Climate change is felt foremost through a change in water availability and variability. An altered climate means changed rainfall patterns, and increased risk of both floods and droughts. Almost two billion people were affected by natural disasters in the last decade of the 20th century, 86 per cent of them by floods and droughts. IPPCC estimates that a global temperature increase of 3-4° C could cause changed run-off patterns and glacial melt forcing an additional 1.8 billion people to live in a water scarce environment by 2080.
This puts strains on existing infrastructure, which in some cases need to be replaced or updated. It also brings additional stresses on farming systems, both rainfed and irrigated. Early Warning Systems are needed to prevent disaster from storms, floods and droughts, but do not always result in pre-emptive action. There were warnings that predicted potential famine before the disaster struck in the horn of Africa in 2011; failure to respond to those warnings at a number of levels contributed to the crisis.
There is no doubt that global climate change brings new challenges. In 2011, China, the Middle East and the United States all also suffered from some of the worst droughts in years, which costs hundreds of millions of dollars in lost income. But, can a changed climate also bring new opportunities, leading to more resilient governance strategies and business decisions?
Angles to take:
- How do we build resilience in our infrastructure and institutions to climate change?
- Can a new climate bring new business opportunities and what are the risks?
- How can early warning systems be improved to protect people from famine, floods and disaster?
- How can farmers cope with shifts in rainfall? What are the latest innovations in technologies, crops, and practices will work?
- What is happening in the water towers in mountain regions like the Himalayas and Andes?