The global dimension of water governance: why the river basin approach is no longer sufficient and why cooperative action at global level is needed

When water problems extend beyond the borders of local communities, the river basin is generally seen as the most appropriate unit for analysis, planning, and institutional arrangements. In this paper it is argued that addressing water problems at the river basin level is not always sufficient. Many of today’s seemingly local water issues carry a (sub)continental or even global dimension, which urges for a governance approach that comprises institutional arrangements at a level beyond that of the river basin. This paper examines a number of arguments for the thesis that good water governance requires a global approach complementary to the river basin approach. Subsequently, it identifies four major issues to be addressed at global scale: Efficiency, equity, sustainability and security of water supply in a globalised world. Finally, the paper raises the question of what kind of institutional arrangements could be developed to cope with the global dimension of water issues. A few possible directions are explored, ranging from an international protocol on full-cost water pricing and a water label for water-intensive products to the implementation of water footprint quotas and the water-neutral concept

The water footprint of food

The international trade in agricultural commodities at the same time\ud constitutes a trade with water in virtual form. Water in external areas\ud has been used to produce the food and feed items that are imported.\ud The water footprint of a good or a service is the total amount of water,\ud external and internal, that is required to produce it. The concept can be\ud used to calculate and compare the strain on water resources resulting\ud from different options. It can also be extended to provide water budgets\ud for whole nations or continents

Water Scarcity in the Zambezi Basin in the Long-Term Future: A Risk Assessment

The aim of this paper is to explore possible futures for the Zambezi basin and to estimate the risks of different water management strategies. Existing uncertainties are translated into alternative assumptions. The risk of a certain management strategy, which has been developed under a given set of assumptions, is analysed by applying alternative assumptions. For the exploration of possible futures, a dynamic simulation model is used. Three ‘utopias’ and a number of ‘dystopias’ are considered. A utopia is based on a coherent set of assumptions with respect to world-view (how does the world function), management style (how do people respond) and context (exogenous developments). A dystopia evolves if some assumptions are taken differently. Using the risk assessment method described, the paper reflects on the water policy priorities earlier proposed in an expert meeting held in Harare. It is shown that in only one out of the nine cases putting the ‘Harare priorities’ into practice will work out effectively and without large tradeoffs. It is concluded that minimising risks would require a radical shift from supply towards demand policy.\u

The water footprint: a tool for governments, companies and investors

The water footprint of Europe – the total volume of water used for producing all commodities consumed by European citizens – has been significantly externalised to other parts of the world. Europe is for example a large importer of cotton, one of the most thirsty crops. Coffee is imported from Colombia, soybean from Brazil, rice from Thailand, etcetera. European consumption strongly relies on the water resources available outside Europe. Since the pressure on freshwater resources outside Europe is growing, because of population growth, increasing levels of production and climate change, an emerging and vital question is: How sustainable is Europe’s water footprint? Can Europeans continue to rely on water resources elsewhere given the growing number of instances of water overexploitation in some of the places from where Europe imports water-intensive consumer goods? In this paper I address these questions and argue that coping with those questions involves governments, but companies and investors as well

The green, blue and grey water footprint of farm animals and animal products. Volume 2: Appendices

Contents Appendix I: Feed conversion efficiencies – in kg of feed (dry mass) per kg of output – per animal category and region Appendix II: Estimated consumption of feed per animal category and world region (103 ton dry mass/yr) Appendix III. Estimated consumption of feed per production system and world region (103 ton dry mass/yr) Appendix IV. Drinking and service water footprint per animal Appendix V. Water footprint of animals and animal products (m3/ton). Period 1996-200

The environmental footprint of transport by car using renewable energy

Replacing fossil fuels in the transport sector by renewable energy will help combat climate change. However, lowering greenhouse gas emissions by switching to alternative fuels or electricity can come at the expense of land and water resources. To understand the scale of this possible tradeoff we compare and contrast carbon, land and water footprints per driven km in midsize cars utilizing conventional gasoline, biofuels, bioelectricity, solar electricity and solar‐based hydrogen. Results show that solar‐powered electric cars have the smallest environmental footprints per km, followed by solar‐based hydrogen cars, and that biofuel‐driven cars have the largest footprints

Global gray water footprint and water pollution levels related to anthropogenic nitrogen loads to fresh water

This is the first global assessment of nitrogen-related water pollution in river basins with a specification of the pollution by economic sector, and by crop for the agricultural sector. At a spatial resolution of 5 by 5 arc minute, we estimate anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads to freshwater, calculate the resultant gray water footprints (GWFs), and relate the GWFs per river basin to runoff to calculate the N-related water pollution level (WPL) per catchment. The accumulated global GWF related to anthropogenic N loads in the period 2002–2010 was 13 × 1012 m3/y. China contributed about 45% to the global total. Three quarters of the GWF related to N loads came from diffuse sources (agriculture), 23% from domestic point sources and 2% from industrial point sources. Among the crops, production of cereals had the largest contribution to the N-related GWF (18%), followed by vegetables (15%) and oil crops (11%). The river basins with WPL > 1 (where the N load exceeds the basin’s assimilation capacity), cover about 17% of the global land area, contribute about 9% of the global river discharge, and provide residence to 48% of the global population