IKEA joins 50L Home Coalition
IKEA has joined the 50L Home Coalition with the vision to make 50 litres of daily water use per person an aspiration for all.
The coalition brings together companies, policymakers, innovators, researchers, and communities to develop and scale innovations for efficient water use at home. Currently, the average daily water use per person in Europe is 150 litres, and elsewhere much more.
“IKEA is committed to become Water Positive and by 2030 IKEA will improve water quality and availability of water for people and planet where we have an influence. Today, 15% of our total water footprint comes from the water than runs through the taps and showers we sell in a year. By offering water-saving products that are both attractive and affordable, we have a unique opportunity to inspire and engage with our customers to lower our shared water footprint” says Lena Pripp-Kovac, Chief Sustainability Officer, Inter IKEA Group.
Together with members such as Electrolux, Engie, Kohler, Procter & Gamble, and SUEZ the coalition will identify and co-design solutions to address lack of water, water efficiency, water recycling, and water reuse in the home and in the wider urban water system. To gain insights and pilot solutions, the coalition will engage in ‘city labs’ on different continents.
“IKEA is on its way to developing a water positive home offer, that includes our current range of water efficient taps, showers, and dishwashers, as well as many new truly innovative products to be released in coming years. But we can always do more and working with partners like 50L Home will greatly accelerate our journey” says Tobias Svanberg, Innovation Leader, Water, Inter IKEA Group.
The focus of the 50L Home Coalition is to change the way we use water in cities, looking at products and innovation but also ensuring those innovations are adopted at scale by addressing cultural and regulatory challenges.
“The last ten years, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report has listed water crises, as well as the interconnected natural resource crises, among the top-five risks our world in facing in terms of impact. Two thirds of the world population is projected to live in water-stressed areas by 2025, and as climate change progresses that number will increase. We are assembling a strong team of member and partner organizations with the aim to accelerate access to zero-carbon, safe and sustainable water systems around the world, and are very pleased to welcome IKEA to this group “, says Braulio Eduardo Morera, Director, 50L Home Coalition, World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The IKEA water positive agenda focuses on helping customers reduce water consumption and improving the quality and availability of water in the supply chain. Read more in IKEA Sustainability Report FY20.
FullCycle Climate Partners, a growth equity fund investing to scale climate-critical technology, recently announced their investment in InPipe Energy, a micro-hydro technology company headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
InPipe Energy's innovative In-PRV pressure recovery valve is a new smart water and micro-hydro system that generates carbon-free, baseload, renewable electricity by harvesting excess pressure from municipal water pipelines – improving the economics of delivering water while providing essential pressure management that helps save water and extend the life of water infrastructure.
"Climate change poses an existential threat and addressing it will require a complete overhaul of our global infrastructure," said FullCycle Founder and Managing Partner, Ibrahim AlHusseini. "While many countries have made peak carbon commitments, meeting these goals will not be achievable from wind and solar alone. InPipe Energy's system provides a vital tool that retrofits aging and energy inefficient water infrastructure with a more sustainable and effective alternative."
