Perspective: a vision of a low-carbon water sector in 2050

Water is the new oil and carbon is the currency that will drive the water industry to make significant changes to reduce its carbon budgets. The industry will be a significant player in the carbon reduction commitment in 2010 and will contribute to the UK's carbon reduction targets. This paper presents a personal view of ways of driving a vision for a low-carbon water industry in 2050. It is recognised that a multi-faceted approach will be required that: builds on research, technology and skills development; requires policy and institutional reform to allow new approaches; requires cross-boundary cooperation and systems; builds stakeholder capacity to understand risk and mitigation; and provides financial support to incentivise a low-carbon approach. The paper discusses the potential business, social and infrastructure changes that may result and outlines how demand reduction, water-sensitive urban design (including community-based solutions) and significant changes to water industry operations could contribute to the low-carbon vision. The paper identifies the many barriers that inhibit a low-carbon approach and suggests that the climatic stresses of the future will contribute to the removal of these barriers and to a culture change in the stakeholder base.