Drought investment must remain priority, experts urge
|
The National Drought Group reiterates importance of sectors
continuing to plan and invest for all weather events, despite the
third wettest Autumn this century. New review published by 40
academics on how drought will be impacted by a changing climate and
increasingly volatile weather. No areas of England are in
drought, parts of Devon and Cornwall remain in recovering
status. Drought experts have highlighted the need to continue
investing and...Request free trial
The National Drought Group reiterates importance of sectors continuing to plan and invest for all weather events, despite the third wettest Autumn this century. New review published by 40 academics on how drought will be impacted by a changing climate and increasingly volatile weather. No areas of England are in drought, parts of Devon and Cornwall remain in recovering status. Drought experts have highlighted the need to continue investing and preparing for droughts to ensure England is in the best possible position to deal with extreme weather events and a changing climate. The National Drought Group, chaired by Environment Agency Executive Director John Leyland, came together today (11 December) to discuss the proactive steps being taken to ensure water resilience ahead of future droughts. The Group explored how all sectors can better collaborate to join up how we communicate drought, plan for future droughts, and explore quicker delivery on larger and more strategic resource options. Although there are no areas in England currently in drought, preparation for dry weather remains crucial. Parts of Devon and Cornwall entered ‘recovering’ status on 2 October and all catchments in East Anglia moved to ‘normal’ status from 20 November. National Drought Group members heard that:
The National Drought Group (NDG) is made up of senior decision-makers from the Environment Agency, government, water companies and key representative groups. Environment Agency Executive Director and NDG chair John Leyland said: “While reservoir levels have improved right across the country, the summer of 2022 was a stark reminder that drought can happen at any time. “Population growth, climate change and urbanisation are already impacting our long-term water security, meaning that water companies and other industries must find new ways to preserve and replenish our most precious resource. This includes further action by water companies to halve leakage by 2050. “That is why the Environment Agency is continuing to take vital action to secure future water supply, working with water companies to refine their Water Resource Management Plans (WRMPs) and advise on necessary improvements, while aiding other sectors – including agriculture and housing development - and local authorities in their water saving efforts.” The meeting follows the publication of the Chief Scientist’s Group’s review of the research and scientific understanding of drought, which saw over 40 academics from 13 different universities, research institutes, and consultancies come together to review current knowledge about drought in the UK. The review was commissioned following 2022’s record temperatures and subsequent drought conditions. The review explored how drought may alter due to climate change, and what the implications are for both the catchment environment and water management. Working with the panel of experts, the Environment Agency identified ways to improve drought management and research, including how to improve resilience, monitoring, and forecasting, as well as drought communications with the general population. Led by Chief Scientist Dr Robert Bradburne, the Chief Scientist’s Group leads on science, research, monitoring, analysis, and evaluation for the Environment Agency. Current situation England is experiencing more extreme weather more often, with devastating floods hitting parts of the country during the Autumn. As of 30 November, reservoir stocks in England were at 88% of total capacity, and most rivers, reservoirs and groundwater are above where we would expect them for this time of year. The remaining parts of Devon and Cornwall in ‘drought’ moved into ‘recovery’ on 2 October 2023 following recent rainfall, increased reservoir levels and efforts from customers to conserve water. Likewise, all remaining catchments in East Anglia that were ‘recovering’ moved to ‘normal’ on 20 November 2023. Rainfall has improved the water resource outlook by replenishing reservoirs and groundwater. However, the environment takes longer to recover, and it is important we all reduce water use to protect habitats and species. The Plan for Water The government’s integrated Plan for Water is delivering more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement to tackle pollution and secure a plentiful supply of water. This includes:
|