1. Green Growth and Eco-efficiency
Three crises hit the Asian-Pacific region in the last couple of years. The “Triple Fs”- food-fuel-financial-compounded by climate change adversely affect countries of the region, inflicting a heavy human cost. But the consequence of these crises has also brought along an opportunity to take a fresh look at the development paradigm of the region. These concurrent crises have exposed the limits of current economic growth patterns.
In view of the decreasing carrying capacity of resources including water resources, it is clear that Asia and the Pacific cannot follow the conventional development path of “grow first, clean up later”. Countries need to improve Green Growth development paradigm through new thinking and change the ways they pursue economic development.
Pursuing green growth means more than just integrating environmental sustainability in current development patterns. It means fundamental transformation of our economic structure from the current development paradigm of “quantity of growth” to a new development paradigm of “quality of growth” by integrating ecological costs in market prices, investing in sustainable infrastructure, promoting green business and technology, pursuing sustainable lifestyles, by developing climate resilient societies and by strengthening regional cooperation. The transformation represents an opportunity for new green economic growth with creation of employment in water sector, which is a basis for inclusive social development.
Greening our future requires three main things:
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Changing people’s mindset so as to value systems and there is also the need to change preferences to support sustainable lifestyles and decouple economic growth from current unsustainable consumption patterns.
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Invisible infrastructures (non-physical infrastructures) such as pricing system, regulations and institutions and visible infrastructure (physical infrastructure) such as dam and pipes are key determinants that lock societies into production and consumption patterns. Therefore, there is a need to integrate ecological price in the market system, and invest in sustainable infrastructure.
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Green/eco efficient water business and technology are enabling tools for countries to turn the crisis into an opportunity for economic advancement and to increase industrial competiveness.
Investing in water infrastructure, clean water and ecological efficiency represents new opportunities for new economic growth and creation of employment which is beneficial towards poverty reduction (MDG 1) and environmental protection (MDG 7) simultaneously.
Developing countries of Asia and the Pacific are faced with a number of challenges, but are also in a position to adopt and move quickly on implementing innovative low carbon green growth policies as compared to industrialized countries which have less flexibility due to the lock-in effect. Furthermore, experience shows that early introduction of such strategies can create opportunities for countries to enhance competitiveness and robustness of the economy in the long run. Adopting such strategies in support of development plans can push the Asia-Pacific region as the new global centre of gravity for innovation, sustainability and prosperity.
2. Eco-efficiency Concept
The concept of ‘Eco-efficiency’ stems from the idea of ‘Sustainability’, which was devised in 1991 by the Business Council on Sustainable Development (now the World Business Council on Sustainable Development – WBCSD). In terms of the concept, although the idea of eco-efficiency has been developed mostly in industrial processes, the concept expanded as useful term as one of the supplementary approaches to implement sustainable development in society.
The core idea of eco-efficiency is to improve the efficiency within the eco-system. The concept of E/E is often misunderstood as a means to enforce the public to reduce the level of consuming natural resources and living standards for a better future. But such understandings are incorrect, because E/E puts more emphasis on promotion of innovation and a paradigm shift from resource waste to resource saving and efficient use in order to achieve decoupling economic well-being with natural resource use. In addition, E/E aims to provide a framework to reach a high level of welfare and a better quality of life while avoiding an overuse of limited natural resources.
3. What does Water Infrastructure mean?
According to Enhancing Regional Cooperation in Infrastructure Development (UNESCAP, 2005), the definition of water infrastructure can be defined as a stock of facilities and installations:
- to develop and manage water resources, including delivery, treatment, supply, and distribution of water to its users, and
- for the collection, removal, treatment and disposal of sewage and wastewater.
Infrastructure is not an end product in itself but is “systems that deliver goods and services, using resources (e.g. energy, water, materials, land) and interacting with the surrounding environment (e.g. waste, emissions, noise)”. It has key implications for socio-economic development:
- Foundation for economic growth
- Delivers goods and services to the population
- Resource and pollution intensive
- Locks into consumption patterns for decades
Water infrastructure is an indispensable requisite of water resource management for further economic growth in the region because
- adequate water infrastructure is a basic element to ensure the sustainability and accessibility of water resources and overcome water scarcity problem,
- water infrastructure provides water-related services for the population, agriculture and industry, as well as for treatment and disposal of wastewater, hydroelectric power generation and navigation,
- the construction and maintenance of water infrastructure make significant effects on economic growth in terms of resource consumption and huge expenses,
- sustainable water infrastructure, for example, the provision of water pipelines, can make a key role in improving gender equality, and
- sustainable water infrastructure is intended to supplement the natural ability of aquatic ecosystems to cope with drought and floods as well as to accommodate a certain pollution load.
4. How can water infrastructure be categorized?
There could be several ways of categorization for water infrastructure depending on criteria. Here the criteria for categorization of water infrastructure are sector-based since the application of eco-efficiency concpet will vary from sector to sector. Each of these categories of water infrastructure expansion can be further sub-divided as given below:
Infrastructure for Development of Water
- Water is a critical natural resource. Without it, life could not exist and people could not survive. Keeping this in mind, this type of infrastructure may include dam, reservoir, well, sea desalination facility, rain harvesting system.
Infrastructure for Water Use
- Infrastructure for drinking water supply and sanitation: canal, water purification plant, pumping station, distribution network, sewerage systems and latrines
- Infrastructure for Industrial Water Supply and Industrial Effluent Treatment: hydropower plant, water supply system and wastewater treatment system owned by industry
- Infrastructure of Irrigation Water Supply: Irrigation system, reservoirs
Infrastructure for Water Management
- Infrastructure for Environmental Protection: water and wastewater treatment facilities and recycling systems, sewerage systems,
- Infrastructure for Disaster Protection: flood protection facilities.
- Infrastructure for Climate Change Buffer: Systems with low carbon usage, water security and coastal management.
5. What does 'Eco-efficient Water Infrastructure' mean?
Eco-efficient water infrastructure has been defined as an integrated approach to ecological and economic efficiency that aims to maximise the value of water related services, optimise use of natural resources and minimise impacts on ecosystems. This represents a paradigm change of water resource management from apparent market based efficiency dominated by water monopolies to a more holistic strategy based on multiple objectives and scales within the framework of protecting ecosystem services and human welfare.
The eco-efficient water infrastructure presents an expanded definition of urban water infrastructure - one that goes beyond the existing physical infrastructure of pipes, pumps and reservoirs. This new infrastructure visible infrastructure which includes innovative physical components, water sensitive urban design and conservation programs designed to complement existing water supply networks. This kind of infrastructure also relies heavily on building and maintaining "invisible infrastructure"- the integration of ecological price concept into market price, integrated planning processes, education programs, and financial and human resources needed to liberate the full potential of water efficiency and conservation, and to foster sustainable water use. It also emphasizes decentralized approaches, integrated planning and local educational programs that inspire behavioral change.
By developing such an infrastructure, water management shifts its focus beyond expensive physical infrastructure (visible infrastructure) toward non-physical (invisible infrastructure) resulting in dramatically increased water efficiency, economic savings and environmental protection. It is the only way to address the dual goals of meeting human water demands and sustaining aquatic ecosystem health - foundations of lasting water security.
The eco-efficient water infrastructure aims to transform the water development patterns into more eco-efficient water development paradigm to meet MDG 1 and MDG 7 with the following strategies:
- By incorporating ecological pricing concepts into market pricing system
- By changing water planning from centralized and massive water infrastructure development monopolized by a few water bodies to decentralized water infrastructure
- By changing water production and consumption patterns
- By strengthening integrated planning between invisible (non-physical) water infrastructures and visible (physical) infrastructures, and between water infrastructures and other resource infrastructures such as energy
- By strengthening integration of water management into urban planning, water smart design and technology into water planning
- By promoting green water business through public-private partnership
6. Why Eco-efficient approach for Water Infrastructure is needed?
As economies grow and population increases rapidly in Asia and Pacific region over last decades, many developing countries face increasing demand of water resources, increasing acute water scarcity and serious socio economic impact of water related disasters, thereby threatening the sustainability of socio economic development efforts.
In addition, climate change which is the biggest threat the planet faces, is making serious impacts on water system including water infrastructure, especially to the poorest and the most vulnerable among us.
Most of the developing countries in the region have very limited capitals and resources to invest in the construction of new water infrastructures as well as in replacement of aging water infrastructure. Moreover, the continuous constructions of new water supply facilities could not be eco-efficient in the long run and face strong confrontation from environmentalists and civil society.
Under these circumstances, one of the best solutions to tackle these issues is to increase ecological efficiency (eco-efficiency) in water infrastructure in countries, which can play a central role in pursuing sustainable development. This eco-efficiency approach for water infrastructure could be supplementary to the traditional approach, mainly focusing on water supply management (e.g. construction of physical water infrastructure like dams, reservoir, hydropower plants, water distribution networks, and other water facilities).
ESCAP, in close collaboration with countries, research institutes, regional organizations and civil societies, aims to contribute to developing countries to identify best practices that have helped countries to address a variety of challenges including the rising wave of infrastructure replacement needs and Climate Change impacts on water system, and further to achieve the sustainable development through the promotion of eco efficient approach for water infrastructure
In this connection, ESCAP establishes the regional knowledge hub with the purposes to facilitate flows of information including research papers, country reports, good practices and activities, etc and to strengthen the partnership and networks as well as participations in Asia and the Pacific region.
7. How to Achieve Eco-efficiency in Water Infrastructure?
Development of eco efficient approach for water infrastructure in the region is a long term process which requires much time and efforts. Some of the strategies, guidelines, frameworks, methodologies, measurement and indicators for eco-efficient water infrastructure are completed while others are still in progress.
Like most of the other new approaches, the application of eco-efficiency to water infrastructure requires different perspectives, mindset, and disciplines incorporating social sciences, economics, psychology, sociology and education, as well as awareness, expertise and capacity building to develop strategy, planning design and implementation, as well as awareness, expertise and capacity building to develop strategy, planning design and implementation.
It can be considered to be a 5 track system:
- Pricing and Tax System Reform
- Sustainable Infrastructure Development
- Sustainable Production and Consumption Pattern
- Promotion of Green Local Business
- Integration with other Infrastructures
The following 3Ps are involved:
- Public: The public sector need to lead the transition bridging the gap between the short-term costs of investment in the water infrastructure and its long-term benefits from investment
- Private: The private sector has to promote business opportunities that green growth can bring.
- People: Such a leadership by the public sector has also to be politically supported by the people, responding with positive acceptance, adopting more sustainable lifestyles, and focus more on quality of life, rather than quantity of consumption.
8. Policy Guidelines for Eco-efficient Water Infrastructure
a) Water Pricing Reforms including Tax and Budget
b) Reduce Distance - Decentralized Approach
c) Development of New Water Sources
d) Educate People: Sustainable Water Consumption Patterns
e) Development of Local Water Industry
f) Integrated Planning with Other Sector Infrastructures
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