Climate resilience
Climate change is a contentious issue – whichever side of the argument your beliefs fall.
The latest report from the United Nations (UN) predicts a 40% water shortfall by 2030* while University of Northumbria researchers predict a “mini ice age” in 15 years**. Climate change is pretty well a certainty. What we don’t know is what the change will be.
As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said in about 500BC, “The only thing that is constant is change”.
Given this uncertainty about what the climate will throw at us in Marlborough – for next summer or the next decade – at SWE we advocate a ‘climate resilience’ approach which may be multi-pronged, such as building a dam as a contingency plan for water scarcity, optimising systems so no drop is wasted, future proofing equipment, planting varieties which are the best fit for each individual location and so on. In effect, we should prepare ourselves to weather the storm, whatever that may be.
A recent Stuff article stated that NIWA has estimated “a 95 per cent chance the east coast of the North and South Islands will be affected by El Nino weather patterns until March 2016… NIWA predicted this summer’s event to be one of the worst in 18 years.”*** As Ward farmer Kevin Loe, interviewed for this article highlighted, even though it’s tough, you don’t have to be beaten by the conditions if you plan for them, “Map it out, then mitigate and manage”.
The prologue to the UN water report states that despite all the issues surrounding water the world faces, “The fact is there is enough water available to meet the world’s growing needs, but not without dramatically changing the way water is used, managed and shared.”*
A SmartAudit is a perfect first step. SmartAudit is our innovative irrigation management tool which assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the entire system – considering everything from equipment to design, and everything in between. The end result is a benchmark report which allows clients to ensure the system is running optimally in the present, and identifies opportunities for enhanced climate resilience and contingency planning for the future.
Preparation is key. Let’s get local businesses climate ready. Talk to our expert team about your options for protecting your business’s climate resilience.
* Source: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/wwap/wwdr/2015-water-for-a-sustainable-world/
** Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/11733369/Earth-heading-for-mini-ice-age-within-15-years.html
*** Source: http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/71686028/el-nino-summer-looming-for-marlborough-farmers
