“Water Footprint Project”
Sonia Valdivia Sonia Valdivia Guido Sonnemann
UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative UNEP DTIE – SCP Branch
UNEP-SBCI Symposium on Sustainable Buildings Paris, France: May 19-20, 2010
Introduction
UNEP/SETAC Framework for Impact Assessment
Outline
Water Footprint (Network and ISO)
WAFNE Project at UNEP
Next steps
The old way
•Product Chain Life Cycle
http://lcinitiative.unep.fr
Extraction of raw materials
Design And Natural resources
Incineration and landfilling
Disposal
Recycling
Product system
And
production
Packaging and distribution Use and
maintenance
Reuse
Life Cycle based Tools Worldwide
SETAC’s Code of
UNEP/
SETAC
USETox
SETAC Code of Practice -ELCC
Life Cycle Sustai- nability Assess- ment ISO
14040
1963 1969 2002
Harold Smith
World Energy Conference
Coca Cola
Limits to Growth
1972
Code of Practice -ELCA
1993
SETAC
Guidelines For
Social LCA
2009 2010
-ELCC
<2015
Integrated LCIA framework
2011
Global Guidance for LCA Databases
UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative 2002 ….. on
http://lcinitiative.unep.fr
Aims and Areas of Work
More Sustainable Products and Services
- Enhance and refine LC data and methodologies - Promote Capability Development
- Facilitate life cycle based approaches inc. LCM
Data
Assessment Impact Assessment
Management
Development Capability Development
More Sustainable Products and Services
http://lcinitiative.unep.fr
Structure of Life Cycle Assessment
Goal and scope Definition
Inventory Analysis
Impact Assessment
Interpretation APPLICATION
According to ISO 14040
Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Analysis
Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA)
Inventory
CO2 CH4
Classification and Characterisation
Normalisation and Weighting
Data quality analysis
Global warming
Inventorytable
CH4 CFC
SO2 Nox NH4
…
Data quality analysis
Environmental Index
Acidification
...
Indicators Impact Categories
Linking LCI results via the midpoint categories to damage
Areas where there is a need of enhanced methodologies
UNEP Resource use intensity and impact assessment indicator framework proposal
UNEP Midterm Strategy Prio-
rities
Resource Efficiency (KPS)*
Other Environmental Priorities
(CC, HS, EM)
Partners
Energy Demand
(IEA)
Energy Climate Change (CC)
Carbon Footprint
(WRI/
Indicators
(WRI/
WBCSD, ISO)
Water Footprint
(WWF/ WFN)
Water Hazardous
Substances (HS)
USEtox
(SETAC)
Material Intensity
(WI)
Materials/
Waste
Ecosystems
Management (EM)/
Biodiversity
Biodiversity Damage
(IUCN)
*KPS – Key Performance indicator
Trade-offs between carbon and water in LC Impact Assessment
/ Bruce Vigon
Projected Water Scarcity, 2025
Source: International Water Management Institute, 2000
ISO: Summary
“Water Footprint: Requirements and Guidelines”
• The International Standard for Water Footprinting specifies:
requirements and guidelines to assess and report water footprint based on LCA
• Terminology, communication
• Important stages to consider
• Consistency with carbon footprinting and other LCA impact categories
– Scope, system boundary
• Review/Validation
• Reporting
• Begin 2009, end 2011
• Towards industry and practitioners
Water Footprint (WF)
WF = BLUE wf + GREEN wf + GREY wf
Blue WF = Volume of surface and groundwater consumed
groundwater consumed
Green WF = Volume of rainwater consumed
Grey WF = Volume of polluted water
consumed
Different Water footprint methods
lead to different results: Coffee ex.
Regional Virtual Water Balances 1997-2001 (Agricultural Trade)
Arrows show trade flows >10 Gm3/yr
Source: Hoekstra & Chapagain, 2008
Virtual Water Chain
•Extraction
↑Grey Water
↓ Blue Water Use
•Constructio
↑Grey Water
↓ Blue Water Use
•Extraction of building materials
↑ Green Water Use
↑ Blue Water Use
↓Grey Water
•Production of building
materials
•Constructio n
↑ Blue Water Use
↓Grey Water
•Use of buildings
Virtual Water Flow
Accounting Approaches to Water-related Impacts
Criteria Water Footprint Life Cycle Assessment
Assesses water-related impacts?
As yet, No. WFs do not attempt to assess impacts. However, methods to quantify WF Impact Assessments have been tested.
Yes. However, methodologies are nascent and need further development and
harmonization.
Types of impacts assessed
(Impact categories)
NA Water use:
•Ecosystem quality
•Resource depletion
•Human health Water discharge:
•Ecotoxicity
•Eutrophication
•Acidification
Characterization factors Approaches proposed or being pilot Numerous approaches proposed or in Characterization factors
used
Approaches proposed or being pilot tested for Water Footprint Impact Assessment
Numerous approaches proposed or in
development, from simple approach such as Water stress index to complex approaches
Assesses water quality? Yes Yes
Basic approach Dilution volume Direct measurement of mass or volume of contaminants
Types of criteria assessed
(Indicators)
Most harmful contaminant (often
nitrogen) based on discharge quantities and local regulatory standard
Impact categories:
•Eutrophication
•Acidification
•Ecotoxicity
•Climate change
•Human health Potential limitations Only accounts for primary pollutants (i.e.
disregards additive &synergistic effects).
Uses standards based on local regula- tory framework rather than science.
Does not typically quantify impact to specific local receiving bodies; results are relative to functional unit
Examples of Water Related Initiatives
Overall 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…
high water impact and water dependent industry
sectors, used by their financiers and investors in due diligence and stock picking exercises, as well as
UNEP WaFNE Project: Overview
diligence and stock picking exercises, as well as water-stressed / scarce regions, used by public
authorities in local water service and conservation operations.
Outputs:
Methodologies, tools / guides, capacity platform,
dialogue forums, country pilot tests / demonstrations, awareness raising & communications
Component 1: Refinement, promotion of methodologies and
tools for application of water accounting/ footprinting related concepts / tools
Component 2: Applying water accounting/ footprinting related concepts & management tools in selected industry sectors
WaFNE Project: Proposed Activities
industry sectors
Component 3: Using water accounting/ footprint and related concepts in financial sector
Component 4: Applying water accounting/
footprinting and related concepts in
selected geographical locations
Time frame: 3 years (2009/10 – 2012/13) Partners:
UNEP:
UNEP SCP Branch (Paris),
UNEP Finance Initiative (Geneva),
International Environmental Technology Centre
WaFNE Project
International Environmental Technology Centre (Osaka)
UN Global Compact – CEO Water Mandate Business & Industry and Banks: participant
companies, organizations, GRI Municipalities & Regions
Other relevant UN institutions, expert institutes &
networks incl. UN-Waters, Pacific Institute, Water Footprint Network and UNEP/ SETAC Life Cycle
Initiative
UNEP WaFNE Umbrella Project:
Corporate Water Accounting
Overarching goal: Stocktaking exercise will fulfill the need to clarify commonalities and differences among existing and emerging water accounting methods and tools
being used in the private sector.
Specific goals:
Specific goals:
• Elucidate applicability, strengths, and weaknesses among emerging methods and practice,
• Identify gaps and challenges, and
• Suggest where accounting methods might benefit from harmonization and increased field testing.
Thanks, Questions?
[email protected]
http://lcinitiative.unep.fr
•UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative: 2002 - on
•International Life Cycle Partnership for a Sustainable World
