Invisible Effect of Virtual Water Transfer on Water Quantity Conflict in Transboundary Rivers—Taking Ili River as a Case

Xia Xu, Fengping Wu, Qianwen Yu, Xiangnan Chen and Yue Zhao
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Xia Xu: Architectural Engineering School, Tongling University, Tongling 244000, China
Fengping Wu: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Qianwen Yu: Business School, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Xiangnan Chen: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Yue Zhao: Business School, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-25

Abstract: Water stress in countries within a drainage basin exacerbates the water quantity conflict in transboundary rivers. However, few studies considered the invisible effect of virtual water transfer on water quantity conflict by intensifying water stress. Therefore, this study, with Ili River as the case, collects data on Virtual Water Trade (VWT) from 1990 to 2015, uses water stress index (WSI) to assess water stress values under two scenarios (with or without virtual water transfer), and takes Grey Verhulst Model to predict two scenarios water stress values respectively. Next, based on the Levenberg—Marquardt (LM) Algorithm, this study compares the water quantity conflict intensity of the two scenarios, and further explores the invisible effect of virtual water transfer on the conflicts among transboundary rivers. Results show: (1) During the study period (1990–2015), water stress in China and Kazakhstan along the banks of Ili River increased in general. (2) China was basically a net exporter of virtual water during 1990–1995, and Kazakhstan became a net exporter after 1995. (3) During 2020–2025, water conflict value of Ili River without virtual water transfer is 0.458, while the value rises to 0.622 with virtual water transfer, indicating that virtual water transfer between China and Kazakhstan has an invisible enhancement on the water quantity conflict of Ili River. (4) The intensified water quantity conflict is mainly caused by the more and more serious water stress in Kazakhstan. On such basis, it is more urgent for Kazakhstan to restructure its economy and trade.

Keywords: transboundary river; water stress; virtual water transfer; water quantity conflict (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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