Fifty of the UK’s biggest food and drink companies have launched a major new programme to ensure more sustainable water use, in the wake of the COP summit highlighting water shortages as a key threat to climate change.
The new Water Roadmap is aimed at ensuring the industry delivers the UK’s Courtauld Commitment 2030 water target and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Launched in July 2021, Wrap’s Courtauld Commitment 2030 targets 50% of the UK’s fresh food being sourced from areas with sustainable water management by 2030.
The roadmap aims to improve the quality and availability of water in 20 key sourcing areas and is backed by the likes of Asda, Co-op, Coca-Cola GB, M&S, Nestlé, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, with more organisations being urged to join by Wrap.
It said with COP26 stressing the urgent need to act on water security and biodiversity, and UN predictions of a 40% global shortfall in water by 2030, it was calling on all UK food & drink organisations to support the new Water Roadmap and adopt the actions it outlines.
The organisation is working with WWF, The Rivers Trust and other supporting organisations on the plan, which aims to respond to warnings from the UK Environment Agency that every day 3,400 million extra litres of water could be required by 2050 if no action is taken.
Meanwhile WWF estimates agricultural effluent is responsible for 78% of ocean and freshwater eutrophication globally and is a key driver of biodiversity loss in rivers, lakes and wetlands.
The situation is so severe in England, only 14% of rivers are in good ecological health, and all fail to meet chemical standards. Of these failing rivers, agriculture impacts nearly two thirds, according to the Rivers Trust.
“The facts around the threats to water quality and availability are stark and will be worsened by climate change,” said Wrap head of climate action strategy Karen Fisher. “All organisations that rely on water resources have a duty to take action to protect them and we must act now.
“The Water Roadmap provides a practical mechanism for food and drink businesses to know what actions they can most meaningfully take to help achieve this goal. I urge other organisations to join those that have already given their commitment to help protect this critical resource.”
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