Climate Live: Francisco Taveira Pinto
in response to schools
in response to schools
The conference "Climate Live: Water" was held on April 15th at High School Clara de Resende in Porto and was attended through live streaming by dozens of schools across the country. During the break, we received several questions to put to the speakers, after their speeches. Francisco Taveira Pinto was one of the invited speakers for the event and spoke to the students of the Basic and Secondary Education on the management of water resources in a context of climate change.
Here are the answers to the questions posed by the “junior journalists” of the schools participating in the conference:
Here are the answers to the questions posed by the “junior journalists” of the schools participating in the conference:
Middle School António Alves Amorim (Lourosa): Which are the consequences of the decrease of the amount of fresh water?
If the amount of fresh water decreases, its possible uses will be impaired, namely the public supply of drinking water, irrigated agriculture, etc. and with this will arise situations of drought and scarcity of water in the soil.
High School of Castêlo da Maia: Regarding agriculture, where is the greatest waste of water?
Depending on the type of crop, it may be necessary to use more or less water. In many cases, the way this water is used and the associated irrigation techniques are not optimized yet and so there can be a significant waste, spending more water than necessary.
Portuguese School of Moçambique: Which are the measures to preserve fresh water?
The simplest ways of preserving fresh water are to avoid its pollution, to use the strictly necessary water, to save and to reuse it.
Inter-School Group of Diogo de Macedo (Vila Nova de Gaia): Dams could somehow prevent water shortages?
Yes, dams have several purposes, one of which is to create strategic water reserves, accumulating it in the winter to be used in the summer or accumulating in wet years to be used in dry years, thus avoiding or mitigating the water shortage in some periods.
If the amount of fresh water decreases, its possible uses will be impaired, namely the public supply of drinking water, irrigated agriculture, etc. and with this will arise situations of drought and scarcity of water in the soil.
High School of Castêlo da Maia: Regarding agriculture, where is the greatest waste of water?
Depending on the type of crop, it may be necessary to use more or less water. In many cases, the way this water is used and the associated irrigation techniques are not optimized yet and so there can be a significant waste, spending more water than necessary.
Portuguese School of Moçambique: Which are the measures to preserve fresh water?
The simplest ways of preserving fresh water are to avoid its pollution, to use the strictly necessary water, to save and to reuse it.
Inter-School Group of Diogo de Macedo (Vila Nova de Gaia): Dams could somehow prevent water shortages?
Yes, dams have several purposes, one of which is to create strategic water reserves, accumulating it in the winter to be used in the summer or accumulating in wet years to be used in dry years, thus avoiding or mitigating the water shortage in some periods.
High School Dr. Joaquim Gomes Ferreira Alves (Vila Nova de Gaia): How can we show people that they need to change their habits?
Awareness campaigns are needed to show that fresh water is not infinite, that we waste water, spending more money than necessary and that with small changes in habits we can reduce these costs, better protecting fresh water and spending less.
Middle School António Alves Amorim (Lourosa): Why are young people, with 13/14 years old, not quite aware of the water problem?
Due to the lack of such awareness campaigns and because they are not the ones who pay the bill at the end of the month, but the parents, the school, etc. If everyone makes a little effort, all together we will not only help parents and schools to pay less, but also protect the environment. Have you thought about that?
High School Quinta do Marquês (Oeiras): Is it possible a war due to water scarcity in the next 50 years?
I can not simply answer yes or no. However, it is often claimed that water will play a vital role in this century and that its lack may be one of the greatest societal risk factors in the world, as population continues to increase, but fresh water reserves do not. On the other hand, population increases more in poorer countries with higher levels of pollution and where it is also more difficult to control security.
Middle School of EB 2,3 Álvaro Velho (Barreiro): Is there already a study in Portugal to combat the expected aridity in our country?
The most arid zones in Portugal, although they may vary from year to year, are identified and political power is aware of them. In this sense, the Management Plans for the Hydrographic Regions have this in mind and foresee investments (in dams or savings benefits, for example) to avoid this localized aridity.
Awareness campaigns are needed to show that fresh water is not infinite, that we waste water, spending more money than necessary and that with small changes in habits we can reduce these costs, better protecting fresh water and spending less.
Middle School António Alves Amorim (Lourosa): Why are young people, with 13/14 years old, not quite aware of the water problem?
Due to the lack of such awareness campaigns and because they are not the ones who pay the bill at the end of the month, but the parents, the school, etc. If everyone makes a little effort, all together we will not only help parents and schools to pay less, but also protect the environment. Have you thought about that?
High School Quinta do Marquês (Oeiras): Is it possible a war due to water scarcity in the next 50 years?
I can not simply answer yes or no. However, it is often claimed that water will play a vital role in this century and that its lack may be one of the greatest societal risk factors in the world, as population continues to increase, but fresh water reserves do not. On the other hand, population increases more in poorer countries with higher levels of pollution and where it is also more difficult to control security.
Middle School of EB 2,3 Álvaro Velho (Barreiro): Is there already a study in Portugal to combat the expected aridity in our country?
The most arid zones in Portugal, although they may vary from year to year, are identified and political power is aware of them. In this sense, the Management Plans for the Hydrographic Regions have this in mind and foresee investments (in dams or savings benefits, for example) to avoid this localized aridity.