Hoekstra & Chapagain 2007 Water footprints of nations: water use by people as a function of their consumption pattern. Water Resources Management 21, 35-48

Flashcards about water footprint of nations.

What is a water footprint of a country?

The volume of water needed for the production of goods and services consumed by the inhabitants of a country.

What is the internal water footprint?

The volume of water used from domestic water resources to produce goods and services consumed by inhabitants of the country.

What is the external water footprint?

The volume of water used in other countries to produce goods and services imported and consumed by the inhabitants of the country.

What are the four major direct factors determining the water footprint of a country?

Volume of consumption, consumption pattern, climate, and agricultural practice.

What are the three columns of water use traditionally shown in water use databases?

Water withdrawals in the domestic, agricultural, and industrial sectors.

What is the water footprint concept?

A consumption-based indicator of water use that provides useful information in addition to traditional production-sector-based indicators.

What does the ‘ecological footprint’ of a population represent?

The area of productive land and aquatic ecosystems required to produce the resources used, and to assimilate the wastes produced, by a certain population.

What does the ‘water footprint’ indicate?

The water required to sustain a population.

What is virtual water?

The volume of water required to produce a commodity or service.

What is an alternative water source, next to endogenous water sources?

Virtual water import.

What is the formula for calculating the internal water footprint (IWFP)?

AWU + IWW + DWW − VWEdom

What is the formula for calculating the external water footprint (EWFP)?

VWI − VWEre−export

What is the virtual water content of primary crops based on?

Crop water requirements and yields.

What is the virtual water content of crop products calculated based on?

Product fractions and value fractions.

What is the virtual water content of live animals calculated based on?

Virtual water content of their feed and the volumes of drinking and service water consumed during their lifetime.

How are virtual water flows between nations calculated?

CT [ne, ni, c] × VWC[ne, c]

Which crop has the largest share in the total volume water used for global crop production?

Rice (paddy).

In general, do livestock products or crop products have a higher virtual water content?

Livestock products.

What largely determines the size of the global water footprint?

The consumption of food and other agricultural products.

What is the estimated global water footprint?

7450 Gm3/yr.