Download 3. INDUS, PAKISTAN - WWF

INITIATING BASIN-LEVEL WATER STEWARDSHIP
3. INDUS, PAKISTAN
At WWF, we believe a multi-stakeholder approach to corporate water stewardship at
basin level holds the answer to key water challenges. As thought leaders in water
stewardship, we aim to deliver strategies in WWF priority rivers by leveraging our local
expertise in more than 100 basins and tools like the Water Risk Filter. The Indus is one
of 16 such priority basins.
Pharmaceuticals
The Indus river basin is one of the largest in Asia, spanning across parts of Afghanistan, Pakistan,
India and China. In an area that is more than 30 per cent arid, it supports a population of 180
million. In the short term, WWF will focus on the province of Punjab in Pakistan, as pilot for broader
work in the basin.
Importance of the Indus
The Indus River is the lifeline of Pakistan's 160 million people; it notably provides 80 per cent of
irrigation water in Pakistan, through the largest irrigation system in the world.
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Punjab is the breadbasket and manufacturing powerhouse of Pakistan. It houses 60 per cent of
the country’s SMEs and contributes nearly 60 per cent to national GDP.
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The basin features rich biodiversity including birds, endemic fish species and the Indus river
dolphin.
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The Indus consists of many threatened riverine habitats, a few of which have been designated
as Ramsar wetlands of international importance.
KEY ISSUES
1 CAUSES
Surface water pollution
The disposal of untreated urban sewage, industrial effluent, and agricultural runoff. 2
Groundwater depletion Intensive irrigation preventing sufficient recharge of aquifers, combined with the current and projected population growth. 3
Climate change Climate change caused by carbon emissions reduces the availability of surface water. Sugar mills Chemicals
© Ghulam Rasool/ WWF-­‐Pakistan
KEY FACTS
Area:
1,100,000 sq. km
Population:
180 million
Contribution to GDP:
>80%
Key Sectors:
Agriculture
Textile & Leather
Pulp & Paper
KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND SHARED RISKS
INDUS, PAKISTAN
1 2 Export-oriented industries in industrial zones require water and generate pollution. The textile sector accounts for 8% of GDP, leather 5% and sugar 0.7%. Key players: Pulp & paper SMEs, sugar mills, textile & leather plants. Key risks: Industrial plants are depleting groundwater and releasing untreated effluents in the river system, harming the agricultural sector, as well as rendering themselves unsustainable. INDUS BASIN
4 and leather plants in the basin. Key players: International furniture, clothing and apparel businesses. Key Risks: Significant reputational risk, supply chains could face disruption if any risks to industry materialize. Export-oriented agricultural sector in sugarcane and cotton where cotton contributes 6.7 percent in agriculture value as an important source of raw material to the textile industry. Key players: Large-­‐scale commercial landowners growing water intensive crops for export (e.g. wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton) Key risks: Inefficient irrigation is depleting surface water resources for agricultural crops, but also critical to replenish groundwater source critical for domestic and industrial users in Lahore. KEY
Major international brands rely on textile 3 Domestic users Key players: All population centers. Key risks: Lack of domestic sewage treatment results in further pollution of the river system, threatening farming downstream. Population growth in Pakistan is expected to cause accelerated depletion of groundwater sources, and untenable pollution levels in surface water. A solution for the Indus
With a deep-­‐rooted network in Punjab province, WWF is working on the City-­‐Wide Partnership for Sustainable Water Use and Water Stewardship in SMEs in Lahore. WWF's objective is to improve environmental sustainability, and to support sustainable economic growth and development in Pakistan. Key steps include: § Engage with 25+ SMEs in high impact sectors (textile, tanneries, sugar mills, pulp & paper) in Punjab to build the case for better water practices in Pakistan. § Build awareness and capacity to replicate better water practices across Punjab. § Involve academia and conduct research on water stewardship concepts and elements. § Create platforms to support implementation of broad-­‐based improvements in water use, and to lobby government to improve public policy and governance. Next steps and how to join us
WWF is preparing a detailed action plan to bring collective action at scale in the Punjab
region as soon as possible. This will include mapping international supply chains for all four
key polluting industries, involving international buyers to initiate the discussion around
better practices and clean technologies, the financial sector to fund such upgrades, as well as
donors to support capacity building and the operation of the Lahore City-wide Partnership,
hand in hand with government and academia in Pakistan.
We envision an inclusive process. If you are a donor agency or a development bank with interest in the
basin's sustainable development, a multinational company with links to the basin or an organisation
working on related issues, please get in touch.
For more information contact [email protected] Please visit www.waterriskfilter.org or www.wwfpak.org/wsp