Global Environmental Changeand Water Problems in theWater Environment:Problems enveloping thewater environment
9 October 2009
Ministry of the Environment, Japan
Environmental Management Bureau
Water Environmental Division1

Outline
1. Global Water Conditions
2. Global Warming & Water
3. Water Use in Japan
4. International Trends
5. Japan’s Actions2

1. Global Water Conditions

Earth’s Water
Breakdown of Freshwater Resources

Salt water
97.5%

Freshwater
2.5%

Groundwater
29.9%

Lakes,、 rivers

0.3%

Glaciers, other
69.8%

Direct availablewater resources

Approximately
0.01% of allresources- Salt water accounts for 97.5% of the total water resources on earth;freshwater accounts for only the remaining 2.5%.
- Of the earth’s freshwater resources, 0.3% of the water from rivers, lakes
and marshes is available for direct use by humans.
- This is approximately 0.01% of all water resources on earth.
Source: UN Economic and Social Council, Comprehensive Assessment of the Freshwater
resources of the World Report of the Secretary-General, 19973

1. Global Water Conditions

Present State of the World
Globally,y Approximately 1.1 billion people are currently without access to safewater (※)(※) Less than 20 liters of water per day from a source more than one
kilometer away is considered unsafe.
y Approximately 2.6 billion people live in areas without sanitary facilities.
y Every year, 1.8 million children die from water and hygiene relatedcauses.
Source: UNDP 2006 Human Development Report

This is the most critical issue
facing the human race today.

41. Global Water Conditions
Asia: The Center of theWorld’s Water and Sanitary Problems
y Those without access to safe water and sanitaryfacilities are concentrated in Asia.
People without access to safewater (in millions) in 2004

アジア地
域peopleTotal 1.1 billion(600 million people in Asia (63%)

People living in unsanitaryconditions (in millions) in 2004

アジ
Total 2.6 ア地
billion people(About 1.9
域billion people in Asia (74%)
Source: UNDP 2006 Human Development Report51. Global Water Conditions

Future Increase in Demand for
Water in Asia

Outlook on water demand

Source: Water Resources in Japan 2007, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism

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1. Global Water Conditions

Global Water Issues ①(Water Pollution and Shortages in China)

Wastewater from a dye factory in
Hubei Province being discharged
into the Yangtze River (2007)
Source: CHINA daily Website
http://chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-04/15/content_850842.htm

Increased dry-up of the Yellow Riverdue to water shortages (January2007)
Source: http://www.jxgdw.com/jxgd/news/gnxw/userobject1ai699737.html

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1. Global Water Conditions

Global Water Issues ②(Reduction of the Aral Sea)

Figure 1 October 2003

Figure 2 September 2006-October 2007

Figure 3 2009

Since the 1960s, water surface areas have undergone a drastic
reduction as a result of large-scale irrigation to grow cottonand grain.
8Source: JAXA2. Global Warming & Water

Rise in Average Temperatures
Average ground temperature(deviation with average temperatures from 1961-1990)

Average Northern Hemispheretemperatures during the second
half of the 20th century werelikely the highest in at least thepast 1,300 years.
(Source: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report)○The average global temperature has risen 0.74℃ in the past 100 years.
○The warming trend over the past 50 years is almost twice that for thelast 100 years.
92. Global Warming & Water

Global Warming and Water StressAccording to IPCC…
y Several hundred million people face serious water shortages due toglobal warming.
y It is estimated that an increase in the frequency of droughts and floods
will have a negative impact on regional production, in particular, selfsufficient agricultural sectors in low-latitude regions.
Key impacts as a function of increasing global average temperature change(Impacts will vary by extent of adaptation, rate of temperature change, and socio-economic pathway)

Global mean annual temperature change relative to 1980-1999 (℃)
Increased water availability in moist tropics and high latitudes
WaterDecreasing water availability and increasing drought in mid-latitudes and semi-arid low latitudes
Hundreds of millions of people exposed to increased water stress
Dotted black arrows indicate impacts continuing with increasing temperatures.
Source: Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment
Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
102. Global Warming & Water

Current Existing Impacts○ Increase in frequency of extreme
weather in many parts of the world(heavy rains, droughts, heat waves,other).
○ Rise of annual averages of the global
mean sea level in the 20th century by17cm.
(Source: IPCC Fourth Assessment Report)

Since 2001, Australia has experienced
worsening droughts due to rain shortages.

Source: The Asahi Shimbun (18 November 2006)

Water shortages have caused a sharp
decrease in the supply of wheat, barley,
rice, other.
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2. Global Warming & Water

Glacial Retreat○The Himalayas are facing glacial retreat as a result of globalwarming.
Tsho Ropla glacial lake (Nepal)
Percentage of glacial melt inriver flow (ICIMOD)
・Indus River: 44.8%
・Ganges River: 9.1%
・Mekong River: 6.6%・Yangtze River: 18.5%

Satellite image

Glacial retreat has
potential to causefloods and shortages
in water resources inthe downstream.
Source: JAXA<<Glacial retreat in the Himalayas>>
1978

1998

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2. Global Warming & Water

Increase in Frequency of Large-Scale Floods

Awaiting rescue on the in Müglitz River, asmall tributary stream of the Elbe River (fromthe Ministry of the Interior of Saxony)

In the summer of 2002, a large-scale flood occurred in different areas of Europe.
Twenty-seven people died in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany and France.
More than 230,000 people were evacuated, with damages estimated at 16 billion Euro(approximately 2.05 trillion yen*).
*1 Euro = 128 Yen (September 2003)
Source: (Photo) Japan Society of Civil Engineers 2002 Europe Water Damage Study Team, 2003: 2002 Europe Water Damage Study—Overview(Graph) WHO (2002) Floods: Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies for Human Health13

2. Global Warming & Water

Flooding in Japan○Frequent occurrence of torrential rains in large cities
In recent years, rainfall of over 50mm per hour has increased in frequency.
An increase in heavy rains and strong typhoons are a concern for thefuture.
484 times/year in FY2004(the highest to date)

484回/y(過去最高)

Frequency of rains of over 50mm/h

9Total annual number of cases of the amount of rainfall an hour (Data from approximately 1,300 points in the national AutomatedMeteorological Data Acquisition System) (From materials from the Meteorological Agency)

Source: MLIT

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3. Water Use in Japan

Water Use in Japan ①<Household Water>• Households use approximately 245l/person/day (Of this, 2-3l is drinking water.)• Most water is used for washing (baths, toilets, laundry)
Other:
19.5l/person/day

Bath:59l/person/day

Laundry:
41.5l/person/day
Toilets:
68.5l/person/day

Cooking:
56.5l/person/day

Source: Study of Water Supply in Households by Purpose, Bureau of Waterworks, Tokyo Metropolitan Government<Water for City Activities>• Water for businesses and commercial use such as in restaurants and hotels, other→The average amount of water used per person per day, including
water for city activities, is 307l/person/day.
Source: Water Resources in Japan 2008, Water Resources Department, MLIT 15

3. Water Use in Japan

Water Use in Japan ②(Reliance on the world’s water)y Is Japan immune to water stress?
y Country that consumes the world’s water through food imports
Japan’s self-sufficiency rate(calorie base) is about 40%.
→Dependent on water imported
from overseas

Japan imported about 80 billion
m³ of virtual water from overseas
in 2005. The majority originatedin food.
This is equal to the annual
amount of water used in Japan.
Source: The World’s Water Problems are Our Own, Ministry of the Environment (http://www.env.go.jp/water/virtual_water) 16

3. Water Use in Japan

Effective Use of Water

Use of rainwater and recycled waterThis is the use of water of relatively low quality in comparison totap water, such as recycled water from sewage and rainwater forvarious uses including in restroom toilets, air cooling/conditioning,and sprinkling.

Effects of the use of rainwater and recycled water
Effective use of limited water resources, including reductions in
the amount of tap water used and improvement in people’s views
towards water savings, to form a society that can effectively deal
with water shortages.
Improvement of the water environment by decreasing sewage.

3. Water Use in Japan
Wastewater Recycling Systems
・“Individual circulation systems” where wastewater is purified andrecycled in a single building
・“District circulation systems” where buildings in designated districts
jointly operate waterworks
・ “Wide-area circulation systems” where treated wastewater fromsewage treatment plants are supplied and used over large areas

Water supply

Elevated water tanks

Miscellaneous water

Recycled water supply center

Wastewater
treatment facility

To sewer

Treatment facilityRecycled water

SewageTap water3. Water Use in Japan
Rainwater Utilization Systems
Systems that use rainwater for miscellaneous water. This system may
be used together with wastewater recycling.
This system can be used for household rainwater tanks, as well as inlarge-scale buildings.

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3. Water Use in Japan
Fukuoka City
Miscellaneous water systems are required in order to construct large-scalebuildings.
Constructed buildings
with a total area of morethan 5,000m2 (3,000m2 in
the promotional area) are
required to install
wastewater reclamation
systems for washingwater (flushing, rinsing,etc.).
The city provides asubsidy for interest and258 suppliers
property taxes inand 4,600mof water
individual circulation
suppliedsystems.
(daily average)
3at the end ofFY2003

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3. Water Use in Japan
Management of Miscellaneous Water
Preventing damage to people’s healthOperational and maintenance standards
Watering, landscaping, and cleaning

Washing water for flush toilets

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3. Water Use in Japan○ Water quality standards for the usage of recycled wastewater and standards for facilities
Washing water

Sprinkling water

Landscapingwater

RecreationalwaterNot detected1)

Not detected1)

Refer toremarks1)

Not detected1)(Managementtarget value) 2
degrees or less(Managementtarget value) 2
degrees or less(Managementtarget value) 2
degrees or less2 degrees orless

5.8-8.6

5.8-8.6

5.8-8.6

5.8-8.6

Not unpleasantNot unpleasantNot unpleasantNot unpleasantColor--2)--2)

Less than 40degrees2)Less than 10
degrees2)

Odor

Not unpleasant3)

Not unpleasant3)

Not unpleasant3)

Not unpleasant3)

Placeswherestandards
applyBacillus
coli
Turbidity

pH
External

Exit pointofwastewat
errecyclingfacilities

Source: Manual on standards for recycled water from treated wastewater, MLIT (April 2005)

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4. International Trends

MDGs (Millennium Development Goals)
The declaration adopted at the UN Millennium Summit
organised in New York in September 2000 and theinternational developmental goals that have been
adopted at key international conferences and summits
organised in the 1990s were integrated and brought
together under one framework.
Eight targets have been set to be achieved by 2015.
y By 2015, reduce by half the proportion of people
without sustainable access to safe drinking waterand basic sanitation.

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4. International Trends

1st Asia-Pacific Water Forum(December 2007, Beppu, Japan)
Message from Beppu (Excerpt)y Recognition of people’s basic right to safe drinking waterand basic sanitation as a fundamental aspect of humansecurity.
y Reduce by half the number of people who do not haveaccess to safe drinking water by 2015 and aim to reducethat number to zero by 2025.
y Accord the highest priority to water and sanitation in all
national economic and development plans and agendas andincrease substantially the allocation of resources to waterand sanitation sectors.
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4. International Trends

G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit
Leaders Statement (8 July 2008)
y Water and Sanitation (Summary)
47.
Good water cycle management is crucial in order toaddress the issue of water…we will promote integrated
water management and the concept of ‘Good Water
Governance,’ with particular focus on Sub-SaharanAfrica and Asia-Pacific, by taking necessary actions suchas strengthening of trans-boundary basin organizations,sharing of water-related expertise and technology withdeveloping countries, support for capacity building forwater-related initiatives, promotion of data collection
and utilization, and adaptation to climate change.
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4. International Trends

5th World Water Forum
Ministerial Declaration (22 March 2009)(Excerpt)
Recognize the need to achieve water security. To thisend it is vital to increase adaptation of water
management to all global changes and improvecooperation at all levels.
Recognize, in particular, the specific challenges facing
different parts of the world, especially Africa, in meeting
the MDGs and attaining an acceptable level of water
security for socio-economic development.
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4. International Trends

Integrated Water Resource Management
IWRM is the process that promotes the coordinated and systematicdevelopment and management of water, land and related resources.
Its purpose is to maximise the resultant economic and social benefits inan equitable manner without compromising the sustainability ofecosystems.
Perception of water as an integral part of the ecosystem
Water/land resources, water volume/quality, surface and groundwater, other

Perception of water as an integral part of water-related fields
Rivers, waterworks and sewerage, agricultural water, industrial water,
environmental water, otherPerception of the importance of various stakeholders
National and local governments, NGOs, local residents, other5. Japan’s Actions

Water Environment Partnership in Asia (WEPA)
Development of a water environment platform, such as an information database,capacity improvement of policymakers and development of human resources inorder to improve governance to protect the water environment in the Asianmonsoon region.

Partner Countries
Asian Monsoon Region
11 countries

Main activities in FY2008◆International forum
・3rd International Forum (Malaysia)
23-24 October 2008
108 participants from 14 countries◆Bilateral meetings
・Cambodia 25-26 September 2008
・Malaysia 22 October 2008

◆Annual meeting・4th Annual Meeting (Malaysia)
Bilateral meetings in Cambodia
24 October 2008

◆Information dissemination
・5th World Water Forum (Turkey)
16-22 March 2009
Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan◆Development/expansionof database http://www.wepa-db.net/

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Thank you for your attention.

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