Introduction to the UNEP Project onWater footprint, neutrality and efficiency

(WaFNE)CILCA, Coatzacoalcos, April 2011

Sonia ValdiviaGuido Sonnemann

Maite Aldaya

Sustainable Consumption and Production BranchDivision of Technology, Industry and Economics

United Nations Environment Programme

Agenda1) UNEP and Thematic Priorities2) WAFNE project3) Water Accounting Systems4) Water Assessment in LCIA

UNEP and the thematic priorities

1

UNEP Thematic Priorities

Climate Change

Harmful Substances &

Hazardous Waste

Ecosystem Management

Resource Efficiency & SCP

*

Disasters & Conflicts

Environmental Governance

*SCP = Sustainable Consumption & Production

WaFNE - Efficiency

Economic efficiency+

Environmental efficiency=

Resource efficiency (water, materials, energy, land & emissions)

By producing more wellbeing with less resource consumption, RE

enhances the means to meet human needs while respecting the ecological carrying capacity of the Earth.

Reducing the environmental impact of consumption and production

of goods and services over their full life cycles

WaFNE overview - Goal To enhance water efficiency and water quality

management through the refinement of water accounting/ footprint and water neutrality methodologies with support of related management tools, their testing and application in

(i) high water impact and water dependent industry sectors, used by their financiers and investors in due diligence and stock picking exercises, as well as

(ii) water-stressed / scarce regions, used by public authorities in local water service and conservation operations.

WaFNE outline

Time frame: 3 years (2009/10 – 2012/13)Partners: UNEP: UNEP SCP Branch (Paris), UNEP Finance Initiative - FI

(Geneva), International Environmental Technology Centre - IETC (Osaka)

UN Global Compact – CEO Water Mandate Business & Industry: participant companies, organizations Relevant UN institutions, expert institutes & networks: UN-

Water, Pacific Institute, Water Footprint Network and UNEP/ SETAC International Life Cycle Initiative - ILCI, Global Reporting Initiative - GRI

WaFNE overview - Outputs

1. Methodologies, tools

2. Guidelines

3. Country pilot tests / demonstrations

4. Capacity platform and awareness raising

5. Dialogue forums & communications

WaFNE activities

1. Refinement, promotion of methodologies and tools for application of water accounting/ footprint related concepts / tools

Under development: Expert groups working on a Life Cycle Impact Assessment methodology.

Under development: ISO 14046 – Water Footprint Standard under development

Available: ISO Footprint Network methodology

WaFNE activities2. Guides

UNEP publication on “Corporate Water Accounting”.

Includes Water accounting methods:

WFN “Water Footprint”, LCA

WBCSD Global Water and

GEMI Water Sustainability Tools.

Authors:

Pacific Institute and Institute for Environmental Research and Education

WaFNE activities

2. Guides Under development

Private sector

Report Water efficiency improvement in the corporate sector in South East – Asia (Vietnam)

WaFNE – Activities2. Guides Under developmentPublic sector

UNEP report ‘Water footprint application, policy and measures at different geographic scales’1. WF application at different geographical scales

2. Policy framework and measures

3. Framework of the WF application in geographical areas

WaFNE activities

3. Country pilot tests / demonstrations

Applying water accounting/ footprint related concepts & management tools in:

- selected industry sectors (e.g. apparel)

- financial sector

- selected geographical locations

Later in June 2011: Pilots on water efficiency in South East – Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia) – Levis, H&M, Nordica and Nike.

WaFNE – Activities

4. Capacity platform & awareness raising

Under development: Online capacity building platform for water accounting and management

Ongoing: Regional capacity building and training of trainers on the use of the water footprint management tools in developing countries.Example: UNEP/SETAC Training on 7 April, CILCA

WaFNE – Activities

5. Dialogue Forums & communications

Ongoing: Providing input to UNEP’s Resource Panel work on water accounting and footprint

WaFNE – Next Activities 2012 and on

Pilot projects in water-intensive industry sectors in target countries, providing co-financing to interested companies funded by GTZ, Korean Funds, and others

Water accounting systems

2

Water accounting systemsProduction

• Eurostat/OECD joint questionnaire• System of Environmental and Economic

Accounting for Water (SEEA-W)• FAO AQUASTAT• Water footprint dataset

Consumption

• Input output analysis• Partial and general equilibrium models• Process analysis (LCA, WF)• Water neutrality

Water neutralityWater Neutral is an awareness campaign to promote the offsetting of water used and consumed through support of water related to prevention, recycling, reuse, and efficient use and distribution of water.

http://www.waterneutral.org/

Water assessment in LCA

3

LCIA Midpoint-Damage Framework of the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative

•Water

Inventory

Water use in LCA - Framework

Other ‘water’ impact assessment methods

Review of methods addressing water

ISO 14046 Water Footprint

• Development process: 2010-2012.

• Objective: develop an international standard specifying requirements and guidelines to assess and report water footprint based on life cycle assessment.

Sources

ISO (2011) ISO 14046, Water footprint – Requirements and guidelines. Available from: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso-focus-plus_index/iso-focusplus_online-bonus-articles/isofocusplus_bonus_water-footprint.htm

Morrison, J. and Schulte, P. (2010) Corporate water accounting: An analysis of methods and tools for measuring water use and its impacts. UNEP, The Global Compact CEO Water Mandate. Available from: http://www.pacinst.org/reports/corporate_water_accounting_analysis/corporate_water_accounting_analysis.pdf

UNEP DTIE (2011) Water Footprint, Neutrality and Efficiency (WaFNE) Umbrella Project. United Nations Environmental Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch. Available from: http://www.unep.fr/scp/water/WAFNE.htm

UNEP SETAC (2011) UNEP SETAC Life Cycle Initiative. Available from: http://lcinitiative.unep.fr/

WFN (2011) Water Footprint Network. Available from: http://www.waterfootprint.org

WaFNE Project

For more information: Guido Sonnemann, PhDSonia Valdivia, PhDMaite Aldaya, PhDSCP BranchUNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economicshttp://www.unep.orgEmail: guido.sonnemann@unep.org

sonia.valdivia@unep.org