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During 2009, we identified the need to improve our understanding of the importance of water in the food and grocery supply chain.
Together with our members we have developed an ongoing programme to raise awareness and knowledge of water, in all its aspects, from farm to table.
We recognise the work already done to manage water in farms, factories, shops and across the distribution network. Projects to identify new technology, manage leaks and make use of alternative sources of water are well established and have made real improvements to onsite water consumption. However, in terms of understanding the complete role and importance of water invested in the products we eat and use in our homes, we need to develop our skills.
Why is water relevant?
As our work began we soon appreciated just how much water is embedded in food and groceries.
The concept of embedded water is an method of illustrating the water used to grow, process, package, transport and use a product, so, for example, in a single cup of coffee there is 140 litres of embedded water.
With this scale in mind, it becomes clear that the impact of water needs to be recognised.
- From a product perspective water has a financial cost, which is likely to rise as regulation to improve the quantity and quality of water increases
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- From a business perspective, the need to understand water and its impact on brand capital and reputation is important, as well as understanding the impact of water on supply chain resilience
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- From a human perspective, the need for reliable, clean supplies of water for the one billion people who do not currently have such access is paramount
All of these issues will, in themselves, be highlighted by an increasing population, a growing demand for food and durables, and climate change.
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The water issue is closely linked to carbon and other environmental issues |
Water and Carbon
During the last six months we have understood more clearly that although water is an environmental issue in its own right, it is closely related to other issues such as carbon, climate change and social justice. To some extent, water is a key link here.
The distribution of water (pumping, storage and cleaning of water) all need energy and at the same time water is vital to energy production (hydro electric and water for cooling).
Although carbon and water are closely related, it is important to understand that it is not possible to quantify or manage the impact of water in the same way as carbon. Carbon, in its many forms, has an equal environmental impact irrespective of where it is emitted. One tonne of carbon emitted in Southern Italy has the same impact and effect as one tonne of carbon emitted in the UK. Carbon footprinting, to a certified standard, can usefully demonstrate the difference in carbon footprint between products.
In the case of water, water footprinting identifies the scale of issue. However, two products with an identical water footprint can have a very different environmental impact, depending to a great extent on where (and how) the embedded water is generated. For example, the water used in the growing of wheat and brewing beer in a water scarce region, (such as southern Italy), has the potential to have a far higher environmental impact than beer produced in a region with an abundance of water, (such as Scotland), although the two products may have an identical initial water footprint.
Understanding the concept of water scarcity
Defining areas of water scarcity is therefore important to contextualise embedded water. One way of doing this is to look at where the water exploitation index (WEI) exceeds 40%. The WEI divides the total water abstraction by the long term annual average (LTAA) resource of water. The warning threshold, which distinguishes a non-stressed region from a water scarce region, is around 20%, defined as medium water stress. Both scarce and severely impacted regions in Europe are shown on the maps below. These maps illustrate the impact of water scarcity in Europe in 2000, and the expected impact in 2030.
The three points to note are:
- In 2000, some regions of Northern Europe, the UK, Belgium the Netherlands and Finland were severely water stressed, significant parts of Germany and Poland have medium water stress.
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- By 2030, Germany and Poland have moved out of medium water stress, the high water-consuming heavy industry of the pre 1980’s has been replaced by more water efficient technologies.
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- By 2030, Western Turkey, Greece, Southern Bulgaria, Southern Italy and Southern Spain are considered to have severe water stress, as are South East England, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Taking into account the global picture of water stressed regions will have a clear impact on the supply chains of the future and through our work we will continue to explore the development of food and grocery production with enhanced water resilience.
We are currently developing a guide to understanding, measuring and managing water in the food and grocery sector, which is supported through an industry-working group.
The guide will:
- Explain the relevance of water to the food and grocery supply chain
- Outline the sources of water and examine water use
- Help business understand water terminology and its responsibilities to water
- Look at measuring water in the supply chain
- Detail approaches to managing water
- Analyse future scenarios
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More information:
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Developing a More Sustainable Supply Chain |
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 A brand new one day IGD workshop, considering key sustainability issues including carbon, water, waste and ethics. This practical course brings sustainability and supply chains together by looking at the relationships between efficiency, resource management, environmental and social fairness.
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