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The water impacts of climate change mitigation measures

Author

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  • Philip Wallis
  • Michael Ward
  • Jamie Pittock
  • Karen Hussey
  • Howard Bamsey
  • Amandine Denis
  • Steven Kenway
  • Carey King
  • Shahbaz Mushtaq
  • Monique Retamal
  • Brian Spies

Abstract

A variety of proposed activities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions will impact on scarce water resources, which are coming under increasing pressure in many countries due to population growth and shifting weather patterns. However, the integrated analysis of water and carbon impacts has been given limited attention in greenhouse mitigation planning. In this Australian case study, we analyse a suite of 74 mitigation measures ranked as highest priority by one influential analysis, and we find that they have highly variable consequences for water quantity. We find: (1) The largest impacts result from land-based sequestration, which has the potential to intercept large quantities of water and reduce catchment yields, estimated to exceed 100 Mm 3 /MtCO 2 -e of carbon mitigated (100,000 l per tonne CO 2 -e). (2) Moderate impacts result from some renewable power options, including solar thermal power with a water cost estimated at nearly 4 Mm 3 /MtCO 2 -e. However, the water impacts of solar thermal power facilities could be reduced by designing them to use existing power-related water supplies or to use air or salt-water cooling. (3) Wind power, biogas, solar photovoltaics, energy efficiency and operational improvements to existing power sources can reduce water demand through offsetting the water used to cool thermal power generation, with minor savings estimated at 2 Mm 3 /MtCO 2 -e and amounting to nearly 100 Mm 3 of water saved in Australia per annum in 2020. This integrated analysis significantly changes the attractiveness of some mitigation options, compared to the case where water impacts are not considered. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Philip Wallis & Michael Ward & Jamie Pittock & Karen Hussey & Howard Bamsey & Amandine Denis & Steven Kenway & Carey King & Shahbaz Mushtaq & Monique Retamal & Brian Spies, 2014. "The water impacts of climate change mitigation measures," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 209-220, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:125:y:2014:i:2:p:209-220
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-014-1156-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Torsten Grothmann & Maximilian Petzold & Patrick Ndaki & Vincent Kakembo & Bernd Siebenhüner & Michael Kleyer & Pius Yanda & Naledzani Ndou, 2017. "Vulnerability Assessment in African Villages under Conditions of Land Use and Climate Change: Case Studies from Mkomazi and Keiskamma," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-30, June.
    2. Channing Arndt & Chris Loewald & Konstantin Makrelov, 2020. "Climate change and its implications for central banks in emerging and developing economies," Working Papers 10001, South African Reserve Bank.
    3. Hao Li & Yuhuan Zhao & Jiang Lin, 2020. "A review of the energy–carbon–water nexus: Concepts, research focuses, mechanisms, and methodologies," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(1), January.
    4. Jonathan D. Quartey, 2020. "Sustainable Energy Delivery for Africa’s Changing Climate: An Economic Assessment," Asian Development Policy Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 8(3), pages 214-235, September.
    5. Anna Lukasiewicz & Jamie Pittock & C. Max Finlayson, 2016. "Are we adapting to climate change? A catchment-based adaptation assessment tool for freshwater ecosystems," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 138(3), pages 641-654, October.

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