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Assessing the Ecological Footprint of a Large Metropolitan Water Supplier: Lessons for Water Management and Planning towards Sustainability

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  • Manfred Lenzen
  • Sven Lundie
  • Grant Bransgrove
  • Lisa Charet
  • Fabian Sack

Abstract

Faced with the task of communicating their combined social, environmental and economic impact, water service providers are seeking to report overall performance in an aggregated way. Such a methodology must be scientifically robust, easily communicated and allow benchmarking of performance while reflecting a transition towards sustainability. In this paper the ecological footprint (EF) is calculated for Sydney Water Corporation (SWC), using input-output analysis and land disturbance in an innovative approach that overcomes problems identified in the original EF concept. This pilot study has allowed SWC to gain some valuable insights into its impacts: SWC's annual EF is about 73 100 ha in terms of land disturbance. Of this, 54 000 ha are projected to become disturbed as a consequence of climate change, with the remainder of 19 100 ha being disturbed on SWC's premises (2400 ha) and on those of upstream suppliers (16 700 ha). Total on-site impacts equal 9300 ha, while indirect land disturb ance contributes 63 600 ha. The EF appears promising as an educational and communi cation tool and may have potential as a decision support tool. However, further research is needed to incorporate downstream impacts into the EF, which would have significant benefits to SWC in terms of assessing and communicating the organization's overall progress towards sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Manfred Lenzen & Sven Lundie & Grant Bransgrove & Lisa Charet & Fabian Sack, 2003. "Assessing the Ecological Footprint of a Large Metropolitan Water Supplier: Lessons for Water Management and Planning towards Sustainability," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(1), pages 113-141.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jenpmg:v:46:y:2003:i:1:p:113-141
    DOI: 10.1080/713676700
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Fagan, J.E. & Reuter, M.A. & Langford, K.J., 2010. "Dynamic performance metrics to assess sustainability and cost effectiveness of integrated urban water systems," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 54(10), pages 719-736.
    2. Hanna Safwat H. Shakir & Kendall T. Harris & Irvin W. Osborne-Lee & Gian Paolo Cesaretti & Rosa Misso & Magdy T. Khalil, 2013. "Global Ecological Footprint, Climate Change Impacts and Assessment," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 9-38.
    3. Kytzia, Susanne & Walz, Ariane & Wegmann, Mattia, 2011. "How can tourism use land more efficiently? A model-based approach to land-use efficiency for tourist destinations," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 629-640.
    4. Thomas Wiedmann & John Barrett, 2010. "A Review of the Ecological Footprint Indicator—Perceptions and Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(6), pages 1-49, June.
    5. Carballo Penela, Adolfo & Sebastián Villasante, Carlos, 2008. "Applying physical input-output tables of energy to estimate the energy ecological footprint (EEF) of Galicia (NW Spain)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1148-1163, March.
    6. Kitzes, Justin & Galli, Alessandro & Bagliani, Marco & Barrett, John & Dige, Gorm & Ede, Sharon & Erb, Karlheinz & Giljum, Stefan & Haberl, Helmut & Hails, Chris & Jolia-Ferrier, Laurent & Jungwirth, , 2009. "A research agenda for improving national Ecological Footprint accounts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1991-2007, May.
    7. Wiedmann, Thomas, 2009. "A first empirical comparison of energy Footprints embodied in trade -- MRIO versus PLUM," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1975-1990, May.
    8. Elsa Marcela Guerrero & Fernando Guiñirgo, 2008. "Indicador espacial del metabolismo urbano. Huella Ecológica de la ciudad de Tandil, Argentina," Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica, Red Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica, vol. 9, pages 31-44, Diciembre.
    9. Darrel Brown & Jesse Dillard & R. Scott Marshall, 2006. "Triple Bottom Line: A business metaphor for a social construct," Working Papers 0602, Departament Empresa, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, revised Mar 2006.

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