Water is not only vital for human life but also is a critical economic input. Climate change will likely exacerbate conflicts over the multiple uses of water in Latin America. Adopting a south-south perspective approach, this study compares direct water requirement patterns over time among Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica, applying an environmental-extended Structural Decomposition Analysis between 2013 and 2017. While all countries experienced increased water consumption during the period, Brazils and Colombias results suggest gains in water productivity at the national level and for Agriculture. Results also indicate that Exports are the main water consumption driver of Agriculture in Brazil and Costa Rica. The Water and sanitation sector in Colombia experienced a decrease in direct water requirements, which is illustrated by a strong negative intensity effect. In contrast, an expressive positive intensity effect in Costa Rica resulted from a sectoral GDP fall. The findings of this study offer support to sectoral climate adaptation plans in all countries as well as water conservation and sustainable development policies.
Authors
Naspolini, Giovanna, Libra, Jesse Madden, Cunial, Santiago, Pérez Urdiales, María
- DOI
- http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0013153
- Pages
- 36
- Published in
- United States of America
Table of Contents
- Introduction 5
- Countries context 8
- Brazil 9
- Colombia 10
- Costa Rica 10
- Methodology 11
- Environmental-extended input-output model 11
- Structural Decomposition Analysis 12
- Data 15
- Results 16
- Economy and direct water requirement trends between 2013 and 2017 17
- Drivers of change in direct water requirement between 2013 and 2017 18
- Economy-wide 18
- Agriculture 21
- Water and Sanitation 23
- Discussion 25
- Economy-wide 25
- Agriculture 27
- Water and Sanitation 28
- Conclusion 30
