Submittal for Issue 4.1: Energy, Food, Natural Resources and the Environment: Striking the Balance

摘要

Optimizing the complex tradeoffs in the Energy-Water Nexus requires quantification of energy use, carbon emitted and water consumed. Water is consumed in energy production and is often a constraint to operations and new project approvals. But more global attention and investment has been made on counting and reducing carbon emissions than on water management. Review of public reporting by the largest 107 global power producers and 50 companies in the oil and gas industry shows broad accounting on carbon emissions but only partial reporting on water consumption metrics. If the Energy-Water Nexus is to be balanced, then water must also be measured to be optimally managed with carbon emissions.