Water scarcity is an increasing threat to business as populations continue to grow and climate change takes hold, according to Lloyd’s, the world’s leading specialist insurance market and WWF, the conservation organisation.

Water scarcity is an increasing threat to business as populations continue to grow and climate change takes hold, according to Lloyd’s, the world’s leading specialist insurance market and WWF, the conservation organisation.

The new report produced by Lloyd’s 360 Risk Insight and WWF, Global water scarcity: risks and challenges for business, says that businesses will have to address and manage the risk of water scarcity in the future, highlighting that all goods require water at some point in their production, as well as it being the most important human resource.

As water resources become scarce, even companies that hold a water licence – which entitles them to use a set amount of water – may face risks as governments seek to re-allocate water to priority users.

It is not just those businesses operating in the areas of water scarcity that need to manage their exposure, their business partners are also affected as the risk spreads through supply chains and imported products requiring water in their production.

Lloyd’s CEO, Richard Ward, said managing water is no longer simply a CSR issue, but is now a core business issue:
“Water scarcity is already a reality for some businesses and as this trend increases all risk managers will need to consider their organisation’s exposure.

“The most simple risk management response is to reduce your own water use, or that of your suppliers. However, businesses cannot manage this risk alone and will need to work with the wider community to improve water management and protect this critical resource.”

There is a finite amount of freshwater on our planet – only three per cent of the total water in the world is freshwater and less than one per cent is readily accessible to humans. Reputational risk is also very real as companies could be accused of over-using scarce water at the expense of the environment or householders.

WWF Head of Freshwater Programmes, Dr David Tickner, said:
“Put simply, this report shows that we all live at the water’s edge.

“Water is of critical importance to us all in our everyday lives. But the evidence is increasingly clear that freshwater ecosystems – the rivers, aquifers and wetlands from which we obtain much of our water – are in rapid decline globally because of over-use, pollution and the proliferation of poorly-planned dams.

“Businesses, other water users and ecosystems share many of the same water-related risks. Moreover, getting water management right underpins our ability to tackle many of the great challenges of the 21st Century: economic growth, food security, energy security, reducing poverty and adapting to a changing climate. WWF believes that businesses should be as much a part of the solution as governments and NGOs.”

The report identifies two strategies for companies to manage water risk:
• The three Ms – Producers should: measure their water risk; mitigate it; and market themselves as leaders in managing water use in the sector.

• The three Is – Businesses in the service sector can: consider water risk profiles when identifying suppliers; influence suppliers to mitigate water use or meet set standards; and consider water risk to businesses and supply chains when making investment decisions.

Water presents several dimensions of risk for business some of which may be covered through business interruption, property, liability or reputational insurance products. But as awareness of the risk increases, insurers will explore the potential for tailored products.

A previous Lloyd’s 360 Risk Insight report on climate change and security found water also presents a security risk to business in some parts of the world where it could become a source of inter-state conflict, such as India and Pakistan competing over access to the diminishing supply of water from the Indus river basin.

The report released today points to several initiatives already underway that can support businesses in their attempts to manage risk, including developing water footprinting methods, company water stewardship standards and guidelines for engaging with governments to improve public policy on water resources.

For further information, please contact:

Debbie Chapman, WWF Senior Press Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1483 412397 Email: dchapman@wwf.org.uk

Scientists studying a cunning parasite that has commandeered the cells of almost half the world’s human population have begun to zero in on the molecular signals that must be severed to free the organism’s cellular hostages.

A proposal announced yesterday by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) would, if adopted, endorse the killing of whales in vital  feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean for the first time in almost 25 years.

In preparation for the G20 Summit scheduled for 26-27 June in Toronto, G20 finance ministers will meet in Washington DC from April 22-23. It is the group’s first meeting on climate following the December UN climate summit

It is also their first opportunity to respond to the outcomes of the Copenhagen climate negotiations, and in particular contribute to meeting the financial commitments made under the agreement reached by heads of government in Copenhagen.

Also on the Finance ministers’ agenda is the instruction from the June 2009 G20 summit for the development of a plan and time-line to phase out ‘inefficient’ fossil fuel subsidies, including production subsidies.

WWF is anxious to see G20 action to help lay the foundation for an adequate and equitable post-2012 global climate fund, which could move the world towards sustainable, low carbon growth.

Ending subsidies favouring fossil fuels in accordance with the G20’s own agenda, and resourcing renewable energy development instead, will be crucial to both the transition to a clean economy and countering climate change.
“G20 Finance Ministers must discuss the investments needed for the transition to a clean, low-carbon economy, while finding ways to help vulnerable countries build their resilience to the impacts of climate change,” said Mark Lutes, Finance Policy Coordinator for WWF International.
“Shifting subsidies from fossil fuels into renewable energy development is one of the ways forward towards a clean economy.”
“G20 Finance Ministers will need to act on this commitment and provide a plan and time-line to not just phase out but re-direct these subsidies.”

KEY ISSUES:

- This G20 finance meeting occurs in the same week as climate legislation is set to be introduced in the US Senate. The G20 Finance Ministers should remind the U.S Senate of the need for the U.S Climate Bill to include substantial, predictable and long term funding flows including REDD, adaptation and technology cooperation.

- The co-chair for the next G20 Summit in June is Canada. Canada is one of the few countries remaining to put forward a fast-track climate financing contribution. Canada must show leadership as host by providing its fair share of at least US$300–400 million per year in new funds from 2010 to 2012.

WWF urges the G20 Finance Ministers to work towards resolving the following issues:
- Redirection of Fossil Fuel Subsidies: Building on the agreement at the G20 meeting in 2009 to remove fossil fuel subsidies, countries should further agree to redirect those subsidies towards clean energy, adaptation, and reducing deforestation.
- Efforts to support low-carbon development in poor countries must be matched by similar steps to ‘de-carbonise’ the global economy. The G20 should put renewable energy investment and energy efficiency at the forefront of their efforts as part of a managed transition towards low-carbon economies.
- Focus on a full range of options on new and innovative sources of finance, including revenue from measures to tackle aviation and shipping emissions, auctioning of Assigned Amount Units (AAU) or allowances in cap and trade systems, special drawing rights (as proposed by IMF) and international Financial Transaction Taxes (FTT) or other instruments. The Finance Ministers are expecting a report on ways of generating revenue from the finance sector from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which will discuss Financial Transaction Taxes. FTT entail very small levies on international financial transactions such as currency transactions, which could be a significant source of income for climate change action and other purposes.

- G20 Finance ministers should also discuss short-term climate financing and particularly consider how to ensure distribution of the promised USD 30 billion in order to deal with climate change from now to 2012, and ensure that this is truly additional to current Overseas Development Aid (ODA).

- G20 Finance ministers should discuss long-term climate financing, particularly sources of the $100 billion a year by 2020 as agreed in Copenhagen; these funds are to be used to support climate action in developing countries

For further information, please contact:

Jo Sargent
Senior Press Officer, WWF-UK
01483 412 375
07867 697 519

Ecologists in Australia have successfully trained a critically endangered marsupial — the northern quoll — to turn its nose up at toxic cane toads.

I think low blood suger is very incorrect because it is the main cause of blood  low pressure.I used grain for better the health.
Paraslim Force
Acai Optimum

Researchers have created novel mouse models of the immune system starting with T cells primed for the infectious disease toxoplasmosis by generating cloned mice from these T cells. This type of model more accurately represents how immune cells respond to infectious diseases, and could be used to more reliably study immune cell biology and the role of immune cells in infectious disease. Earlier immune system models are inherently limited by the laboratory procedure involved.

An international team led by researchers has analyzed seroprevalence (antibodies to a disease) of Toxoplasma Gondii, the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis in many species, including humans. This latest study reveals that the parasite is widespread in areas where the wild Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) lives, and also in captive breeding centers. Scientists are now undertaking further research into the disease itself.