317
11.5.3 Water
Water systems have both direct and indirect GHG emissions. Direct GHG emissions
include those associated with wastewater and the decomposition of its biological
matter. When treated in a wastewater facility, biogas can be captured and utilized as
a renewable form of energy. However, approximately 47% of wastewater produced
in the domestic and manufacturing sectors is not treated (IPCC 2014b). Further,
water systems of farms are used to manage animal waste, resulting additional emissions in the agricultural sector. As noted above, the cultivation of waterlogged crops
like rice also leads to emissions.
The use of anaerobic digesters to produce and utilize biogas and biosolids from
wastewater is a well-known mitigation strategy. In agricultural settings, this strategy
merges food, energy, and water systems. However, technological and economic
challenges face the wider use of such systems.
Indirect emissions associated with water systems include that associated with
the use of energy throughout water systems (see Sect. 2.5). More efficient use of
water and other demand-side mitigation strategies reduce the GHG footprint of
water use.
11.5.4 Integrated Mitigation
Climate change mitigation requires significant changes to FEW systems. Some
mitigation strategies are single sector in their focus, such as shifting away from coal
generation of electricity, improved management of soils, and capturing biogas from
wastewater. However, nearly all strategies have knock-on effects on other sectors.
Moving away from coal reduces the water required for cooling power plants (even
when switch to natural gas); managing soils for carbon storage is usually accompanied by a reduction in energy-intensive inputs; and capturing biogas from wastewater creates a renewable form of natural gas for energy. The example mentioned
above of water efficiency requirements implemented in response to drought in
California, reducing energy use, and thus, GHG emissions is illustrative of suck
knock-on benefits.
Such knock-on benefits are most significant where interactions between FEW
systems are strongest (e.g., agriculture, cities); FEW systems compete for ecosystem services (e.g., from Chap. 9), infrastructure (e.g., from Chap. 10), and economic resources (e.g., from Chap. 5); or conflicts between stakeholders in different
aspects of FEW systems exist (e.g., from Chaps. 18–20).
In these three classes of situations, mitigation strategies that integrate FEW
systems from the outset achieve a more significant impact.
11 Climate Change
11.5.3 Water
Water systems have both direct and indirect GHG emissions. Direct GHG emissions
include those associated with wastewater and the decomposition of its biological
matter. When treated in a wastewater facility, biogas can be captured and utilized as
a renewable form of energy. However, approximately 47% of wastewater produced
in the domestic and manufacturing sectors is not treated (IPCC 2014b). Further,
water systems of farms are used to manage animal waste, resulting additional emissions in the agricultural sector. As noted above, the cultivation of waterlogged crops
like rice also leads to emissions.
The use of anaerobic digesters to produce and utilize biogas and biosolids from
wastewater is a well-known mitigation strategy. In agricultural settings, this strategy
merges food, energy, and water systems. However, technological and economic
challenges face the wider use of such systems.
Indirect emissions associated with water systems include that associated with
the use of energy throughout water systems (see Sect. 2.5). More efficient use of
water and other demand-side mitigation strategies reduce the GHG footprint of
water use.
11.5.4 Integrated Mitigation
Climate change mitigation requires significant changes to FEW systems. Some
mitigation strategies are single sector in their focus, such as shifting away from coal
generation of electricity, improved management of soils, and capturing biogas from
wastewater. However, nearly all strategies have knock-on effects on other sectors.
Moving away from coal reduces the water required for cooling power plants (even
when switch to natural gas); managing soils for carbon storage is usually accompanied by a reduction in energy-intensive inputs; and capturing biogas from wastewater creates a renewable form of natural gas for energy. The example mentioned
above of water efficiency requirements implemented in response to drought in
California, reducing energy use, and thus, GHG emissions is illustrative of suck
knock-on benefits.
Such knock-on benefits are most significant where interactions between FEW
systems are strongest (e.g., agriculture, cities); FEW systems compete for ecosystem services (e.g., from Chap. 9), infrastructure (e.g., from Chap. 10), and economic resources (e.g., from Chap. 5); or conflicts between stakeholders in different
aspects of FEW systems exist (e.g., from Chaps. 18–20).
In these three classes of situations, mitigation strategies that integrate FEW
systems from the outset achieve a more significant impact.
11 Climate Change