Water (May 2015)
CO2 Reduction Potential of Water Saving in Vietnam
Abstract
In a previous study, we showed that widespread adoption of water-saving equipment had the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 1% in Japan. The usage of already diffused equipment was used as an evaluation baseline. This was an evaluation model of developed countries. In order to evaluate the potential benefits of water-saving in developing countries, it is necessary to set the baseline, as cities in developing countries are expected to have the necessary infrastructure in place in the near future. In this paper, the potential for reducing CO2 emissions by water saving in Vietnam was evaluated. Based on the development of water infrastructure, and envisioning a society in which the latest high-efficiency flush toilet bowls and showers installed in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are used in all Vietnamese houses as a near future baseline, we evaluated the potential reduction when a water-saving project is implemented. Under these conditions, an 8.8% reduction in CO2 emissions in Vietnam would be achieved by the widespread adoption of water-saving equipment. Following the recognition of the large environmental contribution potential of water saving, a water-saving project has been planned for implementation in Vietnam in the near future.
Keywords