The pattern of trade-embodied water pollution transfer in the Yangtze River Economic Belt based on an input-output model

Abstract

[Objective] The analysis of the trade embodied water pollution transfer pattern and the pull coefficient of embodied water pollution discharge of various industrial sectors in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is conducive to a deeper understanding of the relationship between regional economic and social development and water resources protection, and provides a scientific reference for the collaborative optimization of regional human-water relationship and the construction of sustainable development pattern. [Methods] Based on the principle of multi-regional input-output, this paper established a multi-regional input-output model based on the multi-regional input-output table of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and the water consumption data of various provinces and municipalities in 2017, and calculated and analyzed the virtual water flow pattern among provinces, embodied water pollution transfer pattern and the pull of embodied water pollution discharge among industrial sectors. [Results] (1) In the virtual water flow, the downstream area mainly consumes virtual water, the middle area mainly supplies virtual water, and the upstream area has weak trade relationship with other areas; Shanghai is the main consumer of virtual water, and Anhui is the main producer of virtual water. Most of the virtual water in other sectors comes from agriculture and the production and supply of electricity and heat. (2) In the transfer of embodied water pollution, the downstream area transferred the largest amount of embodied water pollution, with a net outflow of 592 million m3, and the middle reaches area was the main bearer of the discharge of embodied water pollution, with a net inflow of 643 million m3, and Jiangsu transferred the largest amount of embodied water pollution, with Zhejiang bearing 83.37% of the embodied water pollution in Jiangsu. The agricultural sector bears the most of the embodied water pollution. (3) The direct embodied water pollution discharge of the agricultural sector was the largest, and the direct grey water discharge coefficient was 1222.16 m3/10000 yuan. The pull coefficient of the construction industry was the highest, which was 28.31, indicating that increasing the output of the construction industry would lead to a large amount of sewage discharge in other sectors. [Conclusion] The middle and lower provinces are active in the virtual water flow. The transfer of embodied water pollution is mainly concentrated in the middle and lower provinces or among departments with close trade links. There are great differences in the discharge intensity of direct or indirect water use and embodied water pollution in different departments.

Keywords

• virtual water|embodied water pollution|pull coefficient|multi-regional input-output model|yangtze river economic belt