'Drought Proofing' Australian Cities: Implications for Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainability
Urban water management in Australia faces increasing pressure to deal with the challenges of droughts, growing population and the climate change uncertainty. Addressing these challenges is an opportunity to incorporate the parallel goals of sustainable water management and climate change adaptation through holistic, non-technical means. This paper presents case studies from Perth and Sydney which show how despite robust adaptation plans and experience, recent efforts to 'drought proof' cities have focused on supply-side measures (i.e. desalination), rather than rethinking how water is used and managing demand. The trend towards desalination as a climate adaptation measure raises questions about the sustainability of urban water futures in Australia.
[1] B. West and P. Smith, "Drought, discourse, and Durkheim: a research
note," Journal of Sociology, vol. 32, p. 93, 1996.
[2] J. Williams, "Can we myth-proof Australia?," Australasian Science, vol.
24, pp. 40-41, 2003.
[3] B. Preston and R. Jones, "Climate change impacts on Australia and the
benefits of early action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions,"
CSIRO 2006.
[4] B. Bates, P. Hope, B. Ryan, I. Smith, S. Charles, "Key findings from the
Indian Ocean Climate Initiative and their impact on policy development
in Australia," Climatic Change, vol. 89, pp. 339-354, 2008.
[5] M. Kiparsky and P. H. Gleick. (2003, Climate change and California
water resources: A survey and summary of the literature. Available:
http://www.waterplan.water.ca.gov/docs/cwpu2005/Vol_4/06-
Global%20Climate%20Change/V4PRD1-PacInstCliWtrRev.pdf
[6] Z. Kundzewicz, et al., "The implications of projected climate change for
freshwater resources and their management," Hydrological Sciences
Journal, vol. 53, pp. 3-10, 2008.
[7] R. Jones and C. Brooke, "Adapting Australia's water resources to a
changing climate," CSIRO Atmospheric Research 2005.
[8] P. H. Gleick, "The changing water paradigm. A look at twenty-first
century water resources development," Water International, vol. 25, pp.
127-138, 2000.
[9] M. Starkl and N. Brunner, "Feasibility versus sustainability in urban
water management," Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 71,
pp. 245-260, 2004.
[10] T. W. Fitzhugh and B. D. Richter, "Quenching urban thirst: growing
cities and their impacts on freshwater ecosystems," BioScience, vol. 54,
pp. 741-754, 2004.
[11] C. Pahl-Wostl, "Requirements for adaptive water management," in
Adaptive and Integrated Water Management: Coping with complexity
and uncertainty, C. Pahl-Wostl, Kabat, P., Moltgen, J. , Ed., ed New
York: Springer, 2008.
[12] M. Sophocleous, "Climate change: Why should water professionals
care?," Groundwater, vol. 42, 2004.
[13] G. Syme, "Sustainability in Urban Water Futures," in Troubled Waters:
Confronting the Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, P. Troy, Ed.,
Canberra: ANU E-Press, 2008.
[14] P. Milly, et al., "Stationarity is dead: Whither water management?,"
Science vol. 319, pp. 573-574, 2008.
[15] R. de Graff, N van de Gisen, F. Van de Ven, "The closed city as a
strategy to reduce vulnerability of urban areas for climate change,"
Water Science and Technology, vol. 56, pp. 165-173, 2007.
[16] C. Pahl-Wostl, "Transitions towards adaptive management of water
facing climate and global change," Water Resources Management, vol.
21, pp. 49-62, 2007.
[17] E. Tompkins and N. Adger, "Does adaptive management of natural
resources enhance resilience to climate change?," Ecology and Society,
vol. 9, p. 10, 2004.
[18] C. Allan and A. Curtis, "Nipped in the bud: Why regional scale adaptive
management is not blooming," Environmental Management vol. 36, pp.
414-425, 2005.
[19] C. Pahl-Wostl, "Towards sustainability in the water sector-The
importance of human actors and processes of social learning," Aquatic
Sciences-Research Across Boundaries, vol. 64, pp. 394-411, 2002.
[20] R. Lempert and D. Groves, "Identifying and evaluating robust adaptive
policy responses to climate change for water management agencies in
the American West," Technological Forecasting and Social Change,
2010.
[21] W. V. Aird, The Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage of Sydney.
Kingsgrove: Halstead Press, 1961.
[22] M. Cathcart, The Water Dreamers. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2009.
[23] S. Dovers, "Urban water: Policy, institutions and government," in
Troubled Waters: Confronting the Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, ed
Canberra: ANU E-Press, 2008.
[24] J. McKay, "Water institutional reforms in Australia," Water Policy, vol.
7, pp. 35-52, 2005.
[25] S. Bell and A. Park, "The problematic metagovernance of networks:
water reform in New South Wales," Journal of Public Policy, vol. 26,
pp. 63-83, 2006.
[26] K. Hussey and S. Dovers, "Trajectories in Australian water policy,"
Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, pp. 36-50,
2006.
[27] D. Mercer, L. Christensen, M. Buxton, "Squandering the futureÔÇö
Climate change, policy failure and the water crisis in Australia," Futures,
vol. 39, pp. 272-287, 2007.
[28] D. Connell, et al., "A critical analysis of the National Water Initiative "
The Australiasian Journal of Natural Resources Law and Policy, vol.
10, 2005.
[29] Commonwealth of Australia, "Intergovernmental Agreement on a
National Water Initiative," ed, 2004.
[30] R. Heathcote, "Drought in Australia: a problem of perception,"
Geographical Review, vol. 59, pp. 175-194, 1969.
[31] Government of NSW, "Metropolitan Water Plan," ed: Metropolitan
Water Directorate, Government of NSW, 2006.
[32] W. Medd and H. Chappells, "Drought, demand and the scale of
resilience: challenges for interdisciplinarity in practice,"
Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, vol. 32, pp. 233-248, 2007.
[33] J. Chong and S. White, "Decisions for the urban drought: Paternalism or
participation?," 2007.
[34] Government of NSW, "February 2006 Progress Report: Metropolitan
Water Plan, Securing Sydney's Water Supply," NSW Government, 2006.
[35] A. Aspinall and A. Smart, "Water and the electricity generation industry:
implications of use," National Water Commission, 2009.
[36] M. Glantz, Weather- and climate-proofing: dreaming the impossible
dream. Fragilecologies, 2006
Available: http://www.fragilecologies.com/jan20_06.html
[37] S. Power, B. Sadler, and N. Nicholls, "The influence of climate science
on water management in Western Australia: Lessons for climate
scientists," Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, pp. 839-
844, 2005.
[38] G. Davison, "Down the gurgler: Historical influence on Australian
domestic water consumption," in Troubled Waters: Confronting the
Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, P. Troy, Ed., ed Canberra: ANU EPress,
2008.
[39] B. Sadler, "Informed adaptation to a changed climate state: Is southwestern
Australia a national canary?" Indian Ocean Climate Initiative,
2000.
[40] B. Bates and G. Hughes, "Adaptation Measures for Metropolitan Water
Supply for Perth, Western Australia," in Climate Change Adaptation in
the Water Sector, F. Ludwig, Pavel, K., Schaik, H., and van der Valk,
M., Ed., ed: Earthscan/James & James, 2009, p. 187.
[41] Water Corporation, "Integrated water supply scheme source
development plan 2005 - Planning Horizon 2005-2050," W. C. o. W.
Australia, Ed., ed. Perth, 2005.
[42] I. El Saliby, Y. Okour, H.K. Shon, J. Kandasamy, I. Kim, "Desalination
plants in Australia, review and facts," Desalination, vol. 247, pp. 1-14,
2009.
[43] G. Crisp, "Seawater desalination in Australia and the Perth experienceÔÇö
a sustainable solution," presented at the International Salinity Forum:
Salinty, water and society --global issues, local action, Adelaide 30
March-3 April 2008, 2008.
[44] P. Dickie, "Making Water, Desalination: option or distraction for a
thirsty world," WWF, 2007.
[45] G. Roberts, "Water fight a running battle," in The Australian (online
edition), ed. Sydney: News Limited, 2008.
[46] Western Australian Government, Water Agencies (Water Use) By-laws
2007 - Schedule 2, Western Australian Consolidated Regulations, 2007.
[47] C. Sonti, "Winter sprinkler bans to become permanent," in WA Today
(online), Perth: Fairfax Digital, 2009.
[48] D. Brennan, "Will we all be rooned without a desal plant? Hanrahan's
lament and the problem of urban water planning under climate change,"
Agenda, vol. 15, 2008.
[49] T. Flannery, The Weather Makers: The history and future impact of
climate change. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2005.
[50] Government of NSW, "Meeting the challenges - securing Sydney's water
future- The Metropolitan Water Plan," ed. Sydney: NSW Government,
2004.
[51] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Water saving efforts stop $1 billion dam
and create new nature reserve," Media Release, SCA, 2002.
[52] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report -14
July- 28 July 2005," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2005.
[53] J. Gibson, "Water restrictions: what's been saved?," in Sydney Morning
Herald (online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2005.
[54] W. Frew and M. Moore, "Murky waters," in Sydney Morning Herald
(online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2005.
[55] W. Frew, "City desalination plant is not the solution - poll," in Sydney
Morning Herald (online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2005.
[56] A. Davies, "Water wars: it's the sea or underground," in Sydney Morning
Herald (online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2007.
[57] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report - 8
February 2007," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2007.
[58] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report -
29 March 2007," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2007.
[59] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report -
19 July 2007," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2007.
[60] A. Clennell, "Pay $275, including desal tax," in Sydney Morning Herald
(online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2007.
[1] B. West and P. Smith, "Drought, discourse, and Durkheim: a research
note," Journal of Sociology, vol. 32, p. 93, 1996.
[2] J. Williams, "Can we myth-proof Australia?," Australasian Science, vol.
24, pp. 40-41, 2003.
[3] B. Preston and R. Jones, "Climate change impacts on Australia and the
benefits of early action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions,"
CSIRO 2006.
[4] B. Bates, P. Hope, B. Ryan, I. Smith, S. Charles, "Key findings from the
Indian Ocean Climate Initiative and their impact on policy development
in Australia," Climatic Change, vol. 89, pp. 339-354, 2008.
[5] M. Kiparsky and P. H. Gleick. (2003, Climate change and California
water resources: A survey and summary of the literature. Available:
http://www.waterplan.water.ca.gov/docs/cwpu2005/Vol_4/06-
Global%20Climate%20Change/V4PRD1-PacInstCliWtrRev.pdf
[6] Z. Kundzewicz, et al., "The implications of projected climate change for
freshwater resources and their management," Hydrological Sciences
Journal, vol. 53, pp. 3-10, 2008.
[7] R. Jones and C. Brooke, "Adapting Australia's water resources to a
changing climate," CSIRO Atmospheric Research 2005.
[8] P. H. Gleick, "The changing water paradigm. A look at twenty-first
century water resources development," Water International, vol. 25, pp.
127-138, 2000.
[9] M. Starkl and N. Brunner, "Feasibility versus sustainability in urban
water management," Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 71,
pp. 245-260, 2004.
[10] T. W. Fitzhugh and B. D. Richter, "Quenching urban thirst: growing
cities and their impacts on freshwater ecosystems," BioScience, vol. 54,
pp. 741-754, 2004.
[11] C. Pahl-Wostl, "Requirements for adaptive water management," in
Adaptive and Integrated Water Management: Coping with complexity
and uncertainty, C. Pahl-Wostl, Kabat, P., Moltgen, J. , Ed., ed New
York: Springer, 2008.
[12] M. Sophocleous, "Climate change: Why should water professionals
care?," Groundwater, vol. 42, 2004.
[13] G. Syme, "Sustainability in Urban Water Futures," in Troubled Waters:
Confronting the Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, P. Troy, Ed.,
Canberra: ANU E-Press, 2008.
[14] P. Milly, et al., "Stationarity is dead: Whither water management?,"
Science vol. 319, pp. 573-574, 2008.
[15] R. de Graff, N van de Gisen, F. Van de Ven, "The closed city as a
strategy to reduce vulnerability of urban areas for climate change,"
Water Science and Technology, vol. 56, pp. 165-173, 2007.
[16] C. Pahl-Wostl, "Transitions towards adaptive management of water
facing climate and global change," Water Resources Management, vol.
21, pp. 49-62, 2007.
[17] E. Tompkins and N. Adger, "Does adaptive management of natural
resources enhance resilience to climate change?," Ecology and Society,
vol. 9, p. 10, 2004.
[18] C. Allan and A. Curtis, "Nipped in the bud: Why regional scale adaptive
management is not blooming," Environmental Management vol. 36, pp.
414-425, 2005.
[19] C. Pahl-Wostl, "Towards sustainability in the water sector-The
importance of human actors and processes of social learning," Aquatic
Sciences-Research Across Boundaries, vol. 64, pp. 394-411, 2002.
[20] R. Lempert and D. Groves, "Identifying and evaluating robust adaptive
policy responses to climate change for water management agencies in
the American West," Technological Forecasting and Social Change,
2010.
[21] W. V. Aird, The Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage of Sydney.
Kingsgrove: Halstead Press, 1961.
[22] M. Cathcart, The Water Dreamers. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2009.
[23] S. Dovers, "Urban water: Policy, institutions and government," in
Troubled Waters: Confronting the Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, ed
Canberra: ANU E-Press, 2008.
[24] J. McKay, "Water institutional reforms in Australia," Water Policy, vol.
7, pp. 35-52, 2005.
[25] S. Bell and A. Park, "The problematic metagovernance of networks:
water reform in New South Wales," Journal of Public Policy, vol. 26,
pp. 63-83, 2006.
[26] K. Hussey and S. Dovers, "Trajectories in Australian water policy,"
Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, pp. 36-50,
2006.
[27] D. Mercer, L. Christensen, M. Buxton, "Squandering the futureÔÇö
Climate change, policy failure and the water crisis in Australia," Futures,
vol. 39, pp. 272-287, 2007.
[28] D. Connell, et al., "A critical analysis of the National Water Initiative "
The Australiasian Journal of Natural Resources Law and Policy, vol.
10, 2005.
[29] Commonwealth of Australia, "Intergovernmental Agreement on a
National Water Initiative," ed, 2004.
[30] R. Heathcote, "Drought in Australia: a problem of perception,"
Geographical Review, vol. 59, pp. 175-194, 1969.
[31] Government of NSW, "Metropolitan Water Plan," ed: Metropolitan
Water Directorate, Government of NSW, 2006.
[32] W. Medd and H. Chappells, "Drought, demand and the scale of
resilience: challenges for interdisciplinarity in practice,"
Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, vol. 32, pp. 233-248, 2007.
[33] J. Chong and S. White, "Decisions for the urban drought: Paternalism or
participation?," 2007.
[34] Government of NSW, "February 2006 Progress Report: Metropolitan
Water Plan, Securing Sydney's Water Supply," NSW Government, 2006.
[35] A. Aspinall and A. Smart, "Water and the electricity generation industry:
implications of use," National Water Commission, 2009.
[36] M. Glantz, Weather- and climate-proofing: dreaming the impossible
dream. Fragilecologies, 2006
Available: http://www.fragilecologies.com/jan20_06.html
[37] S. Power, B. Sadler, and N. Nicholls, "The influence of climate science
on water management in Western Australia: Lessons for climate
scientists," Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, pp. 839-
844, 2005.
[38] G. Davison, "Down the gurgler: Historical influence on Australian
domestic water consumption," in Troubled Waters: Confronting the
Water Crisis in Australia's Cities, P. Troy, Ed., ed Canberra: ANU EPress,
2008.
[39] B. Sadler, "Informed adaptation to a changed climate state: Is southwestern
Australia a national canary?" Indian Ocean Climate Initiative,
2000.
[40] B. Bates and G. Hughes, "Adaptation Measures for Metropolitan Water
Supply for Perth, Western Australia," in Climate Change Adaptation in
the Water Sector, F. Ludwig, Pavel, K., Schaik, H., and van der Valk,
M., Ed., ed: Earthscan/James & James, 2009, p. 187.
[41] Water Corporation, "Integrated water supply scheme source
development plan 2005 - Planning Horizon 2005-2050," W. C. o. W.
Australia, Ed., ed. Perth, 2005.
[42] I. El Saliby, Y. Okour, H.K. Shon, J. Kandasamy, I. Kim, "Desalination
plants in Australia, review and facts," Desalination, vol. 247, pp. 1-14,
2009.
[43] G. Crisp, "Seawater desalination in Australia and the Perth experienceÔÇö
a sustainable solution," presented at the International Salinity Forum:
Salinty, water and society --global issues, local action, Adelaide 30
March-3 April 2008, 2008.
[44] P. Dickie, "Making Water, Desalination: option or distraction for a
thirsty world," WWF, 2007.
[45] G. Roberts, "Water fight a running battle," in The Australian (online
edition), ed. Sydney: News Limited, 2008.
[46] Western Australian Government, Water Agencies (Water Use) By-laws
2007 - Schedule 2, Western Australian Consolidated Regulations, 2007.
[47] C. Sonti, "Winter sprinkler bans to become permanent," in WA Today
(online), Perth: Fairfax Digital, 2009.
[48] D. Brennan, "Will we all be rooned without a desal plant? Hanrahan's
lament and the problem of urban water planning under climate change,"
Agenda, vol. 15, 2008.
[49] T. Flannery, The Weather Makers: The history and future impact of
climate change. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2005.
[50] Government of NSW, "Meeting the challenges - securing Sydney's water
future- The Metropolitan Water Plan," ed. Sydney: NSW Government,
2004.
[51] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Water saving efforts stop $1 billion dam
and create new nature reserve," Media Release, SCA, 2002.
[52] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report -14
July- 28 July 2005," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2005.
[53] J. Gibson, "Water restrictions: what's been saved?," in Sydney Morning
Herald (online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2005.
[54] W. Frew and M. Moore, "Murky waters," in Sydney Morning Herald
(online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2005.
[55] W. Frew, "City desalination plant is not the solution - poll," in Sydney
Morning Herald (online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2005.
[56] A. Davies, "Water wars: it's the sea or underground," in Sydney Morning
Herald (online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2007.
[57] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report - 8
February 2007," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2007.
[58] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report -
29 March 2007," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2007.
[59] Sydney Catchment Authority, "Bulk water storage and supply report -
19 July 2007," Sydney Catchment Authority - NSW Government,
Sydney, 2007.
[60] A. Clennell, "Pay $275, including desal tax," in Sydney Morning Herald
(online), Sydney: Fairfax Digital, 2007.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:57202", author = "Phoenix Lawhon Isler and John Merson and David Roser", title = "'Drought Proofing' Australian Cities: Implications for Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainability", abstract = "Urban water management in Australia faces increasing pressure to deal with the challenges of droughts, growing population and the climate change uncertainty. Addressing these challenges is an opportunity to incorporate the parallel goals of sustainable water management and climate change adaptation through holistic, non-technical means. This paper presents case studies from Perth and Sydney which show how despite robust adaptation plans and experience, recent efforts to 'drought proof' cities have focused on supply-side measures (i.e. desalination), rather than rethinking how water is used and managing demand. The trend towards desalination as a climate adaptation measure raises questions about the sustainability of urban water futures in Australia.
", keywords = "Climate change adaptation, desalination, drought management, sustainable urban water management.", volume = "4", number = "10", pages = "2050-9", }
