Water accountability

but it is not readily available in many of the places where it is needed most. Many countries across the region do not get enough rainfall. Last year, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) issued a drought warning for several Caribbean countries due to the below-normal rainfall recorded during the previous dry and wet seasons, which has resulted in a number of countries experiencing water shortages in 2015. Seven countries in the Caribbean make the list of the world’s top 36 water-stressed countries, with Barbados in the top ten. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) defnes countries like Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitt s and Nevis as waterscarce with less than 1000 m3 freshwater resources per capita. In February 2016, the Cuban Government reported that 27% of the country was affected by water deficitis. By April, the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) committed to both assisting 1.6 million people hit by droughts worsened by El Niño in Guatemala, Honduras.

El Salvador and Haiti and building resilience against future climatic shocks. Extracting clean water from seawater is becoming an increasingly integral part of our region’s search for water security, but there are challenges to this process. Huge amounts of power are required to operate decsalination plants which mean importing costly fossil fuels. The agricultural industry relies heavily on rainfall and has been badly affected by the drought. As irrigation use has becoming more widespread in Caribbean farms, the supply of fresh-water has become increasingly important. According to the UNWFP, no rainfall for seven to ten days alone can reduce crop yields, productivity and reduce livestock and poultry, significantly reducing the livelihoods of farmers. All of this has a knock on effect for consumers as certain produce badly aff ected by the climate become much more expensive to buy. In June 2016, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) approved a US$11.2 million loan to the government of Saint Lucia, to improve the water supply system in the community of Dennery North. In addition to the loan, the government of Saint Lucia will receive a grant of US$110,000 to be used for communications and building awareness of the project; water conservation practices; water-borne diseases; and the impact of climate change on water supply. Tackling the problems that are a result of the global water shortages are a major priority to ensure economic growth. Three out of four of the jobs worldwide are water-dependent; either directly related to its management (supply, infrastructure, wastewater treatment.

etc.) or in economic sectors that are heavily water-dependent such as agriculture, fishing.

power, industry and health. If water shortages continue, it may limit economic growth in the years to come. So what can businesses do to start managing this issue? Oneaction is to determine and calculate the water footprint, which can be thought of as its “direct” and “indirect” water impacts. Through understanding the impact, businesses can create a comprehensive disclosure on the issue within annual and sustainability reports. Understanding the bigger picture of water consumption and pollution can help identify water-related business risks and the strategic actions required to achieve sustainable water use and water resource efficiency. Organisations need to engage with government and other stakeholders on public policy of water to know the full extent to which and how water use can be regulated.

monitored and managed. It supports civil society engagement in river basin dialogues by building their understanding of the issues and it assists government in having a comprehensive picture of water use within the basin. Finally, organisations should develop a corporate-wide sustainability strategy that takes a systems-wide approach to energy.

carbon, water and material use. All of these issues are interrelated, and any corporate strategy requires an integrated solution. Organisations need to move beyond a focus on legitimacy and reputation building and embrace an internal management approach if they are going to add value to their businesses by realising the full range of economic and environmental benefits made possible via improved water use, the reduction of risk in times of water shortage or surplus, and grasping opportunities.