Indicators to assess ecological sustainability in the Urban Water sector
Table of content List of abbreviations ..............................................................................8 List of boxes, figures and tables...........................................................9 1. Introduction .................................................................................. 11 1.2 Aim of the report ................................................................................ 12 1.3 The urban water system .................................................................... 12
2. Three interpretations of ecological sustainability ........................14 2.1 Definitions of ecological sustainability................................................14 2.2 Ecological sustainability based on Politically Set Criteria: The 15 Swedish Environmental Objectives ......................................16 2.3 Ecological sustainability based on critical loads/carrying capacity .... 16 2.4 Ecological sustainability based on Guiding Principles .......................16
3. Environmental assessment of urban water systems....................18 3.1 Groundwater preservation ...............................................................18 3.1.1 Politically Set Criteria .....................................................................18 3.1.2 Critical loads/carrying capacity.....................................................23 3.1.3 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................23 3.1.4 Comparison of the approaches .....................................................24
3.2 Eutrophication .................................................................................. 24 3.2.1 Politically Set Criteria .....................................................................24 3.2.2 Critical loads/carrying capacity.....................................................26 3.2.3 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................29 3.2.4 Comparison of the approaches .....................................................29
3.3 Acidification........................................................................................31 3.3.1 Politically Set Criteria .....................................................................31 3.3.2 Critical Loads/carrying capacity ...................................................32 3.3.3 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................34 3.3.4 Comparison of the approaches .....................................................34
3.4
Global warming ............................................................................... 35
3.4.1 Politically Set Criteria .....................................................................35 3.4.2 Critical loads/carrying capacity.....................................................36 3.4.3 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................36 3.4.4 Comparison of the approaches .....................................................36
3.5
Spreading of toxic compounds.......................................................37
3.5.1 Politically Set Criteria .....................................................................37 3.5.2 Critical loads/carrying capacity....................................................39 3.5.3 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................40 3.5.4 Comparison of the approaches .....................................................40
3.6
Use of natural resources................................................................. 42
3.6.1 Politically Set Criteria .....................................................................42 3.6.2 Critical loads/carrying capacity.....................................................43 3.6.3 Guiding Principles ..........................................................................43 3.6.4 Comparison of the approaches .....................................................43
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