UK - English Rivers programme
Fresh water and climate change in the UK
The past few years have seen record floods and droughts in the UK. In 2006, millions of people in south-east England faced water restrictions because of a lack of available water. Restrictions also acutely affected agriculture and industry. In contrast, 2007 saw widespread damage to property and loss of life as rivers around the UK broke their banks and flood water devastated homes and businesses.
Were these isolated extreme events, or are they foretastes of our new and changing climate? What will climate change and changes in our society actually mean for UK rivers?
As part of the HSBC Climate Partnership, the WWF Thames programme focuses on working with government, communities and other partners to ensure that UK rivers and their water supplies can cope with the impacts of climate change. Using the Thames basin as an exemplar, the programme seeks to improve national policies that govern the use of water and rivers, better river basin planning and better management of water demand. It also aims to enhance the ability of rivers to withstand the impacts of climate change.
Why focus on the Thames?
The Thames basin supports some 12 million people, yet covers only 13,000 sq km. This density of population results in an extremely low net rainfall per person – which must supply the combined needs of the region’s households, economy and wildlife.
According to the Environment Agency of England and Wales, London alone has a current deficit of some 200 million litres per day. To make up for this shortfall, we are withdrawing too much from groundwater and rivers.
This has already caused significant declines in fish, mammals and birds. Our over-exploitation of water resources will result in shortages for people too, unless we improve the way we manage our water systems. Climate change will increase the stresses over time as warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers mean less annual rainfall.
WWF is working to persuade the government and other key agencies, such as water companies, to adopt policies and practices that provide sustainable water management for people and nature in a time of a rapidly changing climate.
Creating strong plans
The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD), which requires that the Thames and other inland waters in the UK and EU are thriving by 2015, is a unique opportunity to restore and protect the long-term health of freshwater ecosystems.
WWF wants the Environment Agency to produce strong WFD river basin management plans that take account of predicted climate change impacts. It’s vital that the public sector, businesses and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are all involved. To achieve this, the Environment Agency has established ‘river basin liaison panels’ for the Thames and each of the other nine river basin districts in England and Wales.
WWF’s Thames programme provides support to the environmental NGO representatives in the liaison panels and assists in the planning and implementation of the WFD.
Campaigning for river protection
During the programme, WWF will embark on campaigns and legal actions to force government and other decision makers to increase the protection and restoration of the Thames and other freshwater ecosystems. Following the principles of the Blueprint for Water, an action plan for sustainable water introduced in 2006 by WWF and other leading environmental organisations, WWF will aim to ensure that polluters pay, our rivers keep flowing and we waste less water.
Building strong partnerships
Following the successes of our UK Natural Rivers programme, WWF will support voluntary and community organisations to promote and protect the Thames river system. This model for engaging people will be an example for all the rivers in the UK.
WWF is working in partnership with the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Greater London Authority to produce a London Rivers Action Plan, which will aim to restore 15km of rivers in the capital by 2015. Restoration will include improving the river for wildlife, increasing access for public enjoyment and creating more attractive places for people to live and businesses to thrive.
WWF is also organising a ‘Thames Forum’ where government, businesses and volunteer groups such as rivers trusts can work together. Aims include putting the London Rivers Action Plan into practice, promoting more efficient water use and keeping our rivers flowing.
Restoring the flow
A number of rivers within and around the Thames basin contain internationally important biodiversity. They also provide important social and recreational resources for millions of people.
But these rivers are under threat. We are taking too much water from them to meet the rising demand in our homes, and climate change is leading to changing rainfall patterns. These changes threaten biodiversity and the long-term water security of the South East.
WWF is seeking, by 2012, to return sufficient water for people and nature to three over-exploited rivers in and around London – the Mimran, the Kennet and the Itchen. WWF will also ensure, by working with new and existing housing developers, water companies and government, that provisions are in place to protect these rivers against the impacts of climate change.
