A paper published co-authored with Yale University, USA, which is a result of Global Commons Stewardship (GCS) Initiative, an international joint research project, a part of the University of Tokyo’s university-wide mission to build mechanisms to a better Earth system, the common property of a humankind.
With expanding and deepening globalization, trades between developing countries such as Asian and African countries and China have boosted bilateral economic development, while also a concern of exacerbating water stress on China. Developing effective strategies to alleviate increasing water stress in China requires an understanding of how consumption and production drive water stress footprints (WSF) at a high resolution and multiple spatial and temporal scales. However, current Chinese multi-regional input-output (CMRIO) models have limited resolution. Here, we build a high-resolution international MRIO model covering 31 Chinese provinces, 163 sectors, to address this issue, and then analyze the impact of changes in China’s interprovincial and international trade patterns on the WSF from 2012 to 2017.
Results came out that China’s domestic water stress embodied in inter-provincial trade has increased year after year, to 5,606 km3 H2O-eq in 2017, exceeding 50 % of the total footprint. China has transformed into a net exporter of water stress in 2017, with water stress exports to developing countries accounting for 54 % of total exports, up from 51 % in 2012.
We have provided the further identify hotspots of water stress consumption to prioritize actions to relieve regional water stress in a more effective manner.
Title
Global spatio-temporal change assessment in interregional water stress footprint in China by a high resolution MRIO model
Co-authors
Zhao Han, PhD candidate, Graduate School of Engineering, UTokyo
T.Reed Miller, Postdoctoral Associate, School of the Environment, Yale University, USA
Akiyuki Kawasaki, Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, UTokyo
Naoko Ishii, Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives; Director, Center for Global Commons, UTokyo
Journal
Science of The Total Environment 841 (2022)
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156682
Abstract
Developing effective strategies to alleviate increasing water stress in China requires an understanding of how consumption and production drive water stress footprints (WSF) at a high resolution and multiple spatial and temporal scales. However, current Chinese multi-regional input-output (CMRIO) models have limited resolution. Here, we build a high-resolution international MRIO model covering 31 Chinese provinces, 163 sectors, to address this issue, and then analyze the impact of changes in China’s interprovincial and international trade patterns on the WSF from 2012 to 2017. We find that China’s water stress embodied in inter-provincial trade has increased year after year, to 5606 km3 H2O-eq in 2017, exceeding 50 % of the total domestic footprint. Domestic water stress transfer is most apparent in the outsourcing of water stress from eastern coastal regions to Central and Western regions, with the top interregional supply chain paths mainly associated with demand of processed rice and tobacco products. China has transformed into a net exporter of water stress in 2017, with water stress exports to developing countries accounting for 54 % of total exports, up from 51 % in 2012. With deepening globalization, trade between China and developing countries has boosted bilateral economic development, while also exacerbating water stress on China. In addition to agricultural cultivation, industrial products such as plastics and steel exported to meet international industries further contribute to water stress in Northern China. Further identify hotspots of water stress consumption is needed to prioritize actions to relieve regional water stress in a more effective manner, and our study can provide key information.