ESRS E3

Objective

1.

The objective of this Standard is to specify Disclosure Requirements which will enable users of the sustainability statement to understand:

  1. how the undertaking affects water and marine resources , in terms of material positive and negative actual or potential impacts
  2. any actions taken, and the result of such actions to prevent or mitigate material actual or potential negative impacts, to protect water and marine resources, also with reference to reduction of water consumption , and to address risks and opportunities ;
  3. whether, how and to what extent the undertaking contributes to the European Green Deal’s ambitions for fresh air, clean water, healthy soil and biodiversity , as well as to the sustainability of the blue economy and fisheries sectors, taking account of the following: Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council [61] (EU Water Framework Directive), Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council [62] (EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive), Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council [63] (EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive), the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 6 Clean water and sanitation and 14 Life below water), and respect of global environmental limits (e.g. biosphere integrity , ocean acidification, freshwater use, and biogeochemical flows planetary boundaries ); 
  4. the plans and capacity of the undertaking to adapt its strategy and business model in line with the promotion of sustainable water use based on long-term protection of available water resources; protection of aquatic ecosystems and restoration of freshwater and marine habitats
  5. the nature, type and extent of the undertaking’s material risks and opportunities arising from the undertaking’s impacts and dependencies on water and marine resources , and how the undertaking manages them; and 
  6. the financial effects on the undertaking over the short-, medium- and long-term of material risks and opportunities arising from the undertaking’s impacts and dependencies on water and marine resources.

2.

This Standard sets out Disclosure Requirements related to water and marine resources . With regard to “water”, this standard covers surface water and groundwater . It includes disclosure requirements on water consumption in the undertaking’s activities, products and services, as well as related information on water withdrawals and water discharges.

3.

With regard to “ marine resources ”, this standard covers the extraction and use of such resources, and associated economic activities.

Interaction with other ESRS

4.

The topic of water and marine resources is closely connected to other environmental sub- topics such as climate change, pollution , biodiversity and circular economy. Thus, to provide a comprehensive overview of what could be material to water and marine resources, relevant Disclosure Requirements are covered in other environmental ESRS as follows: 

  1. ESRS E1 Climate change, which addresses, in particular, acute and chronic physical risks which arise from water and ocean-related hazards caused or exacerbated by climate change, including increasing water temperature, changing precipitation patterns and types (rain, hail, snow/ice), precipitation or hydrological variability, ocean acidification, saline intrusion, sea level rise, drought, high water stress, heavy precipitation, flood and glacial lake outbursts; 
  2. ESRS E2 Pollution, which addresses, in particular, the emissions to water, which includes emissions to oceans, and the use and generation of microplastics;
  3. ESRS E4 Biodiversity and ecosystems, which addresses, in particular, the conservation and sustainable use of and impact on freshwater aquatic ecosystems as well as the oceans and seas; and 
  4. ESRS E5 Resource use and circular economy which addresses in particular waste management including plastic, and the transition towards the extraction of non-renewable resources of wastewater ; reduced use of plastic; and the recycling of wastewater.

5.

The undertaking’s impacts on water and marine resources affect people and communities. Material negative impacts on affected communities from water and marine resources -related impacts attributable to the undertaking are covered in ESRS S3 Affected communities.

6.

This Standard should be read in conjunction with ESRS 1 General requirements and ESRS 2 General disclosures.

Impact, risk and opportunity management

Metrics and targets

Disclosure Requirement E3-4 – Water consumption

26.

The undertaking shall disclose information on its water consumption performance related to its material impacts, risks and opportunities.

27.

The objective of this Disclosure Requirement is to provide an understanding of the undertaking’s water consumption and any progress by the undertaking in relation to its targets.

28.

The disclosure required by paragraph 26 relates to own operations and shall include: 

  1. total water consumption in m3;
  2. total water consumption in m3 in areas at water risk, including areas of high-water stress ;
  3. total water recycled and reused in m3; [68]
  4. total water stored and changes in storage in m3; and 
  5. any contextual information necessary regarding points (a) to (d), including the water basins’ water quality and quantity, how the data have been compiled, such as any standards, methodologies, and assumptions used, including whether the information is calculated, estimated, modelled, or sourced from direct measurements, and the approach taken for this, such as the use of any sector-specific factors.

29.

The undertaking shall provide information on its water intensity: total water consumption in its own operations in m3 per million EUR net revenue [69].

Appendix A: Application Requirements

This appendix is an integral part of the ESRS E3. It supports the application of the disclosure requirements set out in this standard and has the same authority as the other parts of the Standard.

ESRS 2 General disclosures

This appendix is an integral part of the ESRS E3. It supports the application of the disclosure requirements set out in this standard and has the same authority as the other parts of the Standard.

Impact, risk and opportunity management

This appendix is an integral part of the ESRS E3. It supports the application of the disclosure requirements set out in this standard and has the same authority as the other parts of the Standard.

Metrics and targets

This appendix is an integral part of the ESRS E3. It supports the application of the disclosure requirements set out in this standard and has the same authority as the other parts of the Standard.

Disclosure Requirement E3-4 – Water consumption

This appendix is an integral part of the ESRS E3. It supports the application of the disclosure requirements set out in this standard and has the same authority as the other parts of the Standard.

AR 28.

The undertaking may operate in various areas at water risk . When disclosing information under paragraph 28 (b), the undertaking shall include such information only for those areas that have been identified as material in accordance with ESRS2 IRO-1 and ESRS2 SBM-3.

AR 29.

When disclosing contextual information on water consumption performance required by paragraph 26, the undertaking shall explain the calculation methodologies and more specifically the share of the measure obtained from direct measurement, from sampling and extrapolation, or from best estimates.

AR 30.

The undertaking may provide information on other breakdowns (i.e., per sector or segments).

AR 31.

When disclosing information required by paragraph 29 the undertaking may provide additional intensity ratios based on other denominators.

AR 32.

The undertaking may also provide information on its water withdrawals and water discharges.

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