Publications
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Aqueduct Floods Methodology
by Philip J. Ward, Hessel C. Winsemius, Samantha Kuzma, Marc F.P. Bierkens, Arno Bouwman, Hans De Moel, Andrés Díaz Loaiza, Dirk Eilander, Johanna Englhardt, Gilles Erkens, Eskedar Tafete Gebremedhin, Charles Iceland, Henk Kooi, Willem Ligtvoet, Sanne Muis, Paolo Scussolini, Edwin H. Sutanudjaja, Rens Van Beek, Bas Van Bemmel, Jolien Van Huijstee, Frank Van Rijn, Bregje Van Wesenbeeck, Deepak Vatvani, Martin Verlaan, Timothy Tiggeloven and Tianyi Luo - April 2020According to new data from WRI's Aqueduct Floods Tool, by 2030 the number of people impacted by floods will double worldwide — from 65 million to 132 million due to riverine flooding and from 7 million to 15 million due to coastal flooding.
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Mapping Public Water Management: Proof of Concept
by Cristina Logg, Julian Kölbel, Colin Strong, Paul Reig and Ross Hamilton - April 2020This Technical Note documents a pilot project to better understand public water management by crowdsourcing responses to a standardized question set. Using the results of the pilot and additional stakeholder interviews, the authors have developed an updated question set to assess conditions of public water management for industrial water users.
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Leveraging Water Data in a Machine Learning–Based Model for Forecasting Violent Conflict
by Samantha Kuzma, Peter Kerins, Liz Saccoccia, Cayla Whiteside, Hannes Roos and Charles Iceland - March 2020This paper discusses a methodology to forecast conflict up to a year in advance. The model is a product of the Water, Peace, and Security partnership, which is pioneering the development of public information tools and approaches that can support evidence-based actions to reduce security risks and promote water cooperation.
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Setting Site Water Targets Informed By Catchment Context
A Guide For Companies
by Tien Shiao, Ross Hamilton, Cora Kammeyer, Jason Morrison, Christina Copeland, Cate Lamb, Kari Vigerstol, Naabia Ofosu-Amaah, Paul Reig, Alexis Morgan, Rylan Dobson and Peter Koefoed Bjørnsen - September 2019This guide aims to help companies set effective site water targets that are informed by catchment context, which can create value and lessen risks for the company and support collective action.
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Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA): A Method For Implementing and Valuing Water Stewardship Activities
by Paul Reig, Wendy Larson, Samuel Vionnet and Jean-Baptiste Bayart - August 2019This paper provides a methodology to calculate and valuate the benefits of water stewardship activities. This new method enables businesses and other key stakeholders to better tackle shared water risks at catchment-scale.
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Aqueduct 3.0: Updated Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators
by Rutger Willem Hofste, Samantha Kuzma, Sara Walker, Edwin H. Sutanudjaja, Marc F.P. Bierkens, Marijn J.M. Kuijper, Marta Faneca Sanchez, Rens Van Beek, Yoshihide Wada, Sandra Galvis Rodríguez and Paul Reig - August 2019This paper discusses updates to the Aqueduct™ 3.0 water risk framework, that is used, among other things, as underlying database for the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas and Country Rankings.
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Water, Security and Conflict
by Peter Gleick and Charles Iceland - August 2018This paper reviews the key drivers behind growing water risk, describes and illustrates water and security pathways, and presents approaches for reducing water related risks to global security.
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Mapping Public Water Management by Harmonizing and Sharing Corporate Water Risk Information
by Colin Strong, Paul Reig, Julian Köbel and Cindy Noe - March 2018This methodology documents an approach to crowdsourcing information on public water management via companies, in order to create a global database of local data.
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Parched Power: Water Demands, Risks, and Opportunities for India’s Power Sector
by Tianyi Luo, Deepak Sriram Krishnan and Shreyan Sen - January 2018This paper aims to uncover water risks to India’s thermal power sector.
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A Methodology to Estimate Water Demand for Thermal Power Plants in Data-Scarce Regions Using Satellite Images
by Tianyi Luo, Arjun Krishnaswami and Xinyue Li - January 2018Thermal power plants depend on and consume water for cooling. Detailed power sector water-use data can help aid in evaluating the security of water access for power plants as well the impact of their water use on downstream water users.
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Water Stress Analysis and Recommendations for Water Resources Management in Ningxia
by Lijin Zhong, Xiaotian Fu, Tianyi Luo, William Hua Wen and Tien Shiao - August 2016This report is aimed at helping governments and corporations gain a better understanding of water stress associated with local economic development and its impact on socio-economic development in Ningxia. It first analyzes water resources profiles, water resources management and current water use patterns in Ningxia, and applies the Aqueduct Water Risk Framework of the World Resources Institute to assess Ningxia’s baseline water stress focusing on the development of the local coal industry and its impact on water resources and provided suggestions for better management of Ningxia’s water resources.
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Baseline Water Stress: China
by Jiao Wang, Lijin Zhong and Ying Long - June 2016This technical note describes the data and methodology used to calculate BWS-China, building on the methodology described in previous Aqueduct publications (Shiklomanov and Rodda 2014; Gassert et al. 2013). In general, results show that Aqueduct’s global baseline water stress indicator maps and BWS-China maps share similar spatial patterns. However, upon closer examination, the maps show differences in some catchments. More detailed water withdrawal data by sector used in BWS-China can reveal new spatial patterns.
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Water-Energy Nexus: Business Risks and Rewards
by Eliot Metzger, Paul Reig, William Hua Wen, Robert Samuel Young and Brandon Owens - January 2016Water scarcity challenges industries around the world. Global population growth and economic development suggest a future of increased demand, competition, and cost for limited freshwater supplies. Scarcer water, in turn, creates new challenges for energy supply because coal, oil, gas, and electricity production can require massive amounts of freshwater. Yet many countries will need more energy for energy-intensive water treatment options, like seawater desalination, to meet their growing demand for water. This report illustrates these emerging risks and offers ideas for finding solutions at the water-energy nexus.
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Aqueduct Projected Water Stress Country Rankings
by Tianyi Luo, Robert Samuel Young and Paul Reig - August 2015Decision-makers need future projections on water supply and demand. However, most of these decision-makers operate at the administrative or political scales, and therefore require country-level projections. This technical note utilized a spatial aggregation methodology to bring sub-catchment scale Aqueduct Water Stress Projections up to the country scale, fulfilling this need.
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Aqueduct Water Stress Projections: Decadal Projections of Water Supply and Demand Using CMIP5 GCMs
by Francis Gassert, Matt Luck, Research Scientist, ISciences LLC and Matt Landis Research Scientist, ISciences LLC - June 2015Both private and public sectors see the need to plan for potential changes in water availability caused by climate change and economic development.
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Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1 Indicators
Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators
by Francis Gassert, Paul Reig, Tien Shiao, Matt Luck, Research Scientist, ISciences LLC and Matt Landis Research Scientist, ISciences LLC - April 2015The availability of freshwater resources to meet human demands has emerged as a top-tier global issue for both environment and development. However, many decision-makers lack the technical expertise to fully understand hydrological information.
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Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1
by Francis Gassert, Paul Reig, Tien Shiao, Matt Landis, Research Scientist, ISciences, LLC and Matt Luck, Research Scientist, ISciences, LLC - April 2015This working paper updates the 2013 Aqueduct Global Maps 2.0 Metadata Document. It describes the data sources and calculations for the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas Global Maps. Complete guidelines and processes for data collection, calculations, and mapping techniques are described in the Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1: Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators.
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Opportunities to Reduce Water Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Chinese Power Sector
by Deborah Seligsohn, William Hua Wen, Craig Hanson and Kejun Jiang - March 2015China’s power sector is its largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and also its biggest industrial water user. As a result, current and future decisions about electricity generation—and energy efficiency—will have profound impacts on both global climate and domestic water resources.
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India Water Tool
by Tien Shiao, Tianyi Luo, Deepa Maggo, Emma Loizeaux and Chris Carson - February 2015In India, rapid industrialization and urbanization are taking place at a time when increases in water supply are limited.
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Global Shale Gas Development: Water Availability & Business Risks
by Paul Reig, Tianyi Luo and Jonathan N. Proctor - September 2014This report analyzes water availability across all potentially commercial shale resources worldwide. It also reveals that water availability could limit shale resource development on every continent except Antarctica.
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Aqueduct Country and River Basin Rankings
A Weighted Aggregation of Spatially Distinct Hydrological Indicators
by Francis Gassert, Paul Reig, Tianyi Luo and Andrew Maddocks - December 2013More and more countries around the world face high levels of water stress, but measuring and communicating that stress consistently is challenging. This paper ranks countries and river basins worldwide based on their exposure water-related risks.
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Aqueduct Metadata Document: Yellow River Basin Study
by Francis Gassert, Tianyi Luo, Tien Shiao and Matt Luck - February 2013Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Yellow River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework.
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Aqueduct Metadata Document: Yangtze River Basin Study
by Francis Gassert, Tianyi Luo, Tien Shiao and Matt Luck - February 2013The Yangtze River Basin (YZB) Study provides details of the data, sources, methodology, and maps for 14 water-related indicators across the Yangtze River Basin in China. The YZB Study is primarily designed for research organizations for analysis and research purposes.
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Aqueduct Metadata Document: Orange-Senqu River Basin Study
by Paul Reig, Francis Gassert and Matt Luck - February 2013The Orange-Senqu River Basin (ORB) Study provides details of the data, sources, methodology, and maps for 14 water-related indicators across the Orange-Senqu River Basin in Southern Africa. The ORB Study is primarily designed for research organizations for analysis and research purposes.
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Aqueduct Metadata Document: Colorado River Basin Study
by Francis Gassert, Tien Shiao and Matt Luck - February 2013The Colorado River Basin (CRB) Study provides details of the data, sources, methodology, and maps for 12 water-related indicators across the Colorado River Basin in the United States and Mexico. The CRB Study is primarily designed for research organizations for analysis and research purposes.
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Case Study: Aqueduct Informs Owens Corning Corporate Water Strategy
by Paul Reig, Tien Shiao, Roy Owens and David Palochko - February 2013Owens Corning, a multinational building materials manufacturer, conducted a global geographic water risk assessment using WRI’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas. This assessment aims to identify which of Owens Corning’s manufacturing plants are located in areas facing water supply-related risks. Companies and investors can use this paper to deepen their understanding of external water supply-related threats and learn how to use the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas to inform their corporate water strategies.
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Aqueduct Water Risk Framework
by Paul Reig, Tien Shiao and Francis Gassert - January 2013This working paper describes the Aqueduct Water Risk Framework, the indicators it includes, and the methodology used to combine them into aggregated, comprehensive risk scores.
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Aqueduct Global Maps 2.0
by Francis Gassert, Paul Reig, Tien Shiao, Matt Landis and Matt Luck - January 2013This working paper provides data sources, methodology, and maps for Aqueduct’s Water Risk Atlas of 12 global indicators grouped into three categories of risk and overall risk.
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Aqueduct Metadata Document: Mekong River Basin Study
by Francis Gassert, Paul Reig, Pragyajan Rai and Matt Luck - December 2012Prior to the creation of the global Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, indicators were developed and tested in a number of river basins worldwide. The results of the Mekong River Basin Study helped inform and shape the global Aqueduct Water Risk Framework.
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Case Study: Aqueduct Informs AU Optronics Corporate Water Strategy
by Tien Shiao, Paul Reig, Francis Gassert and Keith Liao - October 2012The World Resources Institute (WRI) Markets and Enterprise Program conducted a global geographic water risk assessment with multinational electronics manufacturer AU Optronics (AUO).