Climate change adaptation and water sustainability
Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke Queensland University of Technology Australia
CRICOS No. 00213J Queensland University of Technology
Greenhouse gas emissions • Greenhouse gases accumulate in atmosphere and act like a blanket around the Earth, trapping radiation in the atmosphere and causing the earth to warm • Natural phenomenon and necessary to support life on Earth • But too much of a good thing can be bad !!
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WHY climate change and water sustainability are important Impacts of continuing increase in earth surface and ocean temperature • Sea level rise • Increased frequency in weather extremes – heavy rainfall, droughts • Dislocation of people and communities • Degradation of land and water resources • Reduced agricultural productivity • Even with aggressive adaptation efforts, negative impacts of climate change on economies, environment and health will worsen
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Climate change threats to the water environment • Climate change directly linked to changes to the hydrologic cycle • Projected increase in rainfall intensity and variability will increase the risks of flooding and drought – economic losses and social disruptions and adversely affect human health and well-being • Increased temperatures and changes to annual rainfall, timing of wet season, drought cycle, rainfall extremes expected to affect water quantity and exacerbate water pollution
• As water temperature increases, rate of operation of chemical processes will accelerate and depletion of dissolved oxygen • In a warmer climate, polluted water will lead to spread of diseases
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Climate change/urbanisation/water demand • 53% of world population currently live in urban areas (54% in Indonesia) – UN data • Projected to increase to 66% by 2050 (71% in Indonesia) – UN data • Currently about 75% of available water resources used for agriculture • By 2050, necessary to produce 60% more food globally, 100% more in developing countries
In Summary – Reduced quality and quantity – increasing demand a university for the
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Indonesia – in a climate change context • Indonesia is the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases • 60% of population live close to the coast line – low-lying coastal cities like Jakarta, Semarang and Surabaya – significant threat to economy and security • Jakarta is most vulnerable city in SE Asia, and many other big cities particularly in Java, are among the most vulnerable in SE Asia • Sea level rise worsened by land subsidence, salt water intrusion – a major issue in many densely population areas • Significant change in average temp., rainfall patterns and increase in climate driven natural disasters already being experienced a university for the
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Climate related disasters per year (1950 - 2005) in Indonesia
(ADB 2009)
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Climate change implications for Indonesia • Since 1990 mean temperature has increased by about 0.3°C todate and expected to increase to 1.5-3.7°C by 2100 • Average sea level rise about 0.6-0.8cm/year • Precipitation patterns have changed – increase in rainfall in northern regions and a decline in rainfall in southern regions – overall annual precipitation has decreased by 2 to 3% • 30-day delay in the annual monsoon, 10% increase in rainfall later in the crop year (April-June), and up to 75% decrease in rainfall later in the dry season (July–September) • Many large cities such as Jakarta, Semarang, and Surabaya are expected to suffer from an increased frequency of flooding
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Abandoned fish market due to sea level rise - Semarang
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Fish market affected by sea level rise, but still in use - Semarang
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Semarang
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Semarang
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Semarang
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Semarang
Prime agricultural land and urban areas being inundated a university for the
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Key sectors • The high priority sectors identified for adaptation actions are: – – – –
water resources sector marine and fisheries sector agriculture sector health sector
• The high priority sectors identified for mitigation are: – – – – –
forestry sector energy sector industry sector transportation sector waste sector
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WHAT we can do The facts • Freshwater resources are highly vulnerable to climate change • Adverse impacts on water resources in terms of availability and quality and the reliability of supply for various consumptive uses • Urban stormwater is the last available uncommitted water resource for our cities as the demand for potable water escalates • Recent Australian study found that the annual stormwater volume is greater than the volume of potable water used in most cities What we can do • Treat all water types are a resource – ‘use of water fit for purpose’ a university for the
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HOW do we adapt to climate change The facts • Climate change is inevitable – an opportunity to create a tangible sustainable development agenda • Urban environments will need to function under future climatic conditions which are different from the recent past How do we adapt • Identification of ‘water sensitive’ opportunities in the urban environment • Gives rise to a range of research questions/challenges
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Research needs for way forward • Identify the water reuse opportunities available, particularly in the urban context • City as a water supply catchment – a water sensitive city • Stormwater harvesting – aquifer storage – reuse • Wastewater – treatment – recycling • Water sensitive urban design
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Transition to a Water Sensitive City Key principles in the strategy to transition to a water sensitive city from a conventional city are: • Reduce (conserve) • Replace (substitution based on ‘fit for purpose’ use) • Recycle (treatment and reuse)
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Aquifer storage
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Land use planning • Land use change is one of the most influential factors in relation to stormwater quality – research undertaken show that: – Urban growth can cause changes in runoff quantity and quality and may exceed those caused by a changing climate
• Low impact development and creation of water sensitive urban environments can reduce runoff volume and pollutant loads as it entails: – Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) measures – Optimising opportunities to re-use stormwater
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Wastewater recycling • Low cost treatment methodologies • Impacts of micropollutants • Impacts on human and ecosystem (soil and receiving water environments) health
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Optimising stormwater management • Measures adopted to mitigate flooding needs to be optimised to take into consideration: – Future climate induced rainfall characteristics – Future urban growth patterns – Weigh costs against expected benefits – cost benefit analysis
• The importance of land use planning has to be understood – Ensuring the appropriate land use by considering how development can be designed and sited to tolerate flood events
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Climate change impacts on stormwater processes • Pollutants built-up over the dry period undergo physical, chemical transformations influenced by climatic conditions • Transformations play a key role in determining the fate of pollutants, stormwater quality characteristics and treatability • Influence of physical, chemical transformations must be understood and utilised in design, for effective protection of receiving waters • Key knowledge gaps exist
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Urbanisation and quantity impacts • Changes to land use and land cover – changes to catchment characteristics • Changes to the hydrologic regime of catchments • Adverse impacts on the receiving water environment
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Urbanisation and water quality impacts
• Introduction of a diversity of physical, chemical and microbiological pollutants to the environment • Detrimental impacts – pollution of air, land and water • Pollution of air and land also lead to water pollution
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Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) concepts (Low Impact Development) • Use of passive (no energy use) systems – working with nature, particularly targeting the first flush • Combination of best management practices to mitigate the impacts of urbanisation on the water environment (quantity and quality) – ‘treatment train’ approach
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Water Sensitive Urban Design Objectives • Protect the natural environment • Integrate stormwater treatment into the landscape • Protect water quality • Reduce runoff and peak flows – manage quantity • Add value while minimising development costs
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WSUD systems • Gross pollutant traps (Trash racks) • Grass swales • Bioretention systems (swales, basins) • Sedimentation basins • Constructed wetlands • Infiltration measures, sand filters
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Gross pollutant traps/trash racks
Bar Screen/trash racks
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Release net
Hydrodynamic separator
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Litter boom
Grass swale
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Bioretention basin
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Constructed wetland
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Constructed Wetlands
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Contact details Prof. Ashantha Goonetilleke Science and Engineering Faculty Queensland University of Technology
[email protected] Copies of research publications http://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Goonetilleke,_Ashantha.html
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