Letters: A drought in readiness
[Re: Climate change poses risks to energy infrastructure, Oct 16]
Climate change poses significant risk to energy infrastructure; based on extreme weather events – acute physical risks – and the longer-term shifts in climate patterns – chronic physical risks.
These events, in the short and long term, present significant risks for businesses and the economy . Recent drought across Europe caused a 20 per cent decrease in hydropower and, in France, the concurrent heatwave led to the reduction in output of nuclear power plants. These simultaneous risks will have a far greater impact on energy supply than any single hazard.
These extreme weather events will become more common and the risk to business, will be considerable.
Heatwaves and deep freezes, as seen in Europe and Texas, put energy services under high pressure to deliver an elevated level of energy for prolonged periods of time.
Organisations must lobby for energy policy to champion a transition from large-scale, centralised power stations to decentralised, smaller sources with sufficient energy storage and backups to build resilience into the national grid. Business leaders need to be proactive and understand their exposure to climate risks. Investment in energy reinforcement and security; taking advantage of increased insolation and stronger winds, for example, should be informed by data to reveal supply-chain vulnerabilities and opportunities, and provide back-up energy supplies whilst mitigating risk.
Andrew Coburn