MuSIASEM

MuSIASEM deals with complexity to assess sustainability of water use.

The need of connecting multiple scales of analysis involved in the assessment of the sustainability of water use.
The need of linking water to other resources, in the energy, water and food nexus.

MuSIASEM is an accounting methodology for the assessment of water use and its impacts able to deal with different perceptions about water and different spatial-temporal scales of analysis. It was created during the 90’s for the assessment of energy use and it is now adapted for water studies.
MuSIASEM allows to:
• Analyze the reasons of water use: why and how water is used for the social system
• Analyze the sustainability of water use: the systemic impacts created to the environment
• Connect these two levels

• Published in English, needs translation in Spanish
• Guidance available, but not final
• Tested for economies- and river basin-defined boundaries

The main innovations are:
• Using hierarchy theory to describe the relations between societies and ecosystems. Societies are evolving parts of the ecosystems, which also evolve.
• Definition of sustainability in a systemic way: Sustainable means that desirable by society must be viable to maintain it and feasible regarding environmental constraints.
• This way is can deal with the different meaning water has at different level (for agriculture, for an economy, a society and an ecosystem)
Example of use include:
• Up scaling scenarios to assess impact of implementation of new technologies in factories or urban settings (policy makers or private companies)
• Estimations of water demands and impacts (water planning)
• Assessment of water policies (WFD, for example)
• Description of the dependency of an economy from water use (research or economic planning)
• Studies on the water-food-energy nexus (research, policy making)
 

• Does not have a patent, it is free for use, but costly to learn. Needs support from the group.
• Intellectual property Rights belong to IASTE group (Mario Giampietro and Kozo Mayumi).
• Software is not developed yet, but coming.
• Collaboration agreements for development are welcome.

MuSIASEM:
• Connects scales and adapt to the scale of the analysis
• Is able to transfer outputs on other territories and can be used for comparison
• Is reliable and reproducible for general analyses (tested). Can do more detailed analyses (in development)

• River basin agencies
• Water utilities,
• Other researchers,
• big Industries,
• SMEs,
• Local authorities,
• "Key stakeholders (administrative officials,, scientists, political and community leaders, socioprofessional)",
• Agricultural organisations

• Lower appropriateness for end-users due to heavy theoretical background
• Complexity for new development, needs a period of learning

Its implementation has no risk for users, the risk are more related to the development of the methodology itself.

For the autonomy of end users, it would be needed to create an internet interface where users do not have to deal with theoretical issues.
• WHO: Public or Private funding + Partnership with internet experts
Before that, some more case studies are advisable.
• WHO: Consortium of researchers and International institutions (FAO, UNESCO, World Bank...)
Theoretical background is quite established, but we are trying to get an ERC synergy advance grant.
• WHO: EU-ERC. Still a partner for ecological issues is needed.
Also an end user to test regional implementation for decision support would be nice.
• WHO: River basin authorities, for example, or industrial companies.

• Reach the status of “ready to use” in theoretical background for nexus
• Complete few case studies following social boundaries (economies) and natural boundaries (river basins or other classifications)
• Public accessible guidance for use
• Develop the internet user friendly interface

Financing, Research co-operation, technical support.

• Human resources needed: Experienced researcher for a couple of years (Marie Curie or similar), Programmer and GIS technicians for about a year. Early stage researchers willing to assess case studies for a year or two.
• GIS and other software license (ArcGIS).
• Server management
• Travelling funds for case study and dissemination

• Human Resources: About 400.000€
• License: 150.000€
• Server and Management: 50.000€
• Travelling: 50.000 €