Human perspectives ON THE GLOBAL WATER CRISIS WaterViews TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION BY PETER SWINBURN 3 FOREWARD BY JASON MORRISON 4 OVERVIEW 5 CANADA 6 CHINA 8 INDIA 10 MEXICO 12 RUSSIA 14 UNITED KINGDOM 16 THIS PAGE: Approximately 63 billion tons of wastewater flow into China’s rivers every year. Aquifers in UNITED STATES 18 nearly 90 percent of Chinese cities are polluted. More than three-quarters of river water in urban areas is unfit for drinking or fishing. © 2009 Greg Girard/Contact Press Images for Circle of Blue. ACROSS THE GLOBE 20 COVER PHOTO: A seven-year-old boy waits his turn to collect water outside his home in Sanjay Colony, ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS 21 a slum area in North West Delhi, India. With no drainage system to serve the community, sewage and rainwater mix on the streets of the neighborhood. © 2009 Anita Khemka/Photoink/Contact Press CONCLUSION 22 Images for Circle of Blue. 2 “Critical to our future” A GLOBAL CHALLENGE THAT MERITS OUR FULL ATTENTION Of all the Earth’s water, less than three percent is fresh and most of what the world’s largest beer companies to responsibly manage its water supply also constitutes fresh water is locked in glacial ice or soil. That leaves less than one influence citizens around the world to secure their fresh water resources. percent available for human use. Compounding the problem is global climate change, which contributes to droughts, storms and flooding, and affects water Molson Coors’ commitment to water is based on our heritage and brewing quality in ways we are only starting to understand. expertise. Fresh water is what brought John Molson to the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Montreal, and Adolph Coors to Clear Creek in Golden, Colorado. And, it “The very same values that motivate Molson Coors understands that was the waters beneath Burton-on-Trent that gave birth to the British brewing one of the world’s largest beer corporations play a critical role in leading industry we know today. It’s the #1 ingredient in beer. The quality of our beer is tied companies to responsibly manage its the transition to a new era in which water directly to the quality of the water we use to produce it. Molson Coors has more water supply also influence citizens quality is respected and water management than 350 years of experience developing and implementing real-world solutions around the world to secure their practices improve so that every person on for water use and conservation in our breweries and watersheds. Preserving clean fresh water resources.” the planet enjoys ready access to clean, water and ensuring it as a sustainable resource is not only integral to our history, it fresh water. That’s why we have supported is critical to our future. the Circle of Blue/GlobeScan survey, a pioneering piece of global research that “Water issues merit the full provides the first clear evidence that people around the world share similar In addition to highlighting key principles of attention of corporations in views about the severity of the water crisis and how to achieve solutions. accountability and collaboration, this survey order to have a real impact.” demonstrates that water issues merit the The survey reached important conclusions about how the world thinks about full attention of corporations in order to have a real impact. At Molson Coors, we water by asking a sample of 15,000 people in 15 countries a number of direct continue to address water sustainability in the communities where we operate and questions. What worried them most about water? Was scarcity, pollution, remain guided by the belief that every person in the world should have access to or some other factor the most severe water problem they faced? Who did water that is as fresh as the water we use to brew our beers. they think was responsible for solving the problem? Our goal in sponsoring the survey was to clarify public attitudes about risks to the water supply and The survey findings that follow, though humbling at times, only serve to reinforce motivate individuals, non-profits, and corporations—including our own our commitment, and hopefully that of all corporations to contribute experience company—to engage and collaborate on solutions. and resources, to listen and learn from others, and work collaboratively to solve one of the century’s greatest challenges. Like beer, which is often locally brewed and influenced by local market dynamics, the solutions to global water issues are also locally based and require people to work together in their watersheds and communities. The Circle of PETER SWINBURN Blue/Globescan survey found that the very same values that motivate one of CEO, MOLSON COORS BREWING COMPANY 3 “People globally believe water is a key concern” DETAILS OF PIONEERING SURVEY REVEAL CLEAR RECKONING AND ABIDING HUMANITY People around the world identify access to clean water business success. These firms understand that the era of The survey findings underscore the public’s desire to pursue as the most serious environmental challenge facing the easy access to cheap, clean water has ended. They recognize a new direction in managing the world’s water resources planet today. Of the 15,000 people from 15 countries the need to more closely consider limited supplies and the and to bring more partners and more information to the surveyed by Circle of Blue and GlobeScan, over 70 percent implications of their water use and discharge on watersheds, table. In every country surveyed there was significant public found water pollution and shortages of fresh water to be ecosystems, and communities. appetite for more knowledge about how to solve the crisis. “very serious” problems. Pronounced water scarcity in key geographic regions, How does the Circle of Blue/GlobeScan survey help solve along with heightened expectations among important “Public attitudes about water Two other salient results these and the many other facets of the freshwater crisis? It stakeholders—particularly consumers and investors—also transcend individuals’ local of the survey, the first of its demonstrates how global water problems are a priority for has produced a compelling business case for companies to circumstances.” kind ever conducted, also companies and the general public. The survey highlights the actively pursue corporate water stewardship as a strategy merit special attention. shared interest in finding proactive and transparent actions that drives down water-related impacts and market risks. The first is that public attitudes about water transcend that address the fresh water crisis. It also alerts the many individuals’ local circumstances and instead are focused business, government, and research organizations working In sum, people globally believe water is a key concern, that on an altruistic concern for those suffering from water on water issues they are on the right track. the private sector has an important role to play in solving shortages. Over 90 percent of the survey’s respondents global water challenges, and that companies and others believe that adequate and affordable drinking water for all The Pacific Institute focuses “We are convinced that need to provide more information about what can be done people is important. The second is that almost 80 percent of a good share of its work on companies can and to advance a better water future. Taken together, the Circle those surveyed believe that solving drinking water problems the nexus between corporate must play a vital role.” of Blue/GlobeScan survey clarifies the public case for taking will require significant help from companies. water risk and stewardship. much better care of Earth’s fresh water. We are convinced that companies can and must play a Both findings are consistent with the Pacific Institute’s vital role in developing and deploying water management research in recent years. Our work has explored the various practices that are socially equitable and environmentally JASON MORRISON water-related risks—physical, regulatory, and financial— sustainable. Not only does this help improve access to PROGRAM DIRECTOR, PACIFIC INSTITUTE that companies face, along with the array of stewardship clean water for the world’s people, it also holds the greatest platforms, strategies, and tools that are emerging to reduce promise for companies seeking to drive down water-related them. Leading companies have identified water stewardship risk and ensure that they stay in business. All of these are as a strategic factor that is central to their long-term goals that citizens around the world can get behind. 4 METHODOLOGY PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES The Circle of Blue/GlobeScan survey polled a representative sample of 15,000 adults in 15 countries and 500 adults in seven “deep dive” countries. Those seven were: Canada, China, India, Mexico, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The other eight countries were Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Turkey. Face-to-face and telephone interviews occurred between June 24, 2009, and August 3, 2009. Generally accepted research standards were employed in each country and the sample error was 3.1 percent to 4.4 percent, 19 times out of 20. RUSSIA CANADA UK WATER CONCERN INDEX GERMANY FRANCE USA TURKEY An index score measuring concern CHINA MEX 7.03 about water issues is computed by IND 6.99 aggregating the concerns expressed MEXICO INDIA about each of the four prompted PHILIPPINES water issues: water pollution, lack CHI 6.72 of safe drinking water, lack of water NIGERIA CAN 6.71 AVERAGE for agriculture, and high cost of 6.69 KENYA water. The average score by country BRAZIL UK 6.58 is used to illustrate the relative USA 6.53 positioning of countries in terms of concern for water issues.