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Friday, October 15, 2010

Water Footprint


[Fig: Average national water footprint per capita (m3/cap/yr). Green means that the nations's water footprint is equal to or smaller than the global average. Countries with red have a water footprint beyond the global average. Period: 1997-2001]
The water footprint is an indicator of water use and is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business. Human impacts on freshwater systems can ultimately be linked to human consumption. Professor Arjen Y. Hoekstra is the creator of the water footprint concept. he mission of the Water Footprint Network is to promote the transition towards sustainable, fair and efficient use of fresh water resources worldwide. Many countries have significantly externalised their water footprint, importing water-intensive goods from elsewhere. This puts pressure on the water resources in the exporting regions, where too often mechanisms for wise water governance and conservation are lacking. Not only governments acknowledge their role in achieving a better management of water resources, also businesses and public-service organisations increasingly recognize their role in the interplay of actors involved in water use and management. Based on the top-down approach, the global average water footprint is found to be 1240 m3/yr/cap. There are large differences between countries. In the USA the average water footprint is 2500 m3/cap/yr. In China the average water footprint is 700 m3/cap/yr.





So, Save Water, Save Future. Support Blog Action Day 2010 on Water. [Source of image, graph and video: Water Footprint]

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