New report shows water scarcity can be mitigated affordably and
sustainably
(Thomson Reuters ONE) - Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Washington, D.C., November 23, 2009 - A new report released today bythe 2030 Water Resources Group, Charting Our Water Future, shows thatgrowing water scarcity can be mitigated affordably and sustainably.By providing greater clarity on the scale of the water challenge andthe cost of the solutions, it offers a fact-based tool to helpstakeholders make informed investment decisions and guide policydiscussions. It finds that if no action is taken, by 2030, projectedpopulation and economic growth will lead to global water demand thatis 40% in excess of current supply. In addition, this means thatone-third of the world's population would have access to only halfthe water they need, living in water basins with a 50% deficit insupply.In the foreword to the Charting Our Water Future, His Royal Highnessthe Prince of Orange, Chairman of the United NationsSecretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, statesthat "the future water gap can be closed. If water is to beeveryone's business, then stakeholders will need to come together inwaterscarce countries to make some difficult trade-offs on the roadto water resource security. This report's contribution is to create acommon economic language which all stakeholders can use inparticipating in that conversation."At the basis of the report lies an analysis conducted in fourcountries with drastically different water issues, which willcollectively account for 40 percent of the world's population, 30percent of global GDP and 42 percent of projected water demand in2030: China, India, South Africa and Brazil (Sao Paulo state). Thereport's methodology identifies supply- and demand-side measures thatcould constitute a more cost effective approach to closing the waterresource gap in each country and even achieve savings in somesectors.Moreover, the report shows that if a balanced portfolio of demand-and supply-side measures is adopted in each country, the projectedwater requirements in 2030 can be met at an estimated cost of $19billion per year for these countries, or just under 0.06% of theircombined forecast GDP for 2030. At a global level, the cost wouldamount to an estimated $50-60 billion. In contrast, if onlytraditional supply-side measures are implemented, an additionalcapital expenditure of up to $200 billion per year globally would berequired to close the water gap. This is four times more than thebalanced approach and more than double what is currently spent onwater resource provision.While the need for additional water is global, both the challengesand the solutions differ across geographies given the drasticvariations from basin to basin. This report offers a set of tools fordecision-makers to design tailored programs to close the water gap.In India, for example, demand is driven largely by growth in theagricultural sector (80% of all water demand) as it tries to copewith a burgeoning population moving towards a middle-class diet. Themost cost-effective solutions identified for India are, therefore,dominated by agricultural measures, both in irrigated and rain-fedcrop production, which can collectively close 80% of the projectedgap in 2030. On the other hand, in South Africa, agriculture isexpected to account for only 47% of water demand in 2030, whilehousehold and industrial demand will account for 53%. As a result,the most cost-effective solutions will include some agriculturalmeasures, but also a range of industrial efficiency measures, inmining for instance, and common household measures, such as improvedplumbing fixtures.Across all regions studied, many of the most cost-effective measuresidentified, especially those that increase efficiency andproductivity of water use, can pay back their initial capitalinvestment in three years or less.About the 2030 Water Resources Group. The Group was formed in 2008 tocontribute new insights to the critical issue of water scarcity.Members include McKinsey & Company, the International FinanceCorporation (IFC, part of the World Bank Group), and a consortium ofbusiness partners: The Barilla Group, The Coca-Cola Company, NestléSA, New Holland Agriculture, SABMiller plc, Standard Chartered andSyngenta AG.For more information, and to see a copy of the report, please visitNestlé Events page.Follow the live webcast hosted by the World Bank at 15:00 CET, 9:00EST, 10:00 Beijing. --- End of Message ---Nestlé S.A.Avenue Nestlé 55 Vevey WKN: 887208; ISIN: CH0012056047; Index: SLCI, SMI, SPI, SMIEXP;Listed: Main Market in SIX Swiss Exchange;
Datum: 23.11.2009 - 15:03 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
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