Upload
future-agenda
View
762
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Future of Water Insights from Discussions Building on an Ini4al Perspec4ve by: Daniel Lambert | Michael O'Neill | Arup | Australia
Context The ini4al perspec4ve on the Future of Water kicked off the
Future Agenda 2.0 global discussions taking place through 2015. This summary builds on the ini4al view and is updated as we progress.
Ini4al Perspec4ves Q4 2014
Global Discussions Q1/2 2015
Insight Synthesis Q3 2015
Sharing Output Q4 2015
Readiness for Water Scarcity Currently half of the world’s ci4es with more than 100,000 in habitants
are situated in areas experiencing water scarcity. To date neither governments nor businesses have done enough to prepare for this.
The Supply / Demand Challenge Will it be possible to provide equitable access to water and sanita4on
services when by 2030 the world will face a 40% global shorZall between forecast demand and available supply?
Desalina=on Essen=al About 96% of the earth’s total water supply is found in oceans and there is broad agreement that extensive use of desalina4on will be
required to meet the needs of growing world popula4on.
Data Analy=cs Data analy4cs can help build understanding on how to use the water cycle
to respond to the challenges of climate change. It can also lead to increased scru4ny of water u4li4es and a be^er understanding of cost.
Real Cost of Water Users are likely to have to pay for the real cost of infrastructure. One short-‐term op4on is the financial recycling of assets and capital. However, in the
longer-‐term we will have to pay the true value for key resources.
Moving Water Water sources will con4nue to suffer from over-‐extrac4on: Mining and other ac4vi4es will move into our water supply catchments. This means we will need to move water long distances in 4mes of drought to services exis4ng ci4es.
Doing More with Less The focus should extend to solu4ons that do more with less: irriga4on
efficiency, automated farming techniques and demand management in our ci4es. Smart infrastructure will help to improve performance.
The Funding Challenge Water treatment can come at a high price. Around USD50 trillion will be needed worldwide in the period to 2030 to sa4sfy the global demand for infrastructure. However, accessing funding is an ever-‐present challenge.
Taking Hard Decisions We know that there is a growing urban popula4on; climate change is taking effect and that the vola4lity in water supply can only be par4ally mi4gated by improved efficiency. We have yet to decide how to address the problem.
Star=ng the Conversa=on Water is inter-‐twined with everything we do; energy, food, health and
wellbeing, manufacturing are all dependent on its availability. At the very least we need to start a public conversa4on about its real role in our lives.
The Long Water Wealthy na4ons with water security challenges lead in the development
of collabora4ve, long-‐term governance models that move away from supply-‐oriented governance to demand management and polluter responsibility.
Water Resistance Technological and process developments make the produc4on of high quality water from storm-‐water and wastewater feasible and prac4cal; driving public, poli4cal and commercial acceptance of recycled water.
Valuing Eco-‐system Services Growing recogni4on of the economic value of ecosystem services leads to core business considera4ons which recognise their explicit value. Natural capital/assets will become more commonplace in accoun4ng systems.
Flexi-‐water Con4nuing uncertainty around water supply will require smart, flexible water management systems to cope with drought and flood, the effects of climate
change and the demands of new industries and shifing popula4ons.
Water, Water Everywhere… New water technologies will deliver water more efficiently to the haves,
easing shortages, but will remain unavailable to the have-‐nots -‐ so driving visible new inequali4es based explicitly on access to water.
Water Wars Access to water supplies will play an increasingly important role
in violent regional conflict, with water assets becoming prime targets, prized spoils and even weapons in their own right.