Water Issues in Australia. 17 December 2013

Transcription

1 Water Issues in Australia Academic English B 17 December 2013

2 The Issue Water shortage Drought

3 The Issue Water shortage Drought Need to plan for a future with less water

4 Lecture Outline Causes of water shortage in Australia Investigating water usage and water problems from the viewpoint of three important stake holders ( 利害関係者 ): (Who needs/uses water?)

5 Lecture Outline Causes of water shortage in Australia Investigating gwater usage and water problems from the viewpoint of three important stake holders: 1. Agriculture (and other industries) 2. Households (people) 3. The Environment (Australia s most important river system, the Murray Darling River Basin) (Who needs/uses water?)

6 Part 1

7 Water Shortage Causes 1.

8 Percentage of mean annual rainfall, to VS to to to From Water Account, Australia, , ABS 8

9 Percentage of mean annual rainfall, VS From Water Account, Australia, , ABS 9

10 ANNUAL RAINFALL, Australia to From Water Account, Australia, , ABS 10

11 Water Shortage Causes 1. Variable rainfall (dams in wrong places) Water shortage

12 Water Shortage Causes 1. Variable rainfall (dams in wrong places) 2. Naturally dry environment 3. Overuse of water resources 4. Global warming Water shortage

13 Large dam storage levels ABS Water Account

14 Part 2 Who are the big water consumers in Australia? What patterns in water consumption can we see between ? 2010?

15 WATER CONSUMPTION, Australia and Water Account, Australia, , ABS 15

16 ABS Water Account

17 The Agricultural Industry

18 The Agricultural Industry What happens if the agriculture industry doesn t have enough water?

19 The Agricultural Industry Water Affects Affects the Shortage/ regional national Drought economies economy Decrease in crop harvests Affects employment Affects export partners Affects farms & farmers Affects related businesses

20 The Agricultural Industry

21 The Agricultural Industry Inefficient / Over use of water

22 The Agricultural Industry Inefficient / Over use of water Irrigation

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25 The Agricultural Industry Inefficient / Over use of water Irrigation Solution: Improving irrigation i i systems and methods Using reuse (grey) water Researching ways to grow more food with less water Changing crops

26 Households Where do household use (waste) the most water?

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28 Households What happens if households don t have enough water?

29 Households Solutions for water wastage in households:

30 Households Solutions for water wastage in households: Water restrictions

31 Water Restrictions Examples

32 Water Restrictions

33 Households Solutions for water wastage in households: Water restrictions Rebate programs encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & greywater (reuse water) systems

34 Rainwater Tanks

35 Grey water (reuse water) systems

36 Grey water (reuse water) systems

37 Grey water (reuse water) systems

38 Grey water (reuse water) systems

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41 Households Solutions for water wastage in households: Water restrictions Rebate programs encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & greywater (reuse water) systems Installation of water conservation devices

42 Water Conservation Devices

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44 Households Solutions for water wastage in households: Water restrictions Rebate programs encouraging households to install rainwater tanks & greywater (reuse water) systems Installation of water conservation devices National water efficiency standards (indicate water efficiency i of household h applicances)

45 Water Efficiency Labels

46 Water Efficiency Labels

47 The Environment

48 The Environment What happens when a river suffers from a water shortage?

49 The Environment Increasingly more understanding and concern about the health of rivers, and the effect of water shortages on the environment:

50 The Environment Increasingly more understanding and concern about the health of rivers, and the effect of water shortages on the environment: Rivers can die (irreversible damage to river bed chemistry) Increased salinity content Affects flora and fauna

51 Solution? The Environment

52 Solution? The Environment Returning water to the environment How much water is needed to keep a river healthy?

53 The Murray Darling River Basin Most important & biggest river system Australia s s mostimportant food producing region (Australia s Food Bowl ) Runs through h4 states and 1 territory

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56 Water Storage in the Murray Darling Basin July 2000 to June 2006 From the Year Book Australia

57 The Murray Darling River Basin Solution: Murray Darling Basin Plan Returning 2750 billion litres of water to the river system But there are problems

58 The Murray Darling River Basin Solution: Murray Darling Basin Plan Returning 2750 billion litres of water to the river system But there are problems Environmentalists/States: It s not enough! Farmers/States: What water (whose water) is to be returned? How willitaffect it our businesses and communities?

59 Negative effect on farmers, agriculture, and regional communities/economies?

60 The Murray Darling River Basin Solution: Murray Darling Basin Plan Returning 2750 billion litres of water to the river system But there are problems Environmentalists/States: It s not enough! Farmers/States: What water (whose water) is to be returned? How will it affect our businesses and communities? The government is trying to reach a consensus Fewer buy backs more investing in infrastruture improvement There now seems to be much more cooperation between the states and various stakeholders (see this week s reading)

61 Concluding thoughts

62 Selected References ABS Water Account, Australia, Plain English Summary of the Proposed Basin Plan including explanatory notes, November 2011, Murray Darling Basin Authority, Australian Government labelling; incentives ABS Australia s Environment: Issues and Trends, 2007 (Esp. Feature Article: Water in Australia) ABS Australia s Environment: Issues and Trends, 2006 ABS Year Book Australia, 2003 (Esp. Environmental views and behaviour) ABS Water Account, Australia, ABS Year Book Australia Can Australia Overcome its Water Scarcity Problems?, Colin Chartres and John Williams, Journal of Developments in Sustainable Agriculture 1: 17 24, 2006 Australian Government, NationalWater Commission,