Climate change and water resources policy

 

To closely focus on climate change as a key driver of flood and drought problems is to really misunderstand the key causes here – regional landscape changes.

Water policy determinants should concentrate more on economic and health criteria in respect of water cycle problems, as specific critical risks for immediate resolution.

A lack of regulation (health standards for watercourses; effective competition policy; estimation of/or protection for the ‘greater economic good’ (lack of holistic economic planning); provision of best technology, failure to properly audit ecological capital, etc) is major cause.

These weaknesses in regulation are allowing a progressive loss of our remaining ‘commons’ – an accelerated commodification of water; exposure to risk; loss of local control of & benefit from ecological capital, overcharging for a poor service, failure by authority to take any responsibility, etc.