Regional water footprint evaluation and trend analysis of China-based on interregional input- output model

摘要

On the basis of the interregional input-output model, we calculate the regional water footprint of China in 2002 and in 2007, and analyze the changing trend of the water footprint. We find that: firstly, the water footprint for each region changed significantly from 2002 to 2007. Specifically, in 2002 the water footprints for the central, eastern coastal, southwest, northwest, southern coastal, northeast, northern coastal and Beijing-Tianjin regions were decreasing one by one; however, in 2007 those for the central, southwest, eastern coastal, southern coastal, northern coastal, northeast, Beijing-Tianjin and northwest regions were decreasing one by one. Secondly, the direction of domestic trade for regional virtual water in 2002 was not consistent with that in 2007. In 2002 the regions which had net export of virtual water were the southern coastal, central, northwest and southwest, while in 2007 those were the northeast, Beijing-Tianjin and northwest regions. Thirdly, China's virtual water trade patterns were inconsistent with the virtual water trade strategy in 2002 or 2007. Some regions such as the Beijing-Tianjin region were short of water, but they had virtual water transferred out. Fourthly, the agricultural sector has the largest water footprint. These results imply that China needs to improve the water use efficiency and readjust the pattern of virtual water trade. Besides, optimizing the sectoral distribution and structure among the regions is an essential measure for China. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.