Political and Technical Tools on the Trajectory To Decarbonizing Water

INTRODUCTION
Despite lingering disputes over the validity, consequences, and severity of climate change, progress toward greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction continues to be made in industrialized and developed nations. Political, technological, and social challenges continue to present significant hurdles and risk. However, the quest toward global decarbonization is increasingly becoming a question of not if, but when and how. There is growing acceptance and adoption of the need to limit global warming to 1.5°C by achieving net-zero carbon emissions by year 2050 (Matthews, et al., 2018); climate change initiatives such as the Paris Agreement largely operate under that deadline. Addressing the matter of 'how,' on the other hand, is far more complex and political division has caused the resources available to the water industry to lag behind global trends. As such, the Stantec Institute for Water Technology and Policy has undertaken a two-phase effort to investigate the existing resources available to water industry professionals related to climate change mitigation and to summarize the purported scientific bases for political and technical resources required for setting and achieving emission reduction goals.
The purpose of this paper is to document the results of a comprehensive literature review and investigation of (1) the socioeconomic policy pathway to a net-zero 2050 and its impact on the water industry, (2) the technical underpinnings and applicability of existing GHG computational tools for water utilities, and (3) identified gaps and needs to promote meaningful (having a quantifiable environmental impact) GHG emission reduction in water.
PHASE 1: The Policy Pathway to a Net-Zero 2050 DISCUSSION Several political mechanisms exist to address pollutant emissions, all with their own benefits and drawbacks. These include emission caps or reduction requirements, efficiency standards, subsidies, and emission taxes or non-compliance penalties. The structure of a pollution reduction program dictates how inevitable economic and social burdens are distributed between polluters, consumers, and society. Within the context of global decarbonization, solutions must seek to facilitate both an economic and social transition that results in a stronger economy and promotes social equity (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2021) and is decoupled from environmental cost. The first phase of this work, conducted in 2021, focused on understanding the political tools available to address pollutant emissions given that there are no such regulations currently in place at the federal level. By drawing on experience and lessons learned from carbon reduction efforts around the world, as well as historically successful pollutant elimination programs (e.g., air emissions controls), we identified key programs and policies on the trajectory of decarbonization (Figure 1) and considered the resulting impact on, and the role of, the water industry. In addition, we considered the opportunities that exist to engage in decarbonizing the water industry that are both economically favorable and socially equitable. Figure 1: Decarbonizing the Water Sector RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Several key policy advancements may shape the trajectory of decarbonization. First, there is a need to address conflicting applications of the Clean Air Act to GHGs on a federal level and the resolution will dictate the regulatory options available to the federal government. Next, North America could address climate change through decarbonization with one, or a combination of, three policy approaches:
1. Do nothing nationally and continue business as usual.
2. Implement pollutant elimination regulation via efficiency standards and emission caps.
3. Implement market-based instrument such as tax incentives/ disincentives and/or cap-and-trade programs.
Findings of this work suggested that even with a lack of national regulatory action in a 'business as usual' scenario, organizations can be expected to continue voluntarily committing to GHG emission reduction through corporate climate initiatives and regional trade markets, as both are shown to be economically favorable in business case studies and peer review literature. Furthermore, standards and emission caps are unlikely to occur in solitude as they fail to take advantage of revenue generating and reallocation opportunities. Therefore, the promulgation of market-based cap-and-trade programs is likely and provides opportunities to utilities, consultants, contractors and equipment suppliers in the water industry (Table 1). Table 1: Water Opportunities in Decarbonization
PHASE 2: Technical Tools and Gaps In 2013, Stantec (then MWH Global) and the Water Research Foundation published the 'Toolbox for Water Utility Energy and Greenhouse Gas Management' that documented available tools for water agencies to measure energy and GHG emissions, their underlying models, and capability to support process optimization. In addition, the document identifies the strategies necessary to establish a set of best practices that could be 'harmonized across utilities and geographic regions'. Since that publication, much has evolved in terms of the political landscape and technical tools available to the water sector, yet little has been done to standardize the most appropriate and technically sound approach to computing and reporting emissions and/ or setting science-based emission reduction targets. The second phase of this work will be completed by mid-2022 and includes a comprehensive literature review and analysis of available computational models and tools for estimating GHG emissions. In addition, the Stantec Institute for Water Technology & Policy is conducting an analysis of the scientific basis for existing tools and their applicability to the water industry and will identify gaps and needs associated with advancing decarbonization efforts in water. The result of this work will include a compendium of available tools and a recommendation for the standard method to be applied across the water industry for measuring GHG emissions, establishing emission reduction targets, and monitoring and reporting progress.