2 Water Footprint & Trade in Virtual Water

Question 1

What is virtual water?

Answer 1

The water „embodied“ (terkandung) in a product.

• Virtual sense (We may not see the water in that product but a factory used water to produce it)
• Water needed for the production of the good
• Along all steps of production
• Includes water consumed for the production of inputs

Question 2

Global trade in goods and services bring about global trade in „virtual water“

Answer 2

The goods that produced somewhere are moved somewhere else

Question 3

Water Footprint: Production Chain of Cotton

Lecture 2 slide 56

Answer 3

• From the harvest of the plant to the final product only a fraction of the product is used at each stage
• Water is used in many steps along the way
• In this example agriculture and industry use

Question 4

Water Footprint: Production of Beef

Lecture 2 slide 57

Answer 4

It takes three years to produce 200kg of boneless beef.

Required feeding:
• 1300 kg of grains; 7200 kg roughages; 24m² water
• Servicing: 7m² water

• 1 kg beef = 6.5 kg grains + 36 kg roughage + 155 liters water
• 6.5 kg grains + 36 kg roughage ≈ 15300 liters water
• 1 kg beef requires ≈ 15500 liters of water

Remember: This is only green and blue water footprint

Fertilizers and manure (pupuk) not yet considered (Problem in Lower Saxony)

Question 5

(Addition)

What makes up your water footprint?

Answer 5

• Green water
Rain water used

• Blue water
Irrigation water used

• Grey water
Fresh water used to dillute (mengencerkan) pollution

Question 6

What is actually happening with the “Virtual Water Trade”…

Answer 6

• Consumers indirectly contribute to water depletion and pollution elsewhere, without covering the cost
• Water abundant regions have other opportunities than water scarce regions
• Several nations become increasingly dependent on external water resources Water is a geopolitical resource
• There is a growing need to harmonize national water and trade policies