Regional water footprint evaluation in China: a case of Liaoning.

Water-related problems are currently second only to energy issues as threats to human society. North China is a region that is facing severe water scarcity problems. In order to provide appropriate water mitigation policies a regional study is completed. Under this circumstance, Liaoning Province, a typical heavy industrial province in north China is chosen as a case study region. The input-output analysis method is employed in order to evaluate the water footprint both from production and consumption perspectives. The results show that the total water footprint of Liaoning in 2007 was 7.30 billionm(3), a 84.6% of internal water footprint and a 15.4% external water footprint. The water trade balance of Liaoning was 2.68 billionm(3), indicating that Liaoning was a net water export region, although water shortages are becoming a more serious concern. The "Agriculture" and "Food and beverage production" sectors are found to have the highest water footprint, water intensity, water exports, and water trade balance. Based upon Liaoning realities policy implications and suggestions are made, including industrial and trade structure adjustment, application of water efficient technology and management measures, and appropriate capacity-building efforts. The methodology and findings may be useful for investigation of water footprints throughout various regions of the world.

[1]  B. Bakshi,et al.  Emergy analysis using US economic input–output models with applications to life cycles of gasoline and corn ethanol , 2010 .

[2]  Klaus Hubacek,et al.  Assessment of regional trade and virtual water flows in China , 2007 .

[3]  Juana Paul Moiwo,et al.  Estimation of irrigation requirement for sustainable water resources reallocation in North China , 2010 .

[4]  M. Aldaya,et al.  Incorporating the Water Footprint and Virtual Water into Policy: Reflections from the Mancha Occidental Region, Spain , 2010 .

[5]  J. Munksgaard,et al.  Using Input‐Output Analysis to Measure the Environmental Pressure of Consumption at Different Spatial Levels , 2005 .

[6]  A. Hoekstra,et al.  Water footprints of nations: Water use by people as a function of their consumption pattern , 2006 .

[7]  Yong Geng,et al.  Regional initiatives on promoting cleaner production in China: a case of Liaoning , 2010 .

[8]  A. Hoekstra,et al.  Water footprints of nations , 2004 .

[9]  Bin Chen,et al.  National water footprint in an input–output framework—A case study of China 2002 , 2009 .

[10]  E. Hertwich,et al.  Carbon footprint of nations: a global, trade-linked analysis. , 2009, Environmental science & technology.

[11]  Yong Geng,et al.  Perspectives on small watershed management in China: the case of Biliu , 2010 .

[12]  M Falkenmark,et al.  Macro-scale water scarcity requires micro-scale approaches. Aspects of vulnerability in semi-arid development. , 1989, Natural resources forum.

[13]  Kishore K. Mohanty,et al.  The near‐term energy challenge , 2003 .

[14]  Minjun Shi,et al.  AN INPUT–OUTPUT ANALYSIS OF TRENDS IN VIRTUAL WATER TRADE AND THE IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCES AND USES IN CHINA , 2011 .

[15]  Cristina Madrid,et al.  Rethinking the Concepts of Virtual Water and Water Footprint in Relation to the Production–Consumption Binomial and the Water–Energy Nexus , 2011 .

[16]  Y. Geng,et al.  A quantitative water resource planning and management model for an industrial park level , 2007 .

[17]  Stefan Giljum,et al.  Applying physical input-output analysis to estimate land appropriation (ecological footprints) of international trade activities , 2003 .

[18]  Gaodi Xie,et al.  An Evaluation of China’s Water Footprint , 2011 .

[19]  Arjen Ysbert Hoekstra,et al.  The Water Footprint Assessment Manual , 2011 .

[20]  Peter H. Gleick,et al.  Comprehensive Assessment of the Freshwater Resources of the World , 1997 .

[21]  J. Minx,et al.  Allocating ecological footprints to final consumption categories with input-output analysis , 2006 .

[22]  Frank R. Rijsberman,et al.  Water scarcity: Fact or fiction? , 2006 .

[23]  Caroline A Sullivan,et al.  The Water Poverty Index: development and application at the community scale , 2003 .

[24]  Arjen Ysbert Hoekstra,et al.  Water Footprint Manual : State of the Art 2009 , 2009 .

[25]  Tim Jackson,et al.  The carbon footprint of UK households 1990–2004: A socio-economically disaggregated, quasi-multi-regional input–output model , 2009 .

[26]  P. Gleick,et al.  Peak water limits to freshwater withdrawal and use , 2010, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[27]  A. Hoekstra.  Virtual water trade : A quantification of virtual water flows between nations in relation to international crop trade , 2003 .

[28]  Y. Geng,et al.  Integrated water resource management at the industrial park level: A case of the Tianjin Economic Development Area , 2006 .

[29]  B. Sivakumar.  Water crisis: From conflict to cooperation—an overview , 2011 .

[30]  Smith Martin,et al.  Cropwat : a computer program for irrigation planning and management , 1992 .

[31]  Yunchen Wang,et al.  Analysis of water consumption using a regional input–output model: Model development and application to Zhangye City, Northwestern China , 2009 .

[32]  Yong Geng,et al.  Industrial park management in the Chinese environment , 2009 .

[33]  Radhika Vidanage De Silva,et al.  World water demand and supply, 1990 to 2025: scenarios and issues , 1998 .