December 2015, COP21 in Paris provided sustainable development goals to tackle Climate Change, which are contains 17 specific elements.

The Goal 6, Ensure access to water and sanitation for all, including but not limited to, is robust platform to develop food security and livelihood, and worthy aim if we sincerely would like to struggle against sustainable development.

Source; SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, The United Nations,

 

It is said that Japanese life expectancy is relatively longer than other industrial countries, and it deems to be thought as a good thing. In the 21st century, however, the aging population (i.e. population growth) will be one significant key to sustain our future, in which is subject to human inhabitation and nature environment.

The current world population of 7.3 billion is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100, according to a new UN DESA report.

Data source; World Population2015; United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division

 

 

Population growth simulation by UNICEF-https://www.unicef.org/sowc2012/urbanmap/ is visual speculation map of population growth. Increasing population means that the amount of element of necessary for life – water consumption, energy resources and food will turn to be less than our consumption. Particularly, water shortage will have significant impact to industries, agriculture and households as well as, subsequently, flood will affect economic and land-use change. As infrastructure in developing countries hasn’t been organized robustly, even industrial countries as well, vulnerable lands tend to be disrupted by water disaster readily. Therefore, water management & control have an initiative for making sustainable development, especially from a viewpoint of agriculture business and industries.

As world organizations have taken actions against climate change, government and industries response for supporting them. To contribute to sustainable development, assessing water footprint is undertaken by corporate-based, currently, such as supply-chain evaluation of food and agriculture business, and discharged water assessment of manufacture. As far as food and agriculture business concerned, the transparency of supply-chain is demanded by consumers. The more people increase, the more water usage will be required for broadening their business. It is apparent that water shortage is key to their business. By evaluating Water footprint, the stakeholders could notice water-risks like following contents;

 

1. integrate water quantity and water quality
2. elaborate water use across the entire value chain
3. demonstrate relationships between producers and consumers through virtual water
4. compare the allocation of water footprint between users and between consumers
5. elucidate the interactions between water management for quantity and quality, surface and groundwater
6. measure the cumulative impact of water consumption and pollution

(Quoted; Water Footprint Assessment in Support of Sustainable Development Session report, 14 January 2015)

 

Once water footprint is estimated, the corporates can see which factors are inefficient and burden for their water management, and then, prioritize tasks to improve their performance.

 

Our world has a big complexity. The sustainable development goals – 17 goals above mentioned are linked each other, and each of goals cover numerous data and geographical own problems. Therefore, the technology support is inextricable part for achieving goals. The big-data could be obtained by using technology, and it makes us be able to determine the path to take. But once collecting data and determine the course, what’s next? The complicated issues seem that it would take long time to solve, however it doesn’t mean you can take a rest for a while and address them later.

So we must step forward even each step is too short and the future is prolong.

  

© 2017 YUYA KAWAMURA SOME RIGHTS RESERVED

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