1. © VMM – R. Vannevel Eurostat Seminar EECCA water statistics Almaty, Kazzhol Hotel 11.09.2012 Water Footprint Index - “Coffee or Tea?” Rudy Vannevel Flemish Environment Agency A. Van de Maelestraat 96 B-9320 Erembodegem Belgium r.vannevel@vmm.be

2. © VMM – R. Vannevel Water Footprint - Content 1.History 2.Concept 3.Water Footprint Index 4.Impact analysis 5.Methodology 6.Conclusions

3. © VMM – R. Vannevel Very short WF history 1.Club of Rome (Limits to Growth, 1972): limited resources 2.Brundtland (Our Common Future, 1987): sustainable development 3.Allan (virtual-water concept, 1998) 4.Hoekstra & Hung (WF concept, 2002) at Twente University (NL)

4. © VMM – R. Vannevel Water Footprint - Concept 1.Definition: ? 2.Objective: reducing w.use to save w.resources (= environmental protection) 3.Tool: raising environm. awareness to public, producers, government,… + decision-making 4.Expression: figures w.volume per unit of product, geographical entity, activity,… 5.Related: virtual w., WF Scarcity, W.Savings… WF Coffee: 140 l/cup WF Tea: 34 l/cup

5. © VMM – R. Vannevel Water Footprint Index 1.Water F vs Ecological F, Carbon F,… but not (fully) comparable 2.Footprint means ‘impact’ 3.Index = indicator ~ simple/single figure 4.Terminology: separate set of terms mirroring existing ones = confusing

6. (= ecosystem)(= social community) Disturbance Pressures Δ Status CAPITALS Economic capitalSocial capital Natural capital Actors Impact ActivitiesStatus Environmental impact analysis WF values: e.g. Coffee : 22.500 m³/ton Tea : 5.000 m³/ton Global WF indicators: e.g. Global Blue WF Scarcity Subject

7. Calculation: Dilution principle WF values: e.g. Coffee : 22.500 m³/ton Tea : 5.000 m³/ton Methodology WF Green WFBlue WFGrey WF = + + Agriculture etc. “Growing of organisms” Food product = organisms or organic matter Socio-economic activities. W.Use for “Production and consumption” Manufacturing products = (in)organic matter Socio-econ. processes W.sources Precipitation “soil water” Surface & groundwater / ? Methodology Calculation: Crop Evapotranspiration Calculation: Water Use !? Domestic & (agro-)industrial activities “Pollution” Waste ‘flow’ = waste water

8. Calculation: 1)Dilution ratio: Emission load / EQS concentration 2)Emission loads & EQSs & product value (in m³/$) WF Green WF Blue WFGrey WF = + + Methodology Calculation: Total ET crop of plant or vegetation Calculation: ΔET = ET crop – ET natural veg. Calculation (product): 1) W.Use (abstraction, consumption, irrigation) by metering, estimations etc. of households, industries, etc. 2) E / product value (in m³/$) 1)Total ET = Crop requirements + irrigation 2)ET Reference = “extensive grass grass cover” 3)Negative WF values for: rainforests, wetlands, rice fields… 1)Violates stand-still principle if <1 2)Stand-still loads vs concentrations Comparison with natural reference conditions !! Production value ratios generate economic indicators ! Calculation WF nation: WFn = Σ of … 1)W.Use agriculture = Σ Crop production * Virtual crop W. content = (ton/year)*(m³/ton) 2)W.Use industry = Σ Product Value * Virtual W. content = ($/year)*(m³/$) 3)W.Use domestic 4)Virtual W.imports 5)Virtual W.exports

9. WF Green WFBlue WFGrey WF = + + Result (1) Δ ET (in m³/ton) W.Use (in m³/ton) “degree of dilution to meet EQSs” + E-Flow parameters ~ -Species /vegetation type -Vegetation density -Soil type (texture) -Land use (farmland area) -… Policy & management Sectoral integration: environment, agriculture, economy, spatial planning,… Research & Development Governance (scale): local, regional, national,… Governance (level): households, NGOs, economic sectors, public authorities… … W.Use ~ -Social aspects (consumption behaviour) -Economic aspects (trade) -Technological innovations -Management (losses) Agricultural sector, Public authorities, NGOs Industrial sector, Households Public authorities, NGOs Steering options Economic sector, Households Public authorities “Main players” Sanitation -Production & consumption -Wastewater infrastructure -Management (policy instruments) Responses

10. WF Values = awareness raising + decision-making Economic sectors/companies: w.use production processes WF Values = awareness raising ??: Civilians: change of consumption pattern by choosing between WF Coffee: 140 l/cup – or – WF Tea: 34 l/cup ? WF Green WF Blue WFGrey WF = + + Responses Private w.sector > technological developments Consumer > changing food consumption Effect of Responses ? Consumer > w.saving behaviour Agriculture > irrigation, rainwater havesting,… Governance > land use, spatial planning, … Producers > w.saving techniques, etc. Public authorities > W.pollution policy NGOs > sensitization Public authorities > policy instruments NGOs > sensitization e.g. NGO European Water Partnership (EWStewardship “Standard”)

11. Biomass production Land & soil management Price Ecosystems (ES) Terrestrial ES Bioticum Aquatic ES WAv. Water Availability 1. Arable land Availability 2. Vegetation or crop growth Water resources Land useBiodiversity 3. Production 4. Consumption Water abstractions W. flow management Water uptake & ET Species selection PRODUCERS CONSUMERS PUBLIC AUTHORITIES LAND OWNERS Governance Economic capital W.Consumption Water Quantity Stress Communication, regulation, technical innovations, … ? ? ? Demand Supply Quantity ES Value Natural resources quantity Total stock Stock use Natural resources quality

12. © VMM – R. Vannevel

13. Water system Precipitation Land Surface water Industrial plant Citric acid (BE-FL, 2011) Ground water Industrial plant Cooling water UWWTP GW abstraction IWWTP Production process Private investment Subsidies FL gov. Costs Drinking water SW abstraction W. Re-use Products W.Use SW treatment IWWTP Effluent cooling Levies Investment decision W.Use Flemish government

14. W.quantity data ~ Water quantity balances Q WF Green WFBlue WFGrey WF = + + Impact analysis Ecosystem impact ratio: ES needs vs w.availability Human impact ratio: W.Use vs w.availability “unavailable water volumes due to pollution” Result (2) Δ ET (in m³/ton) W.Use (in m³/ton) “degree of dilution to meet EQS” ≠ + E-Flow data ~ Land type, Land use, EQS-Quantity,… W.use data ~ Abstractions, (re)use, losses & spills, demand, supply, … W. Scarcity indices W. Exploitation Index W. Gap W. Resources Vulnerability … National authorities International authorities Monitoring Data supply Data use Environmental impact = ( ES needs + W.Use ) / W.Av ? QA/QC data flow ? WF Network (Academic)

15. QA/QC data flow Economic balances Environmental flows Water flow chart Water balances W. Mass balances W. Load balances Indicators W. Scarcity indices W. Exlpoitation Index W. Gap W. Resources Vulnerability … = part of Environmental impact = (ES needs + W.Use) / W.Av + physical data + monetary data Data / information Policy & Management / Decision-making -policy-instruments -Local international Disturbance Pressures Δ Status Natural capital Impact Activities Status

16. © VMM – R. Vannevel WF – Conclusions (1) 1.Basic principle is OK 2.Serious methodological remarks on Green & Grey WF 3.Blue WF is suitable tool 4.Awareness raising: Secondary effects of changing consumers behaviour is very low 5.WF = W.use 6.WF is not an env. impact analysis

17. © VMM – R. Vannevel WF – Conclusions (2) 7. Confusing terminology 8. Lack QA/QC on data flow & data use 9. Role of WFN within official network ?