Bruce Horton update on Climate change and water

1.  State of the World’s Water

As the latest UN Climate Change Conference kicks off in Germany, a new report on the state of the world’s water warns that 5 billion people could face water shortages by 2050, as a result of increased demand, pollution and climate change. This is an increase from 3.6 billion people (nearly half the global population) today. The trends in water availability and quality are accompanied by projected changes in flood and drought risks, with 1.6 and 1.8 billion people at risk by 2050 respectively. It argues that a focus on ‘nature-based solutions’ to tackle water supply and quality issues offer a vital means of moving beyond business‐as‐usual to address many of the world’s water challenges.

2.  Net Zero emissions target

The Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics has called on the government to publish a ‘net zero’ emissions target by 2020. This would be “technically consistent” with the Paris Agreement. However, a supplementary zero emissions target is also needed to cover the period after 2050 when the Climate Change Act ceases to have force. In addition, the government’s carbon reduction plans should be subject to a statutory deadline to avoid delaying the implementation of efforts to tackle climate change.

3.  Climate change – a material risk to long term investments – your pensions – EAC

The Environmental Audit Committee has published a letter to the Secretary of State for financial regulators, including the Pensions Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority and Financial Reporting Council, to report on climate change risks. Responding to Defra’s recent consultation into the Adaptation Reporting Power, the Committee argues that climate change represents a material risk to long term investments.

4.  Utility bosses call for priority to be given to climate change & energy in Brexit talks

Leading utility bosses from energy and water have called for Brexit negotiations to prioritise climate and energy, putting them on a par with security and defence. In a joint letter to Michel Barnier and David Davis, they call for an “ambitious” EU-UK climate and energy agreement in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. They also urge the commission’s chief Brexit negotiator and the UK government’s secretary of state for exiting the EU to develop a comprehensive climate and energy chapter covering both trade and non-trade issues.

5.  Climate change vulnerability and risk assessments EU countries A new report by the European Environment Agency finds that almost all European countries have conducted national climate change vulnerability and risk assessments as part of their adaptation plans to better deal with the impacts of climate-related hazards. It is the first review of how the 33 EEA member countries (including the 28 European Union Member States) have assessed the risks from climate change, and how they used this information in developing adaptation policies to address these risks.

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