Abstract
In the globalized world, water utilization and carbon emissions are two important indicators for water and energy resources evaluation. This paper investigates the inter-sectoral linkage and external trade of virtual water (water embodied in products) and embodied carbon emissions in China based on input–output tables during 1997–2015. Results indicate that: inside China, agriculture, the electric and water industry are major virtual water suppliers, while heavy industrial sectors including the metal products industry, the petrochemical industry, other nonmetallic mineral products industry, and the mining industry are major embodied carbon emissions suppliers. China is the net exporter of virtual water (137.15 × 109 m3) and embodied carbon emissions (16.05 × 108 t). From the perspective of industrial chain, about 81% of virtual water export come from agriculture, the electric and water industry ultimately, and about 85% of embodied carbon emissions export come from the mining industry, the petrochemical industry, other nonmetallic mineral products industry, the metal products industry, and the electric and water industry ultimately.
Highlights
Problems of resource depletion and global warming caused by natural resource over exploitation and environmental deterioration have aroused global concern in recent years [1]
The objectives of this study are to investigate the inter-sectoral linkage of water and energy resources among different sectors inside China and internal trade with other countries, and to identify the ultimate source of virtual water and carbon emissions and to grasp key sectors in the economic system applying input–output analysis
As far as water resources are concerned, linkage analysis show that agriculture, and the electric and water industry have high independence because they output much but input little virtual water from other sectors
Summary
Problems of resource depletion and global warming caused by natural resource over exploitation and environmental deterioration have aroused global concern in recent years [1]. Water scarcity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are global challenges and severe threats to the sustainability of social development. It shows that 43 countries and 700 million people suffer water shortage problems [2]; the water crisis has become a global environmental issue in the 21st century. GHG, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, are considered to be the main causes of the global warming [3]. Trade in both goods and services have a rapid growth as globalization of the world economy since the 1980s. Globalization is increasing the separation of production and consumption locations of goods and services, and the effect of trade on water resources shortage and carbon emissions in different areas should to be taken into account [4]
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