Ethical considerations in managing the hydrosphere: an overview of water ethics

2020 ◽  
pp. SP508-2020-99
Author(s):  
David Groenfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Water Policy ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Normative Values ◽  
Ethical Practice ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Ethics Framework ◽  
Complementary Approach ◽  
Water Ethics ◽  
Corporate Support ◽  
Practical Field

AbstractWater has a unique importance as the basis of life, and the ethical ramifications of managing water are correspondingly complex. Values about water constitute the building blocks for ethical guidance. Modern interest in developing a practical field of water ethics began with a UNESCO initiative (1998–2004) that analysed best ethical practice in various water sectors (e.g. irrigation, domestic water supply, ecosystem health, etc.). A complementary approach has been to focus on particular normative values borrowed from the field of Human Rights such as integrity, justice and solidarity. A water ethics framework helps to integrate diverse and sometimes conflicting values through rendering the values about water visible and creating ethical space for dialogue and mediation. There is growing interest in approaching water policy decisions on the basis of normative values that can be diverse and mutually supportive. The widespread acceptance of agroecology as an alternative to mono-crop industrial farming, and corporate support for water stewardship initiatives, illustrate a societal turn towards valuing a broader range of spiritual, environmental and social benefits of water. We are undergoing a transformation in how we perceive the water around us. The need for clarifying the ethical foundations of water management decisions has never been greater.

Drinking water policy in the frame of the Directive 2000/60/EC with emphasis on drinking water prices

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Safarikas ◽  
N.V. Paranychianakis ◽  
O. Kotselidou ◽  
A.N. Angelakis
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Water Pricing ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Pricing Policy ◽  
Real Cost ◽  
Quality Of Water ◽  
Average Water

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) 2000/60/EC, which has been transposed into the national legislation with the Law 3199/2003 (MoEPPW, 2003), will cause substantial changes in the drinking water pricing policy and the domestic water authorities involved such as the Municipal Enterprises for Water Supply and Sewerage (DEYA). Up to date, drinking water pricing policy has been based only on the recovery of the economic cost and in some cases neither this. Therefore, domestic water is not priced taking into account its real cost. Based on data provided by 74 DEYA representing 2.10 million inh, the average water price is estimated to be 1.19 €/m3. Analysis of these data reveals a deviation of 41.67% from the real cost. The relation of consumers with the Enterprise, but also that of management and employees, should be a bidirectional relation, in order to be comprehensible by all. Thus, an agreement that will point out that the most excellent quality of water presupposes water policy which will consider sustainability and the current requirements of the Enterprise and of course the consumers should be established between them.

scholarly journals IMPERATIVES OF COMPLEMENTARITY OF AGRO-FOOD ENTERPRISES ECONOMIC POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION

2019 ◽  
pp. 133-140
Author(s):  
Vira Lebedieva ◽  
Tetiana Shabatura ◽  
Mariia Varhatiuk
Keyword(s):  
Dominant Role ◽  
Synergetic Effect ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Economic Potential ◽  
Agricultural Enterprises ◽  
Complementary Effect ◽  
Complementary Approach ◽  
Complementary Role ◽  
Structural Blocks

Introduction. Today there are deep economic transformations in Ukraine that necessitate the integration of innovative approaches and methods in the process of implementing the economic potential of agro-food enterprises, in particular the use of an innovative complementary approach. Purpose. The article aims to uncover the peculiarities of integration and the use of imperative of complementarity in the process of implementing the economic potential of agricultural enterprises. Results. Significant advantages and perspectives of the imperatives of the complementarity of the sale of agro-food enterprises are revealed in the achievement of the complementary effect, which, unlike the synergetic effect, ensures the development of two independent structure-building blocks of the enterprise's economic potential by using only one of the resource flows, while obtaining a synergistic effect is possible based on the application of various resources. The expediency of using the imperatives of complementarity of the implementation of the economic potential of agro-food enterprises is justified by the linear and hierarchical nature of their integration. Thus, the linear nature of the integration of complementary imperatives reveals signs of interaction and complementarity between the basic elements of structural units of the economic potential of agro-food enterprises, whereas hierarchical character indicates the dominant role of one and complementary role of other basic elements, which ensures achievement of the priority goals of realization of economic potential of the enterprise. Thus, in the process of implementing the economic potential of agro-food enterprises on the basis of complementarity, we should consider the effects of interaction and complementarity of the flow of its structural blocks, the possibilities of their efficient use and the ability to increase competitive advantages that will ensure achievement of the priority goals of realization of the economic potential of the enterprise, namely, maximization market value of business.

Water crisis will cripple China's economy

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Water Pollution ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Development Economic ◽  
Security Issue ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Damage ◽  
Control And Management ◽  
China’S Economy

Subject Water stress in China. Significance Water pollution and shortages, exacerbated by the uneven distribution of domestic water resources, as well as waste and inefficiency, have become severe constraints on China's economic development. Economic growth depends on the effective control and management of water, not least because of the implications for food and energy security. Impacts Agriculture is by far the largest user of water, making food supplies hugely vulnerable to interruptions in supplies. Industry is also at risk, since more than 90% of power generation is water-reliant. Public anger about health damage from water pollution will generate street protests, making water policy a public security issue. Surveys suggest that water deficiencies are regarded as the most serious environmental problem in China, making it a political liability. There will be international tensions over transboundary rivers.

Household preferences to water policy interventions in rural South Africa

Water Policy ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 487-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Hope ◽  
G. D. Garrod
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Rural Households ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
User Evaluation ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Rural South ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Rural South Africa

Water policy is often designed and implemented without negotiation with or participation from the intended beneficiaries. This is often the case in the implementation of global water policy initiatives that aim to benefit rural households in the developing world. Evidence of water policy responding to the locally defined preferences of the rural majority without improved water services is weak. Significant efforts have made to unpack quantity, quality and source attributes of domestic water supply to the least well-served populations in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. This effort has been limited to evaluating individual attributes in relation to health, productivity and usage criteria rather than a ‘user evaluation’ of these attributes together. The advantage of the latter approach is that trade-offs between attributes can be estimated to provide parameters for each attribute and marginal rates of substitution between attributes. A choice experiment in rural South Africa examines the preferences of households to changes in domestic water sources, water quantity, water quality, stream-flow failure and productive uses of domestic water. Trade-offs in rural household domestic water preferences estimate welfare coefficients that provide a ‘user evaluation’ of water policy interventions. The findings provide defensible estimates of the magnitude and direction of the utility gain/loss from water attributes that allows a more evidenced-based understanding of rural households' preferences to water policy interventions.

Limits of pricing policy in curtailing household water consumption under scarcity conditions

Water Policy ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amer Salman ◽  
Emad Al-Karablieh ◽  
Munther Haddadin
Keyword(s):  
Water Consumption ◽  
Water Demand ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Income Elasticity ◽  
Household Demand ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Pricing Policy ◽  
Water Charges ◽  
Household Water ◽  
Urban Water Policy

A key policy question in designing urban water policy and institutional reforms is: what should be the appropriate structure of water charges to ensure long-term sustainability of water service? This is because water pricing touches on equity and on the willingness of the consumer to pay, but more on its affordability. This study focuses on understanding the nature of household demand for water, and attempts to express the household demand functions. A panel of data of 10,564 complete observations on water bills, drawn from a household expenditure survey conducted in 2003, is used to estimate domestic water demand function. Price and other dummy variables were used in the analysis and the results discussed. Specifically, the household water demand and the per capita demand are analysed, taking into consideration such variables as marginal price, rate structure premium and level of household income. The results show that the estimated water demand is inelastic and so is the income elasticity. The effect of the findings on water policy making in regard to pricing is cited. Limitations of price effectiveness as a tool to curtail water consumption are highlighted.

Cost recovery in times of demographic change: Portugal's domestic water policy

Water Policy ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 326-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catrin Egerton ◽  
Rui Santos ◽  
João Almeida ◽  
David Alves ◽  
Edgar Carvalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regional Development ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Demographic Change ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Cost Recovery ◽  
Rural Populations ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Urban Populations ◽  
Water Policies

Cost recovery is a key tenet of the Water Framework Directive, but scalar implications of this in the domestic water sector are rarely addressed. It is more expensive to supply water services to rural populations owing to cost of provision across areas which are extensive yet sparsely populated; however, residents in rural areas often have lower incomes than urban populations. Taking the case of Portugal, the paper shows that, under conditions of cost recovery, prices will increase for populations in rural areas, a situation which is likely to worsen in future given out-migration from these areas. The discussion has a broader bearing on issues of even regional development and can contribute to a general understanding of how forming water policies in times of demographic change can be addressed from a policy and governance perspective.

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