Can water conservation and energy conservation be promoted simultaneously in China?

Abstract

Understanding the water-energy (WE) nexus is crucial for addressing water scarcity and high energy consumption issues in China. However, few studies have analyzed the WE nexus and the drivers of the spatiotemporal changes. To fill in this gap, we quantified the provincial energy, water-related energy, water, and energy-related water footprints (EF, EFwat, WF, and WFene, respectively) in China during 2002–2017 based on a multiregional input-output model, and analyzed the drivers underlying their changes. Results showed that Agriculture, Manufacturing, and Energy supply were dominant sectors in the WE nexus, showing 371.9 billion m3 (bm3) of WF, 16.3 trillion kWh (TkWh) of EF, and 0.2 TkWh of EFwat on average, respectively. Structural adjustment and key technological advances reduced WF by 272.6 and 265.4 bm3, and EF by 4.3 and 2.8 TkWh, respectively, but they resulted in −0.1 and −0.023 TkWh of WFene, and −2.3 and 10.2 bm3 of EFwat, respectively. Final demand and resource consumption intensity effects were respectively the main accelerator and suppressor of resource footprints during 2002–2017. Upgrading industrial chains and phasing out backward production capacity could promote water and energy conservation simultaneously. This study provides a scientific basis for comprehensive policymaking toward sustainable water and energy management.