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From technical pilots to mass uptake of best practices for water management

From technical pilots to mass uptake of best practices for water management. Richard Perkins rperkins@wwf.org.uk 12 May 2010. Structure. Case study – asparagus from Peru Why are we measuring Four simple steps Showing stakeholders. Are we asking the right questions?.

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From technical pilots to mass uptake of best practices for water management

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  1. From technical pilots to mass uptake of best practices for water management Richard Perkins rperkins@wwf.org.uk 12 May 2010

  2. Structure • Case study – asparagus from Peru • Why are we measuring • Four simple steps • Showing stakeholders

  3. Are we asking the right questions? Scarcity is only part of the water story • Flooding, quality, regulation, access, equity Is a normalising approach trying to make water like carbon? Water is LOCAL! Assumes measurement is the solution to satisfying stakeholders… • Measurement does not mitigate risk, action does • Not sure that farm-level measurement can ever show that you are sourcing sustainably • Is farm-level measurement the wrong frame for a complex, multidimensional, socially embedded problem?

  4. Peruvian Asparagus case study With credits to Andrew Murphy, WWF-US

  5. Source:MINAG-DGIA Peruvian Asparagus exports rocket

  6. Less than 1 mm of rainfall per year!

  7. What’s happened to the water table? Groundwater table falling 1-3 m per year and 5-8 m/yr in some areas!

  8. Asparagus production and mean groundwater level in Peru

  9. Water scarcity and measurement • Why are we doing this measurement? • to satisfy stakeholders? • to mitigate brand risk? • to improve water availability in the places we source/operate? • to know where to focus activity in addressing red spots? • What is material? • Where is all this going?

  10. Measurements are partial solutions • Water Footprinting – does not tell you context • Modified water LCA – does not tell you if you have mitigated the risk • Farm-level indicators, efficiency, % sustainable sources, show you are trying but don’t show cumulative impacts • Catchment level indicators, like river flow and groundwater level, tell you more about risk

  11. Where do water-related risks emanate from? • too little water, too much water, and/or poor water quality • the consequences of these situations • the consequences of the responses to these conditions WATER RISKS ARE SHARED RISKS!!!

  12. Four simple steps 1. Screen using the WBCSD tool 2. Target Water Footprint on problem areas 3. Reduce your own impacts 4. Get the context managed

  13. Scarce Sufficient Extremely scarce Stress Abundant Step 1 – Screen using the WBCSD tool What is the water status around your factories and farms? Acknowledgements to SABMiller

  14. Step 2 - Target Water Footprint assessment on known problem areasWhat kind of water dependency is it?

  15. Step 3 - Reduce your own impactsReduce the impacts of your operations and purchases – without this you are not credible

  16. Step 4 - Get the context managedAct beyond the fencelineWater is a shared problem for businesses so businesses need to work together to address it Working together will reduce costs of mitigating risks

  17. Showing stakeholders your sustainable management • Specify your water-related risks • Quantify risks where possible, use judgement too • Acknowledge shared risk and your impact on it • Say what needs to be done to mitigate it • Report improvements you’ve made • State where the overall problem is at • You may have to exit if you cannot mitigate the risk

  18. Summary • Understand water-related risks in your supply chain • Scarcity, quality, surplus (flooding), regulation • Understand that water is local • Reducing impacts is not enough • Collaborate to mitigate risk

  19. Thanks for listening Resources • Water Footprint Network http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/WFN-mission • Alliance for Water Stewardship http://www.allianceforwaterstewardship.org/

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