Traditionally around five litres of water were needed for every litre of beer produced, while globally one in six people lack access to safe drinking water. And while wars have already ‘allegedly’ taken place over oil, many conspiracy theorists see water as the basis for World War III. The WEF Global Risks report for 2015 also ranked water scarcity as the single biggest risk to society and on the sidelines of WEF Africa, SABMiller says water usage is a key priority. – Stuart Lowman
by Hilton Shone
(Bloomberg) – Water security and resource efficiency have become and will remain a priority for SABMiller Plc in Africa as climate change exacerbates competition for resources, Chief Executive Officer Alan Clark said.
The London-based brewer has cut its global carbon emissions by 35 percent since 2008 and reduced water use per litre of beer by 28 percent, Clark told delegates at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town. The company now uses 3.3 litres of water to make one litre of beer, exceeding its 2015 target.
The WEF Global Risks Report ranked water scarcity as the biggest single risk to societies and economies.