The latest climate change projections indicate that drought conditions in much of Scotland are likely to increase in frequency, severity, and duration over the next few decades.
Scotland is in the fortunate position of having had a climate and natural environment that, on the whole, has provided us with the clean and plentiful water resources to support a thriving way of life. This has allowed us to develop a successful water sector with expertise in water science and management and created the ambition of a Hydro Nation that would further develop the potential of our water resources. However, as recent experience is showing us, to realise this potential we require a plan to manage the increasing variability of this resource. We are already experiencing the impact of the climate crisis on our water environment. By acting now to address the long-term risk of water scarcity we can not only protect our valued water sector, but allow it to realise future opportunities and establish Scotland as an exemplar of sustainable water resource management