Water Resource Management
Water resource management (WRM) emerges as a critical linchpin in addressing the water crisis, encompassing the planning, development, and stewardship of water resources with a focus on quantity and quality across various sectors. It underscores the need for proactive strategies to optimize water utilization while mitigating the risks associated with water scarcity, pollution, and climate-induced disruptions.
The global water crisis presents a daunting challenge exacerbated by the twin threats of climate change and population growth. Projections indicate that by 2025, half of the world's population will reside in river basins experiencing water stress, while a staggering 40% water shortage looms by 2030. To avert this crisis, urgent measures to conserve freshwater and enhance water management practices are imperative for sustaining human development and environmental integrity.
Building resilience within water systems and communities is paramount to navigating the uncertainties posed by climate change and other environmental stressors. This entails upgrading infrastructure, implementing watershed restoration projects, and embracing innovative approaches like water reuse. By fortifying water utilities, enhancing storage capabilities, and promoting sustainable practices such as managed aquifer recharge, societies can bolster their capacity to weather the challenges ahead while ensuring water security for future generations.
These resources offer valuable tools for companies to assess water materiality throughout their value chains:
EarthStat provides geographic datasets focused on agriculture's environmental impact, aiding companies in assessing water materiality in agricultural operations and supply chains.
ENCORE helps users understand how businesses rely on nature and identifies risks associated with environmental degradation, allowing companies to assess material dependencies on ecosystem services.
FAOStat offers food and agriculture data for over 245 countries, aiding in assessing water quantity and quality impacts and dependencies in the agricultural sector.
GeoFootprint combines satellite imagery and environmental metrics to visualize and simulate the environmental footprints of commodity crops, aiding in sourcing decisions and environmental impact reduction.
Global Reporting Initiative's Standards enable organizations to report sustainability impacts consistently and transparently, meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders.
Natural Capital Protocol helps companies identify, measure, and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital, enhancing sustainability assessments across the value chain.
SASB Materiality Map identifies ESG topics most material to operations and value chains, aiding in understanding issues likely to impact financial performance.
Water Footprint Assessment Manual offers a comprehensive guide to water footprint assessment, covering definitions, methods, and sustainability assessment.
Water Footprint Assessment Tool provides insight into water appropriation and impacts, assisting companies in mapping water footprints and improving water use sustainability.
WaterStat offers comprehensive water footprint datasets across sectors, aiding companies in assessing water impacts and dependencies.
Stormwater Heatmap
The Stormwater Heatmap functions as a multifunctional tool, encompassing an open-source mapping system, report generator, and data repository. It provides quantitative insights into pollution sources and the routes it takes to become runoff within the entire watershed. Through these detailed visualizations, the tool empowers stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding stormwater management.