Andrew Lorrey, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; Ben Noll, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, and Lauren Vargo, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Auckland’s extreme drought and the rapid retreat of glaciers in the Southern Alps both highlight how important long-term observations are for water management policy and planning.
The disasters have come one after another. While they may not be entirely preventable, we can take many practical steps tailored to local needs and conditions to reduce the impacts on our cities.
Unstable funding, social distancing and the likelihood that other countries won’t be able to help — these all raise the potential of a nightmarish scenario.
Arnagretta Hunter, Australian National University and John Hewson, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Other existential risks include the decline of natural resources (particularly water), human population growth beyond the Earth’s carrying capacity, and nuclear weapons.
Daniel Connell, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
There’s little transparency or clarity about how much water states are allocated. This failure in communication and leadership across such a vital system must change.
COVID-19 is showing us we must work collectively to put resilience alongside efficiency as the primary drivers for the systems we depend upon each and every day for food.
Concentrations of carbon dioxide are now 147% above pre-industrial levels, according to a definitive report by the World Meteorological Organisation released today.
Future extremes from the Indian Ocean will be acting on top of global warming, giving a double whammy effect, like the record-breaking heat and drought we saw in 2019.
A new study finds 70% of Amazonian dung beetles were killed by the severe fire and droughts of 2015 to 2016. By spreading seeds and poop, dung beetles fertilize forests and aid regrowth of vegetation.
Five capital city water storages fell over summer, and some appear to be facing dramatic long-term declines. Late drenching rains fell on southeastern Australia, but some unlucky centres missed out.