Meeting the 20:20 challenge

摘要

It is well understood that water management is a global problem. However, what is perhaps less well understood (certainly by the general public) is how crucial an issue this is for the UK. The Environment Agency predicts that total water demand in England and Wales could increase 35% by the 2050s. And yet, climate change projections for the UK also suggest that by the 2050s summer temperatures will increase and summer rainfall will decrease to such an extent that regular water shortages are likely. Managing our available supplies of clean water is therefore vital, and yet even in election year, the issue barely gets a mention behind hot political issues such as the NHS, immigration and the economy. At the last election in 2010 the manifestos of the three major parties dedicated a total of eight paragraphs to domestic water issues - with not one of the three mentioning water before page 53.