SYNERGY

"The interest in the water footprint is rooted in the recognition that human impacts on freshwater systems can ultimately be linked to human consumption, and that issues like water shortages and pollution can be better understood and addressed by considering production and supply chains as a whole", says Professor Arjen Y. Hoekstra, creator of the water footprint concept and scientific director of the Water Footprint Network. "Water problems are often closely tied to the structure of the global economy. 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, but also consumers, businesses and civil society communities can play a role in achieving a better management of water resources.

Link: Poster A3 WaterFootprint of Products

Link: The Water Foot print Assessment Manual

Source: http://www.waterfootprint.org

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) can be measured by recording emissions at source by continuous emissions monitoring or by estimating the amount emitted by multiplying activity data (such as the amount of fuel used) by relevant emissions conversion factors.

These conversion factors allow activity data (e.g. litres of fuel used, number of miles driven, tonnes of waste sent to landfill) to be converted into kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). CO2e is a universal unit of measurement that allows the global warming potential of different GHGs to be compared.

Link: Guidelines ghg conversion factors

Source: http://www.defra.gov.uk