The Temporal Evolution of Physical Water Consumption and Virtual Water Flow in Beijing, China

Hongwei Huang, Shan Jiang, Xuerui Gao, Yong Zhao, Lixing Lin, Jichao Wang and Xinxueqi Han
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Hongwei Huang: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Shan Jiang: State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
Xuerui Gao: Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Yong Zhao: State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
Lixing Lin: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Jichao Wang: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Xinxueqi Han: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-15

Abstract: With the rapid development of the socio-economic system and the close connection of inter-regional trade, the physical water consumption in production and the virtual water flow associated with inter-regional trade are both have a significant impact on local water systems, especially in megacities. Beijing is the political, economic and cultural center of China, which is a megacity that has severe water scarcity. To evaluate the status-quo of local water consumption and propose the countermeasures, this study quantitatively analyzed the evolution trend of physical water consumption and the virtual water flow in Beijing. The results show that the total physical water consumption in Beijing decreased from 2.43 billion m 3 (2002) to 1.98 billion m 3 (2017), while the net virtual water input increased from 1.76 billion m 3 (2002) to 3.09 billion m 3 (2017), which was mainly embedded in agricultural and industrial products. This study also reveals the equal importance of physical water and virtual water in ensuring the regional water security and sustainable economic development. In view of poor water resource endowment, Beijing should conduct the coupled management of physical water and virtual water to alleviate the local water shortage, i.e., to receive more virtual water embedded in agricultural and industrial products, and allocate the limited local water resources to domestic use and high-benefit sectors.

Keywords: physical water; virtual water; input-output table; water stress; water security (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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