Comparison of suitable drought indices for climate change impacts assessment over Australia towards resource management.

The article presents a study on the environmental and socio-economic impacts of droughts in Australia. It stresses the country's exposure to climate variability and limitations of adaptive capacity. Two drought indices which include the Rainfall Deciles-based Drought Index and the Soil-Moisture Deciles-based Drought Index are compared in the study. The indices assess future droughts over the country under global warming ascribed to low and high greenhouse gas emission scenarios focusing on 2030 and 2070. According to the study, increase in drought frequency have importance for natural resource management, water security planning, water demand management strategies, and drought relief payments.