Lake Onslow
A ROXBURGH resident wants Lake Onslow to remain as it is (Letters, 16.11.20).
Can it? Humanity has raised the surface temperature of our home planet just over 1degC, and the consequences are plain to see. Floods and fires once seen as normal are now catastrophic. Oceans are warming as they absorb massive amounts of heat — which feeds hurricanes.
To do our part in reducing emissions, we need more electricity from wind and solar, and that means massive storage. Hence a pumped hydro scheme at Lake Onslow.
Clearly, a site in the North Island would be preferable, as that’s where the consumers live. Finding one is the problem.
Climate change has disrupted civilisations in the past, and it is already causing millions of humans to look for somewhere to live. Nothing is going to stay the same. Dennis Horne
Howick