Researchers call on water sector to prepare for a 4ºC world

Research body, UKWIR, has called on water companies, regulators and other sector stakeholders to prepare for the state of the climate in 2100 by “planning for a resilient future in both a 2ºC world and a 4ºC world.”

UKWIR also made a “primary recommendation” that climate risk “is included in water company investment decision making.” And it pressed for the water sector to “consider the development of a sector-wide adaptation action plan.”

The calls came in the organisation’s recently published “framework” for climate change adaptation in which its “overarching goal” for the UK and the Republic of Ireland is to adapt for the climate of 2050; prepare for possible climates of 2100.”

Among its recommendations was that companies should use up-to-date data to create “at least two emissions scenarios.” It said the number and choice of scenarios should be “informed by risk appetite” and include one example of high emissions. And it encouraged the use of “common scenarios across all of a company’s activities.”

Companies, UKWIR said, should consider taking an adaptive approach to investment planning and sharing their lessons. And it warned that detailed risk assessments of climate change impacts on assets including drought and sewer flooding are “not currently done” in all the UK devolved nations.

It emphasised that considerations in creating asset planning scenarios would go beyond climate change to include population growth and other drivers and pointed to its earlier publications on asset planning.

Updating planning assumptions and guidance was recommended in the latest UKWIR report with specific recommendations for regulators, water companies and other stakeholders. Other recommendations covered asset design with proposals that regulators should ponder re-assessing flood estimates in evaluating reservoir safety and companies might review asset design to ensure it “appropriately considers climate change.“