Water, Disorder and Disrupted Development

Abstract

Many states will find themselves caught between a proverbial rock and a hard place as they seek to develop policies and regulations to meet the need for secure energy sources and securing food supplies in a changing global climate (Zhao and Running, 2010; Battisti and Naylor, 2009). Government planning cannot prevent less predictable rainfalls, more severe storms, droughts and floods, and yet governments will ultimately bear responsibility for their repercussions. Worldwide, it is governments that oversee and enable the development and maintenance of infrastructure to support modern societies and the industrial activities that sustain them. In the 21st century, industrialised states will grapple with an expanded array of challenges in ensuring the wellbeing of their people, economies and social sectors. Climate change consequences will routinely present ‘predictable surprises’, upsetting budget projections, demanding emergency responses and new forms of policy coordination (Bazerman, 2006; Bazerman and Watkins, 2004). These challenges will be even greater for states that lack established and adaptable infrastructure and governmental capacity (United Nations Development Programme, 2008).