly depending on (i) type (e.g. agricultural drought); (ii) location high islands versus atolls); (iii) socioeconomic conditions affected by drought; (iv) cultural attitudes towards punishment from God natural process that potentially predictable something can be managed). This paper summarises what unknown about provides recommendations guide future research investment minimising negative they inevitably occur PICTs.