Global water transfers embodied in international trade: Tracking imbalanced and inefficient flows

被引:68
作者
Han, M. Y. [1 ,2 ]
Chen, G. Q. [3 ]
Li, Y. L. [3 ]
机构
[1] Chinese Acad Sci, Inst Geog Sci & Nat Resources Res, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China
[2] Chinese Acad Sci, Key Lab Reg Sustainable Dev Modeling, Beijing 100101, Peoples R China
[3] Peking Univ, Coll Engn, Lab Syst Ecol & Sustainabil Sci, Beijing 100871, Peoples R China
基金
中国国家自然科学基金;
关键词
Embodied water; Global transfers; Imbalance; Efficiency; INPUT-OUTPUT-ANALYSIS; VIRTUAL WATER; FOOTPRINT ASSESSMENT; CONSUMPTION; ECONOMY; CHINA; LAND; RESOURCES; ENERGY; GLOBALIZATION;
D O I
10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.195
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
In light of the increasingly serious resource crisis in the context of global regional connectivity, a detailed analysis for embodied water flows in global supply chains is conducted involving more than 180 countries/regions. Based on the multi-regional database, this work attempts to explore the rules of embodied water transfers and the ways in which imbalance and inefficiencies in the new stage of globalization can be relieved. Overall, water embodied in trade flows, also known as embodied water, is estimated near one third the volume of global water withdrawal. Mainland China is the world's leading gross embodied water exporter with 114.47 billion m(3), in contrast to the United States as the leading importer with 151.39 million m(3). Under the background of resources distribution, trade acts as a mechanism to enable wealthy consumers to shift stress to their trading partners, leading to a more complex context of imbalance. As the most water-deficient region, the Middle East virtually receives 30 million m(3) of embodied water; however most of the less developed regions including African countries are always large embodied water suppliers, requiring urgent, global attention. With the detailed data supports, this study provides systematical accounting on embodied water transfers, conducts comprehensive analyses on transfer patterns, efficiencies, and pressures, and identifies imbalanced and inefficient embodied water transfers among countries/regions, attempting to map out an inclusive and sustained transfer path and lay an essential foundation for globe resources use in the new stage of globalization. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:50 / 64
页数:15
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