Resource management (water/food/energy)

The Lesotho Highlands Water Project, agreed in a treaty between Lesotho and South Africa in 1986², transfers water from the mountains of Lesotho, which have a water surplus¹, through dams such as Katse and Mohale and tunnels into the Vaal river system, to supply Gauteng, the area around Johannesburg and Pretoria, which has a large water deficit.

The scheme has brought major benefits. Gauteng, South Africa's economic heartland, now has a more reliable water supply for homes, factories and mines, which supports jobs and economic growth³. Lesotho, one of the poorest countries in Africa, receives royalty payments⁴ for the water, which form an important part of government income, and the 'Muela hydroelectric power station reduces its need to import electricity.

However, there have been serious problems. Thousands of people lost homes or farmland when valleys were flooded, and many said their compensation was inadequate. Reduced river flows below the dams have harmed river ecosystems⁵ and the people who rely on them, and the project's chief executive was convicted of taking bribes from construction companies.

Overall, I agree to a large extent, because the scheme supplies water to millions of people and gives Lesotho much-needed income. However, the problems fell mainly on rural communities in Lesotho⁶, while the main gains went to South African cities, so the benefits only outweigh the problems if those who lose out are properly compensated.

The UK's energy mix has shifted away from fossil fuels, especially coal, towards renewable energy. In the 1990s coal was still a major source of electricity, but its use fell steadily, and the UK's last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, closed in 2024¹. This happened because burning coal releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, and the UK has legal targets to cut emissions under the Climate Change Act 2008, so coal power was taxed and phased out².

Natural gas replaced much of the coal because it releases less carbon dioxide per unit of energy. However, North Sea oil and gas production peaked around 2000 and has since declined, so the UK now imports much of its gas, which reduces its energy security³.

Renewable energy has grown rapidly and in 2024 produced just over half of the UK's electricity for the first time. Wind power has expanded most, especially offshore, because the UK has strong, reliable winds and shallow seas⁴, and the cost of turbines has fallen. Nuclear power has declined as old power stations close, but a new plant, Hinkley Point C in Somerset, is being built to provide a low-carbon, reliable supply when wind and solar output is low⁵.