Research on water resources pricing model under the water resources–economic high-quality development coupling system: a case study of Hubei Province, China

Abstract

Achieving high-quality economic development under the new development pattern has become an inevitable requirement for China's economic development. Correctly calculating the value of water resources and optimizing the price mechanism of water resources is one of the important guarantees for promoting the high-quality development of the regional economy. Based on this fact, this paper takes Hubei Province as an example to construct a coupling relationship model between water resources and economic high-quality development and to evaluate the coupling coordination between the two. And then, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is used to evaluate the value of water resources in Hubei Province, and recalculate its water price. The results show that Hubei province now is a lagging development of water resources, and the current water price is far lower than assessed. The government should improve the mechanism of water price which should be driven by innovation to adjust the water use structure, finally achieve high-quality economic development of Hubei Province. HIGHLIGHTS High-quality economic development requires a correct assessment of the value of water resources.; Optimizing water price mechanisms is one of the important guarantees for promoting high-quality regional economic development.; Hubei Province is currently lagging in the development of water resources, and the current water price is much lower than the assessed water price.; Governments can innovate to drive the restructuring of water use by appropriately raising water prices.;

Keywords

• coupling relationship
• fuzzy comprehensive evaluation
• high-quality economic development
• hubei province
• water resources value