UNEP DTIE SCP Branch: Water

Water Footprint, Neutrality & Efficiency (WaFNE) Umbrella Project

Water scarcity is fast emerging as a serious near term security threat. Typically the poor suffer most from the consequences of water scarcity, the result of their high exposure to water pollution and scarcity-related employment and income losses. Estimates suggest that climate change will increase global water scarcity. According to the IPCC, by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress. Yields from rain dependent agriculture could be reduced by up to 50% in Africa. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute, humanity will use 50% more water in 2025 for non-agricultural uses. The global estimate of water availability versus population shows the continental disparities that exist. Noteworthy is the pressure put on Asia, which supports more than half the world's population with only 36 percent of the world's freshwater resources.

The objective of the WaFNE project is to engage the public and private (business and industry, including financial services) sectors in collaborative work with UNEP in the area of water use efficiency. Using interagency cooperation, the project will link with the related activities of the organisations under the CEO Water Mandate of the UN Global Compact, in which UNEP is a core partner. The aim is to ensure that highly water dependent industries and water suppliers in developing countries promote sustainable water use through public private partnership collaboration and changes in their operations. Special focus will be given to countries and geographic locations facing water scarcity due to rapidly growing water intensive industries such as agrifood / food & beverages, pulp & paper, apparel, chemicals, machinery and metals. A central aspect of this project will be to address the water footprint and water neutrality of these industries and their products. The water footprint concept measures the total water appropriation of goods and services by integrating water consumption over the complete production and supply chain (direct and indirect water use). Water neutrality, on the other hand, refers to the reduction and offsetting of the negative externalities resulting from the water footprint of a unit of analysis, such as a product, service, individual consumer, business or other organization.

The specific objectives of the project include the following:

To refine methods and management tools for the water footprint and water neutrality concepts;
To build capacity and to raise awareness among the public and private sector in order to apply the water footprint and neutrality concepts on a greater scale and with greater consistency;
To demonstrate the applicability of harmonised concepts in enhancing water efficiency and improving water quality in high water impact and water dependent industries and in water stressed regions.

Activities include:

1. Refinement and promotion of methodologies and tools for application of water footprinting, related concepts and tools

Research & Methodology: Collection and assessment of existing approaches to water footprinting / neutrality and related management tools used by private and public organizations to advance water efficiency.
Global Dialogue on Methodological Tools, Standards and Regulation: Convene partner organizations, experts and stakeholders in Global Dialogues to agree on refined, harmonized methodologies and advise on their pilot testing in different regions and sectors.
Capacity Platform: Develop an online knowledge management platform and Guide on harmonized water footprinting and neutrality methodologies, associated approaches and management tools for public and private organizations, to promote water efficiency and water quality through their operations, value chains and community relations.

2. Applying water footprinting, related concepts and management tools in selected industry sector;

Testing, demonstration, training: Water footprinting and related tools included in the Guide to be pilot tested in developing countries within targeted industries, combine with consideration of global supply chain links, the focus on high impact and water intensive industries. Dialogue (national, local): Lessons learned from demonstrations and capacity building used to convene local dialogue platforms.

3. Reporting and communicating results: Develop a business transparency and accountability
framework for reporting on progress of water efficiency management actions and addressing material issues associated with water footprinting and neutrality.

4. The International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) addresses water footprint and neutrality in water scarce and water stressed geographical locations.

5. UNEP Finance Initiative (FI) customizes the water footprint, neutrality and efficiency concepts and tools for the finance sector by exploring and piloting the development and implementation of new services such as water-related credit financing.

Activities accomplished:

Corporate Water Accounting - An Analysis of Methods and Tools for Measuring Water Use and its Impacts" Publication. This technical report is a joint effort of UNEP and the CEO Water Mandate, which assesses existing and emerging water accounting methods and tools being used in the private sector, with the goals of elucidating commonalities and differences among emerging methods and practices, identifying gaps and challenges and suggesting where accounting methods might benefit from harmonization and increased field testing.
Water Accounting and Efficiency Stocktaking" UNEP-DTIE Workshop 23rd - 24th November 2009, Paris, France. The workshop provided an international forum to share experiences on water accounting and efficiency to company representatives, academic experts, industry associations, non-governmental organisations, institutes, and initiatives. The specific purpose of the workshop was to better understand the water accounting and efficiency topic among the different sectors. Water accounting has been seen as an important component for business organisations as well as governments to provide practical approaches for management and policy decisions in this area.

The next steps are to develop a capacity platform. Core elements from the collaborative research will be taken to develop a structured, online knowledge management platform. It will provide a guide on water footprinting and neutrality methodologies, associated approaches and management tools for public and private organizations, to promote water efficiency and water quality through their operations, value chains and community relations. This will be followed by the organisation of regional capacity building and training of trainers on the use of the water footprint management tools.

This report is the result of a stocktaking that aims to assess existing and emerging water accounting methods and tools being used in the private sector, with the goals of: elucidating commonalities and differences among emerging methods and practice; identifying gaps and challenges; and suggesting where accounting methods might benefit from harmonization and increased field testing.

Corporate Water Accounting - An analysis of methods and tools for measuring water use and its impacts

Water Footprint and Corporate Water Accounting for Resource Efficiency
This report provides an overview on the public and private initiatives as well as methods and tools for water accounting and efficiency worldwide, with the aim of raising awareness and enhancing sustainable water management. It includes three documents developed by UNEP in the area of water footprint and corporate water accounting and disclosure for resource efficiency.