Get serious about climate change

Chris Holstein writes that he's had enough of the blame game, and yet he says after 12 years that Labor has failed on water.

As a councillor since 1991 (and four of those years as mayor), he needs to take some responsibility for this failure.

Gosford and Wyong Councils are our joint water authority.

They are responsible for the management (or lack of it) of our water supply.

The Central Coast faces increasing demand as a result of our growing population.

Lower rainfall, higher temperatures and greater evaporation, as a result of climate change, means drier conditions.

These issues have been with us now for a number of years.

I am concerned that this issue continues to be treated in the way it does with no long term vision that would be sustainable and improve our environment in the longer term.

More dams, desalination and bore water have serious environmental impacts.

Water harvesting and recycling offer better solutions - and recycling waste water means cleaner oceans and beaches.

We should learn from the problems of Sydney and elsewhere and create better solutions for an increasing population.

And we should get serious about addressing climate change.

Water shortages are only one issue that will impact all our lives.

Both as individuals, and as a community, we must become part of a global solution.

Is it really too much to expect that both sides of politics would look beyond the next election on this?

Rachel Lonie Pearl Beach