Ageing infrastructure; Dams; Flood protection; Hydropower; Investment; Society; Water infrastructure; Ageing infrastructures; Aging systems; Energy; Human activities; Lifespans; Social awareness; Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Abstract :
[en] Water infrastructure forms the backbone of development, being pivotal for water, food and energy security. Both existing and new infrastructure must cope with global climatic challenges and increased human activity. Continuous investment in water infrastructure is crucial, yet in many cases, investments are deferred as they are not perceived as a priority, leading to deterioration, and public attention typically only arises after accidents or malfunctions occur. A prevailing lack of social awareness, combined with the mismatch between infrastructure lifespan and political cycles, further limits political will—especially regarding investment in ageing systems. This article was prepared to accentuate the extraordinary value provided by water infrastructure. Examples of recent global events are used to exhibit the profound benefits that rarely make their way into traditional cost-benefit analyses to inform decision making. These examples also showcase how essential sustainable development activities (SDG 6, 7, 9) would be severely compromised in their absence. This perspective also contributes to the ongoing debate about water infrastructure not being “fit for finance”, arguing that current financing and investment frameworks –as well as public perception– fail to capture the true societal and macroeconomic value of such systems, thus reinforcing their importance amidst changing climatic and human pressures.
Disciplines :
Civil engineering
Author, co-author :
Valero, Daniel ; Imperial College London, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, London, United Kingdom ; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Water and River Basin Management, Germany ; IHE Delft, Water Resources and Ecosystems Department, Delft, Netherlands
Pummer, Elena; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Faculty of Engineering, Trondheim, Norway
Heller, Valentin; University of Nottingham, Environmental Fluid Mechanics and Geoprocesses Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, Nottingham, United Kingdom
Kramer, Matthias; UNSW Canberra, School of Engineering and Information Technology (SEIT), Canberra, Australia
Bung, Daniel B.; FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Hydraulic Engineering Section, Aachen, Germany
Mulligan, Sean; VorTech Water Solutions Ltd, Galway, Ireland
Erpicum, Sébastien ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Urban and Environmental Engineering
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