Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jie Deng, Cai Li, Ling Wang, Shuxia Yu, Xu Zhang, Zhen Wang
Summary: Chinese water resources are limited and unevenly distributed, leading to a prosperous inter-provincial virtual water trade. Research indicates that water scarcity affects virtual water trade, exacerbating regional water shortages in northern and eastern coastal China.
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Rui Zhong, Aifang Chen, Dandan Zhao, Ganquan Mao, Xu Zhao, Hao Huang, Junguo Liu
Summary: International trade alleviates water scarcity for 2.2 billion people in high and upper-middle income countries, but aggravates water scarcity for 2.1 billion people in low and lower-middle income countries.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hui Li, Yuhan Liang, Qionghong Chen, Sai Liang, Jetashree, Zhifeng Yang
Summary: Existing studies on virtual scarce water flows within the water-energy context have mainly focused on water quantity, neglecting water quality. This study improves the quantification method by considering both blue water (quantity) and grey water (quality). The results show that considering water quality provides new insights into the patterns of interregional flows of virtual scarce water driven by energy demand. The virtual integrated scarce water (VISW) flows, considering both quantity and quality, are 5 times larger than the volume of virtual quantity-based scarce water (VQSW) flows.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hui Li, Qionghong Chen, Gengyuan Liu, Ginevra Virginia Lombardi, Meirong Su, Zhifeng Yang
Summary: Insufficient water quantity and inadequate water quality can both limit agricultural production and result in potential economic losses. This study developed an index called integrated Agricultural Water Scarcity Risk (AWSR) to evaluate the economic losses in agriculture caused by both quantity and quality-induced water scarcity. The results showed that pollution significantly intensified the indirect impacts of water scarcity on the supply chain. Moreover, the study identified key exporters and importers of AWSR, which were not detected using a quantity-based approach.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mingming Zhu, Jigan Wang, Jie Zhang, Zhencheng Xing
Summary: Urban water management is critical for China's goal of alleviating water stress and promoting water sustainability. This study estimated the city-level water footprints for 26 cities in the Yangtze River Delta and investigated the patterns and impact of virtual water trade. The results show that virtual water trade alleviates water shortage in the region, with richer cities importing more virtual water while less developed water-abundant cities exporting virtual water. The inter-city virtual water flows have also helped alleviate urban water scarcity inequality.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Siao Sun, Qiuhong Tang, Megan Konar, Chuanglin Fang, Haixing Liu, Xingcai Liu, Guangtao Fu
Summary: Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) infrastructure in China has been expanding to meet water demands in populated and industrial areas. This research finds that IBWT effectively reduces water scarcity risk in the supply chain, with physically transferred water volumes doubling between 2007 and 2017. The development of IBWT infrastructure should be considered in water management and sustainable development policy decisions.
Article
Water Resources
Gang Liu, Fan Zhang, Xiangzheng Deng
Summary: This study in the Yellow River Basin in China aimed to assess the impact of virtual water trade (VWT) on water-deficient regions. Using a modified input-output analysis model and multiregional input-output tables of 31 provinces in China, the study revealed unidirectional virtual water flow from downstream and midstream regions to upstream regions in the Yellow River Basin. The trade structures among these regions differ notably, exacerbating water resource shortages, with the main reason being the irrational industrial structure. The findings could help in developing effective policies to address regional water scarcity and formulate a viable virtual water strategy for the Yellow River Basin.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jinling Li, Jianxun Yang, Miaomiao Liu, Zongwei Ma, Wen Fang, Jun Bi
Summary: This study suggests that pollution exacerbates water scarcity issues, making water unsuitable for various uses and reducing freshwater availability. Taking water quality constraints into account increases the risk of economic losses due to insufficient clean water supply. The study also finds that water pollution worsens virtual water scarcity risks in China, leading to economic risks and supply chain issues. Therefore, it is crucial to address overall water scarcity risks by conserving water resources and improving water quality.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Minglun Xin, Jigan Wang, Zhencheng Xing
Summary: The trade-off between economic growth and environmental conservation is important in national environmental management. Previous studies have shown significant water resources in China's inter-regional trade, but there is a lack of analysis on cost-benefit inequality in trade. The study aims to fill this gap by constructing a novel virtual water inequality index. Results show that about a third of China's annual water use is accounted for by virtual water trade, flowing from developing inland provinces to developed coastal provinces. The issue of virtual water inequality has been somewhat alleviated with the coordinated development of China's economy.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Haiyu Long, Rui Xie, Chao Gao, Meng Sun, Bin Su
Summary: Analyzing the factors that affect spatial differences in production water consumption in China is crucial for effective water resource management. Economic scale and regional characteristics were found to be the main factors influencing production water consumption.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yang Yang, Shiwei Liu, Cunde Xiao, Cuiyang Feng, Chenyu Li
Summary: The study found that the intensity of direct meltwater withdrawal was highest in the agriculture sector, with other sectors relying more on embodied meltwater withdrawal driven by final demand. In 2012, all sectors required inflows of virtual water for their production processes, indicating the impact of cryospheric water resources on the socioeconomic system.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xi Chen, Bu Zhao, Chenyang Shuai, Shen Qu, Ming Xu
Summary: Water scarcity is a major challenge to the sustainable development of human society. Quantifying water scarcity risk by considering environmental flow requirement, water intensity, and economic output provides a more accurate assessment of its impact. The global water scarcity risk in 2016 was estimated to be around 2.7 trillion US dollars.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yuhan Liang, Sai Liang, Ke Li, Jianchuan Qi, Cuiyang Feng, Lixiao Xu, Zhifeng Yang
Summary: Identifying the critical socioeconomic drivers of food-related scarce water uses at the provincial level is important for policy formulation. This study used input-output analysis to explore the determinants for changing food-related scarce water uses in Chinese regions. The results showed that reducing water intensity in certain regions and improving production structures are key factors, while reducing excessive food consumption in developed coastal regions can effectively reduce national water scarcity. Interprovincial trade and cooperation are essential for sustainable food and water resource management in China.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiaqi Zhi, Yue Yu, Qingshun Zeng, Changfeng Shi, Shiyu Chen, Yuze Wang
Summary: China is currently facing a serious water security problem, and virtual water trade is an important means to alleviate water resource shortage. This paper measures the multi-scale near-long-distance flow of virtual water between regions in China using a multi-regional input-output model. The results show a downward trend in interregional virtual water flow and import/export volume, with significant differences in inflow, outflow, and distribution. The agricultural sector has the highest virtual water flow, particularly in the northwest and central regions, and the food, tobacco, and construction industries also have high outflows in most regions. The paper suggests exploiting the effect of industrial structure to suppress the rise of virtual water and improving the virtual water trade pattern, especially in the agricultural sector, to optimize the distribution pattern of regional water resources in China.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Beiming Cai, Ling Jiang, Yu Liu, Feng Wang, Wei Zhang, Xu Yan, Zhenzi Ge
Summary: This study calculates the production-based and consumption-based regional water use of energy sectors from 2007 to 2017 and identifies the driving forces behind changes in water use. It finds a decreasing trend in water use during this period, with the reduction in water use intensity being the main contributing factor. However, the direction of virtual water flows related to energy trade shows inconsistency, with some provinces changing their roles as exporters and importers. Despite the decrease in water use, policymakers should still consider potential water pressure from energy production and consumption in the future, especially with the rapid regional economic development in China.