Topic: water risk

Aqueduct Metadata Document: Yellow River Basin Study

Sarah Parsons — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:43:16 -0500

Summary

Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Yellow River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework. The Yellow River Basin study contains 14 indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Aqueduct Metadata Document: Yangtze River Basin Study

Sarah Parsons — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:33:33 -0500

Summary

Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Yangtze River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework. The Yangtze River Basin study contains 14 indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Aqueduct Metadata Document: Orange-Senqu River Basin Study

Sarah Parsons — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:27:06 -0500

Summary

Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Orange-Senqu River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework. The Orange-Senqu River Basin study contains 14 indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Aqueduct Metadata Document: Colorado River Basin Study

Sarah Parsons — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:16:28 -0500

Summary

Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Colorado River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework. The Colorado River Basin study contains 12 indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Case Study: Aqueduct Informs Owens Corning Corporate Water Strategy

Sarah Parsons — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 10:27:57 -0500

Executive Summary

The World Resources Institute (WRI) Markets and Enterprise Program conducted a global water stress assessment with Owens Corning, a leading producer of glass-fiber reinforcements and residential and commercial building materials. This working paper aims to help Owens Corning and other companies deepen their understanding of external water supply-related threats and inform on how to shape improvements to their corporate water strategy. WRI plotted Owens Corning facilities worldwide on global maps of current and projected water stress using the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas. WRI concluded that Owens Corning facilities are evenly distributed across areas of high, medium and low stress. The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas provided new metrics and an improved methodology for Owens Corning to determine water supply-driven risks to its operations. The results also allowed Owens Corning to rank its facilities worldwide based on their exposure to current and projected stress, prioritize areas for additional internal and external investment, and enhance the company’s overall corporate water strategy.

RELEASE: New Mapping Tool Provides Unprecedented Ability to Assess Water Risk

Lauren Zelin — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:08:10 -0500

Aqueduct provides companies with comprehensive, high-resolution picture of water risks worldwide.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) today launched a new online tool that maps water risk worldwide based on the most current, highest resolution data available. Companies, investors, and governments can use the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas to see how water stress will affect operations locally and globally, and help prioritize investments that will increase water security.

The online tool was developed by WRI, working with founding members of the Aqueduct Alliance, GE and Goldman Sachs, as well as Skoll Global Threats Fund, Shell, Bloomberg, Talisman Energy, Dow, United Technologies (UTC), DuPont, John Deere, Veolia Water, and the Dutch and Swedish governments.

The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas is a customizable global map, based on 12 indicators of physical, regulatory, and reputational risk. In a user-friendly way, companies can now evaluate how water stress, flood occurrence, access to water, drought, and other issues may affect operations. Additionally, the global map can be tailored specifically for nine water-intense industry sectors - from oil and gas, to agriculture, to chemicals.

“Recent history is littered with companies that failed to anticipate emerging threats. Water scarcity is one such threat. Thankfully, forward-thinking business leaders are starting to get it. They understand that water risk is one of the top issues that they face,” said Andrew Steer, President, World Resources Institute. “This new platform will provide companies with comprehensive, high-resolution tools to measure water risk. It gives them an unprecedented ability to understand and better manage these risks.”

Companies have already been using earlier versions of the Aqueduct tool to understand how their operations and supply chains may be exposed to water risk. For example:

McDonalds has asked 353 of its global suppliers’ facilities to use Aqueduct to assess their local water risk;
Procter & Gamble, Owens-Corning, and AU Optronics have used Aqueduct to understand how local water supply, quality, and other risk factors may affect their global facilities, and to prioritize water efficiency and other investments;
Bank of America Merrill Lynch used Aqueduct to inform investors about water risks and opportunities in a recently released research report; and
Companies used Aqueduct to disclose and report on external water risk in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) 2012 Global Water Report.

“Aqueduct’s global water risk map provides an innovative tool and important step forward in understanding critical water issues,” said Kyung-Ah Park, Head of the Environmental Markets Group at Goldman Sachs. “Assessing risk is challenging, and even more so with complex issues like water. Aqueduct provides a much more complete picture of the water issues affecting business globally than we’ve had before.”

Through the Atlas, users can plot the locations that matter most to them – from facilities, to suppliers, to potential new markets or proposed power plants – and compare those locations’ potential exposure to water stress and risk. They can also review maps of individual indicators, such as seasonal variability, which may be highly important to their operations.

“GE knows first-hand that water scarcity is a major challenge in many parts of the world,” said Heiner Markhoff, President and CEO of GE Water. “We’re very pleased that Aqueduct’s new global water risk maps will enhance understanding of these risks in ways that enable society to address them more effectively.”

The release of the global Water Risk Atlas is the culmination of a three-year effort by WRI to create a peer-reviewed and robust methodology for mapping complex water security around the world.

“Aqueduct’s global water risk mapping information is a valuable tool for understanding and addressing the pressing global threat of water security,” said Sylvia Lee, Water Manager, Skoll Global Threats Fund. “We understand that water is not just an environmental issue, but a real and substantial risk to communities, economies, and businesses. The new global water risk maps make it easier than ever to research and understand where in the world these risks are greatest, and where action is most needed.”

On Thursday January 31, WRI is hosting a public webinar to showcase the new Aqueduct water risk mapping tool – see information below.

On February 8, water experts from leading companies will participate in the “Water: Emerging Risks and Opportunities Summit” co-hosted by GE Power & Water, Goldman Sachs, and WRI at Goldman Sachs headquarters in New York City. For more information, contact Kevin Smith from Goldman Sachs at kevin.m.smith@gs.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Aqueduct is holding a webinar at 11:00AM ET on Thursday January 31 to introduce the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas. To register, visit http://www.wri.org/event/2013/01/webinar-wris-aqueduct-global-water-risk-mapping-tool.

Aqueduct Water Risk Framework

Sarah Parsons — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:02:28 -0500

This working paper describes the Aqueduct Water Risk Framework, the indicators it includes, and the methodology used to combine them into aggregated, comprehensive risk scores. The Aqueduct Water Risk Framework includes indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Aqueduct Global Maps 2.0

Sarah Parsons — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:11:20 -0500

Summary

This working paper provides data sources, methodology, and maps for Aqueduct’s Water Risk Atlas of 12 global indicators grouped into three categories of risk and overall risk. Aqueduct’s Water Risk Atlas of global maps includes indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Aqueduct Metadata Document: Mekong River Basin Study

Sarah Parsons — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:09:13 -0500

Summary

Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Mekong River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework. The Mekong River Basin study contains 14 indicators of water quantity, water variability, water quality, public awareness of water issues, access to water, and ecosystem vulnerability.

Case Study: Aqueduct Informs AU Optronics Corporate Water Strategy

Sarah Parsons — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:31:54 -0400

Executive Summary

The World Resources Institute (WRI) Markets and Enterprise Program conducted a global geographic water risk assessment with multinational electronics manufacturer AU Optronics (AUO). WRI plotted AUO’s fabrication plants worldwide on global maps of water risk using Aqueduct’s Water Risk Atlas. This assessment aims to identify which AUO fabrication plants are located in areas and draw from sources that face potential water risks. From this assessment, WRI concluded that: (a) the majority of AUO’s fabrication plants are located in areas facing relatively low current water risks, including water stress; (b) by 2025, the majority of AUO’s fabrication plants will face medium to high increases in water stress; and (c) the source reservoirs for AUO’s fabrication plants face similar levels of water risk.

This case study allows AUO to better prioritize resources and develop risk mitigation solutions. It is important to note that the scope of this case study is limited to the identification of geographic water risks; it does not aim to develop specific facility-level risk reduction strategies and solutions. In this document, WRI provides some high-level recommendations to AUO on how to move forward in developing corporate water strategy. This case study is intended to help other companies understand how they can use Aqueduct’s Water Risk Atlas to inform corporate water strategy.

RELEASE: WRI and Partners Launch Aqueduct Alliance to Measure, Map, and Report on Global Water Risk

Michael Oko — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:15:40 -0400

Initiative to provide unprecedented level of water risk information for business and government

Recent water-related events – from extreme droughts across the southwestern United States to flooding in central China – provide vivid examples of the potential impacts of water on people, businesses, and local infrastructure. To assess and respond to increasing water risk globally, the World Resources Institute (WRI) is launching the Aqueduct Alliance, a consortium of leading water experts from the private and public sectors, NGOs, and academia. Founded by WRI, Goldman Sachs and General Electric, the alliance has added Bloomberg, The Dow Chemical Company, Talisman Energy, and United Technologies. The Coca-Cola Company is also engaged and will be providing an extensive global database of once proprietary water risk information to support Aqueduct’s work.

In a survey of 150 large corporations conducted by CDP Water Disclosure, nearly 40 percent of responding companies indicated that they had already experienced disruptions in operations, increases in expenses, and other detrimental impacts related to water. Against a backdrop of rapid population growth and climate change, government entities charged with managing water resources are also increasingly concerned with water-related disruptions and seeking viable approaches for mitigating risks.

“Businesses and governments are increasingly concerned with water-related risks, which can negatively impact profitability and continued economic growth,” said Kirsty Jenkinson, Director of WRI’s Markets and Enterprise Program. “Aqueduct will provide accurate, high quality information together with a platform for businesses and governments to address water risks beyond physical water scarcity, including regulatory and socioeconomic risks.”

At the heart of Aqueduct is a global database of water risk information that will enable companies, investors, governments, and others to create water risk maps with an unprecedented level of detail and resolution. The maps generated by Aqueduct combine advanced hydrological data with geographically-specific indicators that capture the social, economic, and governance factors that affect companies and economies. Robust risk assessment is the foundation for developing strategic water resource management plans at the business, watershed, and municipal levels. This publicly-available and transparent database will inform private sector efforts to reduce its water footprint in high risk areas, and create an impetus for public sector leaders to enter into dialogues with a range of stakeholders that will ultimately lead to more equitable, efficient, and sustainable water resources management in water-stressed basins.

“Water risk is becoming an increasingly critical global issue, but one that is inherently local and not yet fully considered in business and investment decisions,” said Kyung-Ah Park, Managing Director for the Goldman Sachs Environmental Markets Group, one of the founding partners in the Aqueduct project. “Aqueduct will work to facilitate better management of water risk and help identify market opportunities that drive more sustainable economic development.”

“Water risk is emerging as one of the greatest threats to long term economic and environmental sustainability,” said Jeff Fulgham, Chief Sustainability Officer for GE Power & Water, one of the other founding partners in the Aqueduct project. “Our customers around the world are addressing physical, operational, regulatory, social & reputational and financial risks all relative to water. Aqueduct will enable us to help our customers better assess and proactively address these risks.”

WRI has already developed a working prototype of the database and risk mapping tool, covering the Yellow River Basin in northern China. WRI will soon be launching an updated interactive web platform that includes global and basin-specific maps and information on water related risks. The ultimate goal of the project is to provide a comprehensive database of water risk information that can support improved public and private sector decision-making in increasingly water-stressed locations throughout the world.

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Read the Financial Times story on the launch, here