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Virtually meaningful or virtually meaningless?

This presentation explores the complex concept of virtual water, analyzing its significance across environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Focusing on the "WF Onion" layers, it delves into key issues such as water equity and the challenges in understanding water footprints. Examples include the implications of biofuels in Brazil and the balance between water quantity and quality. The discussion highlights the social and political ramifications of water use and the potential for unintended consequences in interpreting and applying the virtual water concept.

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Virtually meaningful or virtually meaningless?

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  1. Virtually meaningful or virtually meaningless? Paula novo (UPM), aparna sridhar (LSE) and elena lopez-gunn (FMB-OBS) Istanbul 18th March 2009

  2. Outline • WF ´Onion´ layers • Water & Environment • Water & Equity • Problems with Translating Virtual Water?

  3. WF ‘Onion’ Layers Roth and Warner (2008) Allan (2008 ) ???? Social & political 2009 FMB-OBS, Chapagain et al. (2006) Environmental 2007 Economic UPM-FMB Allan (1997), Hoekstra (2000), Chapagain and Hoekstra (2004), Yang et al. (2006), Zimmer and Renault (2002), etc. 1997 Hydrological

  4. Water & Environment • ´E´ water footprint- to consider at least two aspects: • Environmental flows ( & ´E´ water footprint ) • Example: Guadalquivir (Spain), South Africa • Water quality ( & ´Grey´ water footprint) • Example: • Brazil and Biofuels: quantity but not quality neutral Sugar Production in Brazil States in Brazil Source: Sridhar (2008) Bertrand et al (2006, 36) IBGE (2008)

  5. ‘Grey’ WF of Biofuels in Brazil • Hoekstra and Chapagain (2006) • Brazil’s WF to be 233.59 Gm3/year. • Sridhar (2008) • 7% of Brazil's total WF can be attributed to sugar cane ethanol production in São Paolo. • However, the WF of sugar cane ethanol, is predominantly ‘polluted water.’ • Degradation of water quality (<stock?) • Ethical and social questions particularly locally for the poorest? Other countries?

  6. Water & Equity • Social WF • Mixing apples with pears: • Aquifer 23 (Mancha Occidental, Spain): PEAG + Re-forestation • 10000 €/ha + 600 €/ha x 20 years -> Social Water Footprint? • ‘More jobs per (ill)legal drop’? • Myth of ‘social’ water neutrality (Roth and Warner, 2008) Number of farmers Irrigated land with water rights Source: Zorrilla (2009) Source: Zorrilla (2009)

  7. Water & ‘Translations’ • Meaning is dependent on context… • Can ‘translations’ have unintended consequences?

  8. Meaningful? Meaningless?

  9. WF ‘Onion’ Layers Hydrological Economic Environmental Social & Political

  10. The End Thank you for your attention!

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