d disaster INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2030: TELECOM, LAND TRANSPORT, WATER AND ELECTRICITY - ISBN 92-64-02398-4 © OECD 2006 5. THE IMPACTS OF CHANGE ON THE LONG-TERM FUTURE DEMAND FOR WATER SECTOR INFRASTRUCTURE relief, or both. These countries' ability to have introduced mitigation measures such as minimising consumptive use will be constrained by their economic situations and the competing demands on scarce financial resources, as well as the nature of their urban and rural settlement patterns. In middle- to high- income countries it should be possible to introduce mitigation measures, as part of the urban redevelopment cycle discussed above. A number of research projects are already addressing the issues of how to reconfigure existing and urban infrastructure as well new infrastructure to address the impacts of climate change. At the same time governments, certainly in Europe and some other OECD countries, have initiatives looking into the impact of climate change, both from an infrastructure and institutional point of view. Climate change in these countries will add to infrastructure costs, some of which will be borne out of general taxation. These are anticipated to be containable within current levels of expenditure on operation of and maintenance on existing infrastructure. In the agricultural sector, climate change could trigger major changes in water use patterns as crops and cropping patterns respond to new sets of growing conditions. More effective irrigation will be required, prompting investment. In some areas such as Europe, China and India there will have to be a re-evaluation of the role of agriculture in the economy: is it a purely commercial activity or part commercial, part social? 6. Impact of key drivers on the future quality and structure of water-related infrastructure investment The key drivers likely to impact on the long-term demand for infrastructure in the water sector have been grouped under four broad headings: socioeconomic, technological, environmental and political. Socioeconomic changes T