Freshwater is a necessary resource for every aspect of life on Earth, supporting plant growth, food production, industrial processes, and the sustenance of living beings and ecosystems. However, access to freshwater is increasingly at risk of scarcity due to overuse and changing temporal and spatial hydrological patterns leading to unequal freshwater distribution.
Although increasing the technical and economic efficiency of water use is a widely adopted strategy in water management, other dimensions of water use need to be taken into account to address the water crisis. In this regard, valuing water use can help to identify and raise awareness on the diversity of uses of water. Although water valuation is at the intersection of a wide variety of fields, but current studies are dominated by economic values. Interdisciplinary studies are needed, to ensure that other non-economic values of water are also integrated into global water use valuation.
This study therefore aims to identify the different values associated with water as a resource. It will also examine at the underlying motivations that drive the prioritisation of some water use values over others in water allocation, particularly in the context of a global water crisis that remains unclear. A case study will address water justice on a global scale by looking at the water footprint of wealthier population in comparison to lower-income groups. Finally, by examining how trade-offs are handled, this project will provide insight into how water use values are prioritised in current water allocation and consumption on a global scale.
People involved
