Assessment of water use in the regions of Russia by water supply, efficiency, and sustainable development criteria

Abstract

Introduction. The 2018-2028 period is proclaimed to be an international Water for Sustainable Development Decade for Action in order to focus more attention on the SDGs as a part of the Agenda for Sustainable Development. Global trends to lower fresh water consumption rate, as well as unbiased evaluation of the 2020 Russian Federation Water Strategy determine the relevance of the efficient and sustainable development of water use in the country’s regions.

Purpose. The article refers to the criteria of water availability, efficiency, and sustainable development and compares the water use in federal districts.

Materials and Methods. The authors examined the data of Rosstat and the NIA-Prirоda. The data characterize water use and the economy in federal districts in 2007–2020. The study exploited the methods of statistical and comparative analysis, decoupling analysis based on the Diamond Decoupling model.

Results. The assessment of water availability by a water withdrawal share in renewable water resources (water stress index) shows a low level of water pressure in all districts. Unlike the Falkenmark index, specific water supply reveals no water tension factor holding back the economy growth. The study identifies a trend towards lower absolute and specific indicators of water intake and use. The changes in the structure of total water consumption are in line with the principles of rational use of resources. The study finds the indicators of productivity (in accordance with SDG 6.4.1) and intensity (GRP water intensity) of water intake, which are significantly affected by the development of circulating systems increasing the efficiency of water use. The article notes that in some regions, the target indicator of the Water Strategy was not reached due to a high decrease rate in water intake intensity. Decoupling analysis revealed a strong decoupling of economic growth from the use of water resources in all federal districts.

Conclusion. The criteria for reasonable, efficient and sustainable development, which supplement the integral indicator of the gross water capacity, have been developed and tested. This helps reveal that federal districts are highly differentiated by their water supply and the nature of water use. New findings should be taken into account when planning water management activities and may be useful in updating the 2035 Water Strategy of the Russian Federation.

Keywords: water supply, water withdrawal, water consumption, recycled water, water resource efficiency, water use intensity, water use efficiency, sustainable development, decoupling, federal districts

For citation

Fomina V. F. Assessment of water use in the regions of Russia by water supply, efficiency, and sustainable development criteria. Perm University Herald. Economy, 2023, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 215–240. DOI 10.17072/1994-9960-2023-2-215-240

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