Ma Jianqin, Yang Shuoguo, Wu Qing, Hao Xiuping, Cui Bifeng, Su Zhihong
School of Water Conservancy, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, China.
College of Surveying and Geo-informatics, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, China.
PLoS One. 2025 Jul 3;20(7):e0327626. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0327626. eCollection 2025.
Water scarcity is dynamic and complex, beyond geophysical stressors and responses, it is critical to also consider how multi-sector, multiscale economic teleconnections mitigate or exacerbate water shortages. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of Water Footprint (WF) in China from 2005 to 2022 and their relationship with economic development. The findings reveal an overall increase in China's WF, with the fastest growth observed in the Northwest and Northeast regions. Notably, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang experienced significant increases, while Zhejiang, Beijing, and Chongqing saw declines. Agricultural water footprint (WFargi) account for the largest share, while industrial water footprint (WFindu) show a decreasing trend, indicating improved water-use efficiency in industry. However, the rise in contamination water footprint (WFcont) and significant spatial disparities in import water footprint (WFimport) and export water footprint (WFexport) highlight the challenges in water resources management. Across different regions, there is a strong synergy between agricultural and ecological water use, while a notable trade-offs exists between industrial and agricultural water use, particularly in the Northeast. The relationship between WF consumption and economic development in China exhibits a phased pattern. From 2011 to 2016, most regions achieved strong decoupling, but from 2017 to 2022, all regions reverted to weak decoupling. This study provides new insights into the relationship between sectoral water use and economic development at regional and provincial levels, contributing to efforts to alleviate water scarcity, enhance water resources management, and promote sustainable economic development.
水资源短缺是动态且复杂的，除了地球物理压力因素和应对措施外，还必须考虑多部门、多尺度的经济远程联系如何减轻或加剧水资源短缺。本研究分析了2005年至2022年中国水足迹（WF）的时空特征及其与经济发展的关系。研究结果显示，中国的水足迹总体呈上升趋势，其中西北地区和东北地区增长最快。值得注意的是，黑龙江、内蒙古和新疆的水足迹显著增加，而浙江、北京和重庆则出现下降。农业水足迹（WFargi）占比最大，而工业水足迹（WFindu）呈下降趋势，表明工业用水效率有所提高。然而，污染水足迹（WFcont）的上升以及进口水足迹（WFimport）和出口水足迹（WFexport）的显著空间差异凸显了水资源管理面临的挑战。在不同地区，农业用水与生态用水之间存在很强的协同作用，而工业用水与农业用水之间存在明显的权衡，特别是在东北地区。中国水足迹消费与经济发展之间的关系呈现出阶段性模式。2011年至2016年，大多数地区实现了强脱钩，但2017年至2022年，所有地区又恢复为弱脱钩。本研究为区域和省级层面部门用水与经济发展之间的关系提供了新的见解，有助于缓解水资源短缺、加强水资源管理并促进可持续经济发展。
