The Circular Water Economy White Paper Release!
31 OCTOBER 2024 – UNITED KINGDOM – The UK Water Partnership has today published a series of recommendations, in collaboration with leading multi-disciplinary professional services consultancy WSP, for unlocking system-level change for the transition to a circular water economy.
There is increased demand for the water sector to set and deliver against robust sustainability objectives and the Circular Economy provides the framework within which these can be delivered. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ISO59020, PAS2080, and the Global Reporting Initiative contribute to the ecosystem of metrics against which these objectives can be achieved and measured.
The whitepaper responds to this demand by introducing the key role that a circular economy can play in protecting nature by minimising waste and resource consumption while simultaneously regenerating natural systems.
It provides recommendations to the sector and highlights the opportunities and challenges to bringing other aspects of the circular economy to life through the absence of enabling Policy, Regulatory and Commercial frameworks. The whitepaper stresses the importance of collaboration between different stakeholders, including policymakers, regulators, and commercial entities, to achieve this vision.
Dr. Tom Arnot, Co-lead of the UKWP Circular Water programme at The UK Water Partnership, said: “We are very excited to launch this whitepaper in the conclusion of phase one, but importantly we are also delighted to announce the second phase of this very important programme. We look forward to working with John Abraham and colleagues at Veolia, as well as other partners in consultancies, water supply chain, academia, and in policy and regulation, to drive the Circular Economy in Water forward.”
David Tompkins, Associate Director for Water Advisory at WSP, said: “The transition to a circular economy is no longer an option but a necessity. Our whitepaper not only outlines the challenges and opportunities within the water sector but also sets out a long-term vision for systemic change. This vision is critical for inspiring action and ensuring the sustainability of our water resources for future generations.”
The launch of this whitepaper concludes the first phase of the UK Water Partnership’s strategic Circular Economy programme, developed in collaboration with David Tompkins and the team at WSP, alongside a broad coalition of stakeholders across the water sector.
Phase two of the Circular Economy programme will now focus on key areas including wastewater systems, biosolids and bioresources, chemicals in water systems, and local-scale circular economy solutions.
We are committed to developing practical case studies and pilot trials that demonstrate what can be achieved, while also working with the Government to reshape policy and regulatory frameworks to unlock the significant, as-yet unrealised potential of circular economy approaches in water systems.
Regenerative aspects of the urban water cycle are already being delivered in the UK through catchment-based approaches and blue-green infrastructure, but the lack of alignment across different sectors and policy objectives and language means that these are not yet considered circular drivers or metrics.
The long-term vision for a circular water economy and the systemic change required to achieve it is critical for the future of the sector and society.
You can access the full whitepaper here.
Check out the executive summary below and if you would like to access the full white paper, check out our Publications tab!
ABOUT THE UK WATER PARTNERSHIP
The UK Water Partnership was established in 2015 to provide a strategic vision for the development and growth of the UK water industry. It brings together a diverse water sector and related organisations in a single coherent alliance, promoting mutual understanding, cooperation and coordination. Together with our members, we support research excellence, promote collaborative innovation and drive economic growth in the UK water economy.
To find out more about the UKWP visit About Us – The UK Water Partnership and if you’re interested in you can read all about the benefits the partnership can bring you in the value statement UKWP Value Statement – The UK Water Partnership.
ABOUT WSP IN THE UK
WSP is a world-leading multi-disciplinary professional services consulting firm which supports significant projects in both the built and natural environments. We provide engineering and design services to public and private sector clients in the transportation and infrastructure, property and buildings, earth and environment, power and energy, resources and industry sectors, as well as a strategic advisory offering.
Our team of over 9,000 technical specialists and strategic advisers in the UK is part of a talented family of nearly 70,000 global changemakers, transforming what’s possible to build a smarter, greener future for all. Together, we deliver innovative solutions to solve complex problems for our clients and the communities we serve, meeting both the needs of today and addressing the challenges of tomorrow.
Further information is available at https://www.wsp.com/en-gb or follow us on LinkedIn
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