Guidance for RSB P&C 9 (Water)
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Bioenergy > Sustainability standards > Initiatives > Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) > RSB Principles and Criteria (version 0) > RSB Guidance
| The Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels | ||
| Note: This RSB-related page is not actively updated. For up-to-date information on the RSB, see the BioenergyWiki RSB page or the RSB Website The RSB has released "Version 2.0" of the "Principles on Sustainable Biofuel Production" | 
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| RSB Guidance for Implementing the Sustainability Principles and Criteria | edit | |
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Quick links to guidance for each principle | ||
Compared to the current Version Zero, the RSB needs to develop the full guidance to help stakeholders to understand and implement the RSB standards. Please add your suggestions after "Suggested Full Guidance"!
Contents |
Principle 9
Biofuel production shall promote practices that seek to improve soil health and minimize degradation.
Key Guidance, as included in Version Zero
None
Suggested Full Guidance
Criterion 9.a
The ESIA outlined in 2a shall identify existing water rights, both formal and customary, as potential impacts of the project on water availability within the watershed where the project occurs.
Key Guidance, as included in Version Zero
Downstream water users or ground water users in the area must be identified. No modification of the existing rights can happen without the consent of the parties at stake.
Suggested Full Guidance
Criterion 9.b
Biofuel production shall include a water management plan appropriate to the scale and intensity of production.
Key Guidance, as included in Version Zero
Water sources located on the production area must be inventoried and mapped. Annual amounts of water withdrawn for biofuel production must be recorded.
Suggested Full Guidance
Criterion 9.c
Biofuel production shall not deplete surface or groundwater resources.
Key Guidance, as included in Version Zero
The use of water for biofuel production must not be at the expense of the daily basic water needs of local communities. The use and share of water resources for biofuel production must be defined in agreement with local community and water user committees shall be consulted where appropriate. Water used for irrigation or biomass processing must not be withdrawn beyond replenishment capacity of the water table or tank. Water-intensive biofuel crops and biofuel production systems must not be established in water-stressed areas. The most efficient use of water must be sought through the use of crops that fit the local conditions.
Suggested Full Guidance
- comment, bill wason, co2 star and sustainable biobrazil (BioenergyWiki User:Billwason):
- this is in conflict with your wish to plant biofuel crops on degraded and marginal lands. those lands are marginal in most cases because of the lack of water. the yields without irrigation will make these crops uneconomic no matter what the petroleum prices are. most agriculture now is depleting groundwater resources in most of the world. there are no conventions for upstream water use in most countries. you have some real implementation problems with this guidance.
Criterion 9.d
The quality of surface and groundwater resources shall be maintained at or enhanced to their optimal level under local conditions.
Key Guidance, as included in Version Zero
Guidance: The optimal level of quality is to be defined through the consultation of local experts, communities and producers, taking into account local climatic, geologic and ecologic conditions. Adequate precautions must be taken to avoid run-off and contamination of surface and ground water resources, in particular from chemicals. Buffer Zones must be set between production site and surface or ground water resources. Waste water must be adequately managed
