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Environment & Climate vocabulary · Sustainability and Circular Economy

Water footprint

Meaning in environment & climate, with examples

/ˈwɔːtər ˈfʊtprɪnt/nounAdvanced term

In environment & climate, water footprint means: The total volume of fresh water used to produce a product, or used by a person, company or country, including the water used along the whole supply chain.

In Turkish: su ayak izi

How it is used

Divided into blue water (surface and groundwater), green water (rainwater stored in soil) and grey water (water needed to dilute pollution). Used in agriculture, food, textiles and corporate water reporting. Methods include the Water Footprint Network approach and ISO 14046.

Example sentences

  1. Cotton has a large water footprint, especially when it is irrigated in dry regions.

  2. We calculated the water footprint of our jeans from the cotton field to the store.

Common collocations

  • reduce the water footprint
  • blue water
  • green water
  • grey water
  • water stress
  • carbon footprintThe total amount of greenhouse gases caused by a person, product, company or event, usually given in tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
  • life cycle assessment (LCA)A method for measuring the environmental impacts of a product or service at every stage of its life, from raw materials and production to use and disposal.
  • resource efficiencyUsing less raw material, water and energy to make the same product or deliver the same service, while creating less waste and pollution.
  • droughtA long period with much less rain than normal, which leaves too little water for people, farming, rivers and ecosystems.

More terms: Sustainability and Circular Economy

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