29th February 2012
Lancaster Environment Centre
Lancaster University
Catchment Change Network hosts NERC Water Security Knowledge Exchange Programme (WSKEP) workshop. Lead presentations for the workshop and facilitated discussion include:
Martin Furness, Principal Scientist Ofwat
Keith Beven, Professor of Hydrology and Fluid Dynamics, Lancaster University
Phil Haygarth, Professor of Soil and Water Science, Lancaster University
Kieran Conlan, Managing Director Cascade Consulting
Water security is focused on preventing a gap between supply and demand. The threat of population growth and climate change may make this problematic and it will be essential for businesses, investors, regulators and government agencies to understand their water-related vulnerability, and the value of water-related ecosystem services. Understanding these factors is vital to protect both the environment and our economy. It is important to develop more accurate data about the services that water provides and the risks that it poses, and to transform this data into practical tools for stakeholders to use.
Business interests and sectors are impacted by current water related risks, notably droughts and floods. Conversely, the water environment is impacted by the business and commercial sector through pollution and water abstraction. These risks are likely to change in the future as a result of climate change. Are the risks adequately known and quantified? Are we making the most of our data and models to explore future risk related scenarios?
