Global Water Policy CL 946

1
Global Water Policy(CL 946)

• Week 10
• Globalization of Water
• Kevin Prior

2
Avg national water footprint per capita, 1997 -
2001
3
Water footprint of a product
? the volume of fresh water used to produce the
product, summed over the various steps of the
production chain. ? when and where the water
was used a water footprint includes a temporal
and spatial dimension. ? type of water
use green, blue, grey water footprint.
4
Water footprint of a product

• Green water footprint
• ? volume of rainwater evaporated.
• Blue water footprint
• ? volume of surface or groundwater evaporated.
• Grey water footprint
• ? volume of polluted water.

5
Components of a water footprint
Direct water footprint
Indirect water footprint
Hoekstra, 2008
6
Production chain cotton
7
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
8
Water footprint of EUs cotton consumption (blue
water)
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
9
Water footprint of EUs cotton consumption (green
water)
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
10
Water footprint of EUs cotton consumption (grey
water)
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
11
The water footprint making a link between
consumption in one place and impacts on water
systems elsewhere
Endangered Indus River Dolphin
Photo WWF
12
This is a global average and aggregate number.
Policy decisions should be taken on the basis
of 1. Actual water footprint of certain coffee
at the precise production location. 2. Ratio
green/blue/grey water footprint. 3. Local impacts
of the water footprint based on local
vulnerability and scarcity.
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
13
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
14
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
15
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
16
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
17
Water footprint of biofuels from different crops
litre/litre
Gerbens-Leenes, Hoekstra Van der Meer, 2009
18
Water footprint of a nation

• ? total amount of water that is used to produce
  the goods and services consumed by the
  inhabitants of the nation.
• ? two components
• internal water footprint inside the country.
• external water footprint in other countries.

19
National water accounting framework
Consumption
Export
Production
Import
20
Regional virtual water balances(only
agricultural trade)
Arrows show trade flows gt10 Gm3/yr
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
21
Water footprint per capita
Hoekstra Chapagain, 2008
22
Water footprint Life cycle assessment

• LCA
• measuring overall environmental impact
• no spatial dimension
• weighing water volumes based on impacts
• LCA offers basis for comparing products with
  respect to overall environmental impact

• Water footprint
• measuring freshwater appropriation
• multi-dimensional (type of water use, location,
  timing)
• actual water volumes, no weighing
• WF accounts offer basis for impact assessment and
  formulation of sustainable water use strategy

Hoekstra, 2009
23
From water footprint accounting to policy
formulation
Vulnerability of local water systems
Current water stress in the places where the
water footprint is localised
1
2
3

• Spatiotemporal-explicit water footprint of a
• product
• individual
• community
• business

• Impacts of the
• water footprint
• environmental
• social
• economic

Reduce and offset the negative impacts of the
water footprint
Hoekstra, 2008
24
Shared responsibility and an incremental approach

• Consumers or consumer or environmental
  organizations push businesses and governments to
  address water use and impacts along supply
  chains.
• Some businesses act voluntarily in an early
  stage.
• Governments promote businesses in an early phase
  and implement regulations in a later phase.

25
(No Transcript)
26
Policy Cycle
27
Policy Process in Context
28
Why Information is important

• Legislation changes (EU, UK etc)
• Regulatory enforcement
• Technology changes
• Process technologies
• Management techniques, standards
• End of Pipe
• Organisational importance of decisions and
  foresighting
• Influencing negotiations,
• Win win

29
Data to Knowledge
Low Volume High Value
Data
Information
Knowledge
Wisdom
Large Volume Low Value
Decisions
30
Information for Decision making
31
Define the problem

• Take time to properly define the problem
• What is the issue?
• What is the problem?
• What decision needs to be taken?

Major Effect
32
Find the information

• Determine source of information
• What info is needed
• Who has the info?
• Why is the source collecting that info ?
• Which component of the problem will it help?
• Evaluate the source !

33
Process the knowledge

• Gather match with the problem
• Extract organise
• Which part needs to be used
• How can it be presented

34
Process the knowledge
Information collected
Additional information needs
Usable Information
Value adding to information
Information required for decision making
35
Taking the decision

• Form an opinion, for its effectiveness
  efficiency
• Take the decision
• Has it helped solve the problem?
• Did it take into account all the views of
  concerned parties ?

36
Taking the decision
problems
Decisions
Implementation (actors actions) and monitoring
and evaluation are integral parts of decision
making
37
Sources of Information
Books, articles, etc

• Internet
• Caution its unregulated
• Peer to Peer networks (talk to people !)
• Professional Bodies
• Official bodies
• Government departments,
• Regulators
• Commercial sources

Information products / services
Raw data
38
Range of Policy Approaches
39
Soft Path

• The soft path for water is a comprehensive
  management and planning approach.
• unleashes the full potential of demand
  management by simultaneously changing water-use
  habits, technologies, and practices.
• Working within ecological limits, local public
  participation to ensure sustainability of water
  resources.
• Source Brandes O. M. and Brooks D.B.(2005) The
  Soft Path in a Nutshell, POLIS Project of
  Ecological Governance, University of Victoria

40
What good looks like

• Introduction
• Comment on the subject (what do you understand by
  it? How is it important? Etc. (10 of word
  count)
• Main Body
• Develop your line of argument through several
  main ideas (perhaps 3 or 4)
• Support your ideas/arguments with examples and
  illustrations drawn from your own research,
  reading and the course material. Policy
  Development is based on evidence. Show you know
  how to use it
• Conclusion
• Make you final point
• Summarise your main ideas and attempt a firm or
  tentative answer to the question
• Indicate the wider/further important implications
  of your findings and possible further research
  (20 of word count)

41
Content Guide

• Do
• Have a clear introduction set the scene a map
  for the reader
• Structure the assignment in paragraphs move
  seamlessly through your themes and issues
• demonstrate skills of analysis and interpretation
• Provide evidence
• Clearly reference your work
• Summarise your findings in a clear conclusion
• Include a list of references/bibliography
• Proof Read your assignment before submitting
• Include a Cover Sheet
• Do NOT
• engage in unnecessary narratives
• Plagiarise !!

42
The Module Assessment

• For a region of your choice, prepare a report
  discussing water policy options available to the
  relevant authorities to achieve good water
  quality and public health. Your report should
  include proposals for policy responses including
  any behaviour changes required from the
  population as a whole to the issues you discuss.
  3,000 words (80 of overall mark)
• due 1000 am 11th January 2010

43
The End The End The End