Scientists warn of climate change's impact on global river flow
A global analysis of the potential effect of climate change on river basins indicates that many rivers impacted by dams or extensive development will require significant management interventions to protect ecosystems and people, according to an article published in the online version of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. The report titled "Climate change and the world’s river basins: anticipating management options" is coauthored an international team of researchers from the United States, Sweden, Germany and Australia.
The projections indicate that every populated basin in the world will experience changes in river discharge – some are expected to have large increases in flood flows while other basins will experience water stress such that there is not enough water to meet human needs. For example, by the 2050’s, mean annual river discharge is expected to increase by about 20 percent in the Potomac and Hudson River basins but to decrease by about 20 percent in Oregon’s Klamath River and California’s Sacramento River:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: climate change :: rivers :: water stress :: river flow :: dams ::
The magnitude of the changes is used to identify basins likely and almost certain to require proactive or reactive management intervention. The study also finds that nearly one billion people live in areas likely to require action and approximately 365 million people live in basins almost certain to require action.
Specific, proactive restoration, rehabilitation, and management actions are recommended to enhance the resilience of riverine ecosystems and minimize impacts. These efforts will minimize risks to ecosystems and people and may be less costly than reactive efforts taken only once problems have arisen. Proactive actions include stormwater and sediment management, channel reconfiguration, dam removal, land acquisition and riparian management.
Map produced by the World Resources Institute, indicates basins that are currently under water stress.
References:
Palmer MA, Reidy Liermann CA, Nilsson C, Flörke M, Alcamo J, et al. "Climate change and the world's river basins: anticipating management options", Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, In Press, 2007, DOI: 10.1890/060148
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As a result of damming and development, major rivers worldwide have experienced dramatic changes in flow, reducing their natural ability to adjust to and absorb disturbances. Given expected changes in global climate and water needs, this could lead to serious problems for both ecosystems and people. - Dr. Margaret Palmer, lead author, Director of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Chesapeake Biological LaboratoryIn their analysis, the authors project river discharge under different climate and water withdrawal scenarios and combine this with data on the impact of dams on large river basins. The results are presented in global maps illustrating potential changes in discharge and water stress for dam-impacted and free-flowing basins (map indicates current environmental water stress by basin, click to enlarge).
The projections indicate that every populated basin in the world will experience changes in river discharge – some are expected to have large increases in flood flows while other basins will experience water stress such that there is not enough water to meet human needs. For example, by the 2050’s, mean annual river discharge is expected to increase by about 20 percent in the Potomac and Hudson River basins but to decrease by about 20 percent in Oregon’s Klamath River and California’s Sacramento River:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: climate change :: rivers :: water stress :: river flow :: dams ::
The magnitude of the changes is used to identify basins likely and almost certain to require proactive or reactive management intervention. The study also finds that nearly one billion people live in areas likely to require action and approximately 365 million people live in basins almost certain to require action.
Specific, proactive restoration, rehabilitation, and management actions are recommended to enhance the resilience of riverine ecosystems and minimize impacts. These efforts will minimize risks to ecosystems and people and may be less costly than reactive efforts taken only once problems have arisen. Proactive actions include stormwater and sediment management, channel reconfiguration, dam removal, land acquisition and riparian management.
This report calls attention to significant risks facing many of the world’s major rivers and those people who live near or depend on them for water or food. Many of these risks could be reduced dramatically if proactive management measures are implemented now. It’s now up to the world’s political leaders to decide whether or not to step forward and put in place programs designed to minimize the impacts we may see on our ecosystems and people. - Dr. Margaret PalmerThe work was supported by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Research Council Formas, Land and Water Australia, Water CRC Australia, the DFG–German Research Foundation and the International Water and Climate Dialogue, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Global Climate Change Program.
Map produced by the World Resources Institute, indicates basins that are currently under water stress.
References:
Palmer MA, Reidy Liermann CA, Nilsson C, Flörke M, Alcamo J, et al. "Climate change and the world's river basins: anticipating management options", Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, In Press, 2007, DOI: 10.1890/060148
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Sunday, October 14, 2007
EU and Belgium implement program to kickstart bioenergy companies in West and Central Africa
Bioenergy offers an obvious opportunity to break this disastrous dependency on fossil fuels, and to transit to more efficient energy systems based on local resources. For this reason, the European Commission and the COOPENER (Cooperation on Energy) program, part of the EU's Energy Initiative in developing countries, and Wallonia's development agency have partnered [*French] to launch a bioenergy facilitation program for small and medium enterprises (SME's) in West and Central Africa aimed at boosting energy security, sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Senegal and Cameroon will be the first beneficiaries. The projects' local partners are ENDA Tiers-Monde and ERA-Cameroun (Environnement, Recherche, Action au Cameroun).
The agencies recently presented the third stage of the €905,000 ($1.3 million) project titled 'Removal of non-technological barriers to encourage SME energy efficiency by the rational use of biomass' (ENEFIBIO), in Thiès (Senegal), where they explained that the goal is to create an infrastructure to facilitate the establishment of small and medium-scale bioenergy companies who will produce electricity from biomass, as well as rationalising energy use at existing SME's by transiting to efficient bioenergy systems. A first meeting dealt with the ways in which SME's can overcome administrative barriers to implement the projects, whereas a second gathering concluded accords with national energy companies (Senelec, AES-Sonel).
Currently a session is underway at the Forestry Center in Thiès to train twenty experts - ten Senegalese, nine Cameroonians and one Beninese - who will become the projects' directors. They are financial and administrative experts whose competences will be strengthened so that they can help establish the bioenergy entrepreneurs' businesses. The experts will accompany them along the entire project cycle, support them with finance, management and negotiations with third parties.
According to Belgium's Romain Crehay (engineering department of Wallonia's Development Agency), the goals of the project are to strengthen existing local capabilities in relation to the use of sustainable energy for poverty alleviation (helping to achieve the Millennium Development Goals) in developing countries. It addresses sustainable energy services as a cross-cutting issue, providing power to supply the most urgent development needs such as access to food, clean water, health services, and education through new and more appropriate approaches. It aims to help West and Central Africa to move away from fossil fuels, especially petroleum products, used by many businesses and small utilities, and to rationalise biomass use.
Stated objectives for the facilitation component of the project are:
- the stimulation of a dialogue between policy makers and SME entrepreneurs to improve the administrative and regulatory framework
- the training of project developers to conduct pre-feasibility and feasibility studies and on project development methodology
- the development of tools to assist project developers
- the development of information tools to advise SME entrepreneurs on the potential of energy improvement in their companies with adapted bioenergy technologies
- the setting up of an information service for the SME entrepreneurs
Feedstocks for the bioenergy companies and SME's will consist of agricultural and forestry residues, which are currently not exploited in any efficient way. By utilizing the resource in modern, efficient biomass power plants, businesses and regions can 'leapfrog' into a new era of locally generated, affordable, clean and secure energy. In Senegal, abundant residues are found in the cotton and rice sectors, whereas in Central Africa, residues from the forestry and palm oil sectors will provide the feedstock:energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: climate change :: energy security :: electricity :: rural development :: poverty alleviation :: Senegal :: Cameroon ::
Secou Sarr, coordinator of Energy, Environment and Development at ENDA Tiers-Monde explains that biomass resources are abundantly present in the regions where the projects will be implemented. Biomass is used there in the traditional way: on open fires. This is extremely inefficient (around 90% of the energy is lost when biomass is burned on an open fire) and causes health problems due to indoor smoke pollution (note: according to the World Health Organisation, this 'killer in the kitchen' ranks amongst the top ten of most lethal afflictions in developing countries, claiming around 2 million women and childrens' lives each year - earlier post). Likewise, SME's use both fossil and biomass resources in highly inefficient ways.
Sarr says this type of 'primitive' biomass burning makes up 90% of the energy consumption by West and Central Africa's populations and SME's. Hence, there is tremendous scope for efficiency improvements. Moreover, modern biomass power plants not only produce heat (or cold), but generate electricity - a very scarce resource across Africa.
According to Sarr, besides the general population, small enterprises and businesses cannot do without electricity; it is a prerequisite for development. The biomass projects will for the first time bring this good in a decentralised, medium scale manner.
Finally, the utilization of biomass in efficient power plants as a substitute for fossil fuels - coal and petroleum products (widely used in diesel generators; heavier oils are also used for power generation) - contributes significantly to a reduction in greenhouse gases. Even though West and Central African economies are poor, developing countries, they too can and should be contributing to fighting climate change.
COOPENER is the external component of the Directorate-General for Transport and Energy's 'Intelligent Energy - Europe programme 2003-2006'. COOPENER addresses the role of sustainable energy for poverty alleviation in developing countries. It was launched in 2003 in the framework of the EU Energy Initiative, with a budget of €17 million.
COOPENER supported activities have been operating since early 2005 with three rounds of calls, resulting in 40 signed projects in sub-Sahara Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Wallonia's efforts in development assistance are focused on the three Central African countries (the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo).
Translated for Biopact by Jonas Van Den Berg
References:
ENEFIBIO project website.
Walf Fadjri: Projet bioénergie : Une alternative au pétrole comme source d’énergie - s.d. [October 2007].
European Commission: EU Energy Initiative - COOPENER.
COOPENER: Energy Services for Poverty Alleviation in Developing Countries: 24 projects for sustainable energy services in Sub-Saharan Africa - February 2007.
Wallonian Government: Relations internationales - Les relations avec les pays en développement.
ENDA Tiers-Monde: Environnement et Développement du Tiers Monde.
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