Lack of water – reservoirs not the answer!

With the fifth heat wave on the way, hosepipe bans in place for many and an increasingly scorched landscape there have been the usual calls for building more reservoirs. 

 

This apparently sensible idea is however not really an option.  It fails to recognise that the cause of a lack of rain is a consequence of climate breakdown.  These has long been predicted by climate scientists but ignored by politicians and policy makers obsessed as they are with growth at all costs. 

 

So what are the issues?

Contrary to the pro-reservoir building fraternity we do not have ‘empty’ land suitable for flooding.  Land is at a premium for food production, environmental services and development. 

 

We need water not just for domestic and commercial consumers but also for the total environment. Without sufficient rainfall the countryside will dry up with severe impacts on food production and the natural environment.  

 

Increasing reservoir capacity so people could live without hosepipe bans would be bizarre while food production collapsed and the countryside turned brown.

 

Actions needed

We need to address the causes of climate breakdown by cutting the emissions.  Previous posts have indicated how the most affluent are responsible for a considerable share of emissions.  We also need to limit the development of data centres, which use lots of energy and water.  Finally, allowing the population to continue to grow is untenable. The associated development is not sustainable. Oh and the governments proposals with a housing target of 1.5 million dwellings and expansion of aviation are utter madness.