Virtual Water: International Year of Freshwater 2003

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Virtual Water

Virtual water is the water embedded in commodities. Producing goods and services requires water; the water used to produce agricultural or industrial products is called the virtual water of the product.
The concept of virtual water links a large range of sectors and issues that revolve around relieving pressures on water resources, ensuring food security, developing global and regional water markets…

Visit the Facts and Figures section on Virtual Water.

Click here to go back to the list of themes or to the list of regions.

Websites

Stockholm Water Symposum 2003: Role and Governance Implications of Virtual Water Trade
Abstracts of a session dedicated to Virtual Water Trade. These abstracts cover issues such as virtual water trade to Japan, virtual water in the southern African region, trading virtual water between India and Bangladesh, the cases of the Aral Sea and Mekong River.
Language(s) English

UNESCO-IHE: Virtual Water Trade Research Programme
A first objective of this research programme on Virtual Water Trade is to assess virtual water flows between nations and to draw the virtual water trade balances of all nations of the world by analysing both imports and exports. The website includes background documents and publications.
Language(s) English

Virtual Water Flows
Maps showing virtual water flows in terms of cereal trade. A section of the IUCN website.
Language(s) English

World Water Council: Virtual Water
Section of the World Water Council website dedicated to virtual water. The website includes links to publications, conference papers and proceedings, and an email discussion on the concept of virtual water.
Language(s) English

Publications

Virtual water trade A quantification of virtual water flows between nations in relation to international crop trade
A.Y. Hoekstra; P.Q. Hung 11-09-2002 >> More...

Virtual water trade and geopolitics
World Water Council 11-03-2003 >> More...

Voices on virtual water
Paul van Hofwegen; J.A. Allan; A. Hoekstra 11-06-2003 >> More...

Virtual water trade between nations: a global mechanism affecting regional water systems
A.Y. Hoekstra 11-06-2003 >> More...

Virtual water trade Proceedings of the International Expert Meeting on Virtual Water
A.Y. Hoekstra (ed.) 11-09-2003 >> More...

Averting conflict in the Nile basin
Barry James 22-10-2003 >> More...

The water needed to have the Dutch drink coffee
A.K. Chapagain; A.Y. Hoekstra 30-10-2003 >> More...

Thirsty Crops Our food and clothes: eating up nature and wearing out the environment?
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Living Waters 19-10-1986 >> More...

Now you see it, now you don't...
J.A. Allan; A. Otchet 11-02-1999 >> More...

The Year around the world: Discover what's happening in your country!

Definitions

Virtual water
The water used in the production process of an agricultural or industrial product is called the 'virtual water' contained in the product.

Virtual water trade balance
Calculated by adding all virtual water imports and substracting all virtual water exports. Countries with net virtual water exports have a negative balance; countries with net virtual water imports have a positive balance.

Topic

Virtual Water
The concept of virtual water links a large range of sectors and issues that revolve around relieving pressures on water resources, ensuring food security, developing global and regional water markets… Here are but a few facts, figures and issues feeding the debate around virtual water.

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