Analysis of Tianjin virtual water trade based on input-output model

Abstract

This paper introduces the virtual water and the virtual water trade. Based on the input-output theory, we analysis the water consumption features and virtual water trade of the national economy and industry of Tianjin. We analysis the water feature by the direct water input coefficient, the total water input coefficient and the water coefficient of added value, and analysis the virtual water trade of Tianjin in 2002, 2005and 2007 in perspective of production and consumption. The results showed that: The electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing industry, the transportation equipment manufacturing and the electronic equipment industry is a net output of virtual water trade, three water consumption coefficients of the three industry are relatively small, so the net output of them is attribute to the large export of them. The virtual water of the agricultural, the chemical and the textile and garment industry is net output in 2002 and net input in 2007, of which the agriculture has a relatively high direct water input coefficient, the chemical and the textile and garment industry have high indirect water input coefficients. The net input industry contains the food manufacturing and tobacco processing industry, the metallurgy industry and so on. Tianjin changed the state of virtual water trade and became a net transferred region from 2002 to 2007. It shows that the adjustment of industrial structure of Tianjin is toward to the direction of water-saving. At the same time, we should focus on the reduction of the virtual water of agriculture, the conservation of industry and should focus on the development of the tertiary industry (service) in the future.