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Is there a relationship between water scarcity and water use efficiency in China? A national decadal assessment across spatial scales

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  • Long, Kaisheng
  • Pijanowski, Bryan C.

Abstract

The relationship between water scarcity and water use efficiency is widely disputed, and despite considerable work on the topic, little attention has been paid to their spatial relationships. Using a host of spatial analyses, a variety of spatial correlations between water scarcity and water use efficiency from 2003 to 2013 in China are examined at local to national scales. The bivariate Global Spatial Autocorrelation indicates significant (p<0.001) positive spatial correlation between water scarcity and water use efficiency across all regions with bivariate Moran’s I>0. The bivariate Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) analysis shows significant (p<0.05) high water scarcity and high water use efficiency correlations with regional clustering in northern China, centering on Beijing, and low water scarcity and low water use efficiency regional clustering in southern China, centering on Hunan. The coefficients of our Spatial Lag Model show that both water scarcity and water use efficiency have significant inherent spatial dependence (p<0.01), but no significant causal mechanisms (p>0.1) between them were found. We discuss the implications of influencing factors including (1) the geographical agglomeration in economics, population and freshwater supplies, (2) physical and virtual water transfer, and (3) technology and water resources management to such strong spatial patterns of water use and efficiency. This study affirms the need to pay attention to water use management and efficiency improvements together in scarce environments and especially within a geographic context.

Suggested Citation

  • Long, Kaisheng & Pijanowski, Bryan C., 2017. "Is there a relationship between water scarcity and water use efficiency in China? A national decadal assessment across spatial scales," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 502-511.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:69:y:2017:i:c:p:502-511
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.09.055
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    2. Chen Qu & Wen Li & Jia Xu & Song Shi, 2023. "Blackland Conservation and Utilization, Carbon Storage and Ecological Risk in Green Space: A Case Study from Heilongjiang Province in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-21, February.
    3. Aijun Guo & Daiwei Jiang & Fanglei Zhong & Xiaojiang Ding & Xiaoyu Song & Qingping Cheng & Yongnian Zhang & Chunlin Huang, 2019. "Prediction of Technological Change under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and Regional Differences: A Case Study of Irrigation Water Use Efficiency Changes in Chinese Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Xin, Jing & Zhou, Hui & Yang, Hongqiang & Sheng, Jichuan, 2025. "The command paradox: Unraveling the impact of command-and-control water conservation policies on water-use technical efficiency," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    5. Philip Kofi Adom & Joonho Yeo & Lin Zhang, 2021. "Is water use sustainable and efficient in China? Evidence from a macro level analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(53), pages 6166-6183, November.
    6. Min Li & Kaisheng Long, 2019. "Direct or Spillover Effect: The Impact of Pure Technical and Scale Efficiencies of Water Use on Water Scarcity in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-13, September.
    7. Yiru Guo & Yan Hu & Ke Shi & Yuriy Bilan, 2020. "Valuation of Water Resource Green Efficiency Based on SBM–TOBIT Panel Model: Case Study from Henan Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, August.
    8. Nan Lu & Jiwei Zhu & Hui Chi & Bing Wang & Lu Chen, 2021. "Progress Assessment and Spatial Heterogeneity Analysis of Water Conservancy Modernization Construction in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Bingquan Liu & Yongqing Li & Rui Hou & Hui Wang, 2019. "Does Urbanization Improve Industrial Water Consumption Efficiency?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, March.
    10. Jincai Zhao & Yiyao Wang & Xiufeng Zhang & Qianxi Liu, 2022. "Industrial and Agricultural Water Use Efficiency and Influencing Factors in the Process of Urbanization in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River Basin, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, August.
    11. Chong Meng & Siyang Zhou & Wei Li, 2021. "An Optimization Model for Water Management under the Dual Constraints of Water Pollution and Water Scarcity in the Fenhe River Basin, North China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-18, September.
    12. Gonzalez-Mathiesen, Constanza & Palma, Cristian & Jara, Cesar & Zapata, Richard, 2023. "Assessing the integration of planning instruments for urban land use and water service," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    13. Sheng, Jichuan & Qiu, Wenge, 2022. "Water-use technical efficiency and income: Evidence from China's South-North Water Transfer Project," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    14. Yali Zhao & Min Li, 2020. "Effect of Water-Saving Society Policy on Water Consumption in the Cities of China: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-14, November.

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