Environment Agency Boss warns of future droughts and possible water shortages in the UK

Speaking today at the Royal Society, the Chief Executive of the UK’s Environment Agency has laid out a stark warning that the impact of climate change will lead to increased drought risk and possible water shortages in the UK.

Talking about the impact of hotter and drier summers, and less predictable rainfall, Sir James Bevan has called for an increased focus on water quantity, rather than just water quality.

The Environment Agency’s estimate is that summer rainfall is expected to decrease by around a sixth within thirty years in England, and by over a fifth come 2080.  It has also been suggested that summer temperatures in the south of England could regularly surpass 35 degrees, and often start to hit 40 degrees.

With this in mind, Sir James spoke of the importance of an increased focus on adaptation measures to avoid hitting the so called “Jaws of Death” – the point on water companies’ planning charts where water demand outstrips supply.

The Environment Agency has called for a greater long term strategic focus on using water more efficiently, and for further investment in water infrastructure to help bolster supply.

His comments come ahead of the COP26 summit of world leaders being held in Glasgow early next month.  It is thought, that regardless of the outcome of the COP26 summit, global temperatures are still set to rise, leading to the potential UK water shortages highlighted today.

Sir Bevan James pointed out that because of human activity to date, some irrevocable climate change has already happened and that more will continue to happen, even if the world stopped all carbon emissions tonight.   The Environment Agency Chief Executive remarked, “Our ingenuity as a species caused this mess, and it can get us out of it”.