IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/bge/wpaper/1415.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Gap between Expectations and Reality: Assessing the Water Rebound Effect in Chinese Agriculture

Author

Listed:
  • Qian Chen
  • Jaume Freire González
  • Donglan Zha

Abstract

Agriculture is a water-intensive industry; therefore, for policymakers trying to achieve a reduction in water use, the development of agricultural water-saving irrigation technologies to improve water utilization efficiency is of considerable interest. However, the real effect of technological progress on water savings falls short of expectations because of the existence of the rebound effect. This paper estimates the agricultural water rebound effect (AWRE) in China using a sequential Malmquist index and data of 31 provinces from 2002 to 2020. Furthermore, a Logit model is used to analyze the factors influencing the water rebound effect. The results suggest that the average AWRE ranges from -0.43 to 2.41 in Chinese provinces. Twenty-two provinces exhibit a partial rebound effect, while seven and two provinces exhibit a backfire and super conservation effect, respectively. Moreover, AWRE fluctuated around 0.5 from 2003 to 2013 and increased over time from 2015 to 2020. Additionally, water resource endowment has a negative effect on AWRE, while grain-crop ratio, the income of rural residents, and the irrigation infrastructure level have a positive effect on AWRE. Based on these results, policy implications are derived to mitigate AWRE in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Qian Chen & Jaume Freire González & Donglan Zha, 2023. "The Gap between Expectations and Reality: Assessing the Water Rebound Effect in Chinese Agriculture," Working Papers 1415, Barcelona School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bge:wpaper:1415
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://bse.eu/sites/default/files/working_paper_pdfs/1415.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brookes, Len, 1990. "The greenhouse effect: the fallacies in the energy efficiency solution," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 199-201, March.
    2. Shi, Jian-hua & Han, Ying & Li, Xue-dong & Zhou, Jie-qi, 2022. "How does urbanization affect the direct rebound effect? Evidence from residential electricity consumption in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    3. Fei, Rilong & Xie, Mengyuan & Wei, Xin & Ma, Ding, 2021. "Has the water rights system reform restrained the water rebound effect? Empirical analysis from China's agricultural sector," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    4. Xu, Hang & Yang, Rui, 2022. "Does agricultural water conservation policy necessarily reduce agricultural water extraction? Evidence from China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    5. Zhang, Shulin & Su, Xiaoling & Singh, Vijay P & Ayantobo, Olusola Olaitan & Xie, Juan, 2018. "Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition analysis of changes in agricultural water use: a case study of the middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 422-430.
    6. Victoria Shestalova, 2003. "Sequential Malmquist Indices of Productivity Growth: An Application to OECD Industrial Activities," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 211-226, April.
    7. Julio Berbel & Carlos Gutiérrez-Martín & Juan Rodríguez-Díaz & Emilio Camacho & Pilar Montesinos, 2015. "Literature Review on Rebound Effect of Water Saving Measures and Analysis of a Spanish Case Study," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(3), pages 663-678, February.
    8. Wang, Yanyun & Long, Aihua & Xiang, Liyun & Deng, Xiaoya & Zhang, Pei & Hai, Yang & Wang, Jie & Li, Yang, 2020. "The verification of Jevons’ paradox of agricultural Water conservation in Tianshan District of China based on Water footprint," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    9. Brannlund, Runar & Ghalwash, Tarek & Nordstrom, Jonas, 2007. "Increased energy efficiency and the rebound effect: Effects on consumption and emissions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Pfeiffer, Lisa & Lin, C.-Y. Cynthia, 2014. "Does efficient irrigation technology lead to reduced groundwater extraction? Empirical evidence," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 189-208.
    11. Sorrell, Steve, 2009. "Jevons' Paradox revisited: The evidence for backfire from improved energy efficiency," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1456-1469, April.
    12. Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Diewert, W Erwin, 1982. "The Economic Theory of Index Numbers and the Measurement of Input, Output, and Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1393-1414, November.
    13. Saunders, Harry D., 2000. "A view from the macro side: rebound, backfire, and Khazzoom-Brookes," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 439-449, June.
    14. Sorrell, Steve & Dimitropoulos, John, 2008. "The rebound effect: Microeconomic definitions, limitations and extensions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 636-649, April.
    15. Hamidov, A. & Kasymov, U. & Djumaboev, Kakhramon & Paul, C., 2022. "Rebound effects in irrigated agriculture in Uzbekistan: a stakeholder-based assessment," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-14(14):83.
    16. Edgar G. Hertwich, 2005. "Consumption and the Rebound Effect: An Industrial Ecology Perspective," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 9(1‐2), pages 85-98, January.
    17. Berbel, J. & Mateos, L., 2014. "Does investment in irrigation technology necessarily generate rebound effects? A simulation analysis based on an agro-economic model," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 25-34.
    18. Zhang, Fengtai & Xiao, Yuedong & Gao, Lei & Ma, Dalai & Su, Ruiqi & Yang, Qing, 2022. "How agricultural water use efficiency varies in China—A spatial-temporal analysis considering unexpected outputs," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    19. Song, Jianfeng & Guo, Yanan & Wu, Pute & Sun, SHikun, 2018. "The Agricultural Water Rebound Effect in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 497-506.
    20. Font Vivanco, David & McDowall, Will & Freire-González, Jaume & Kemp, René & van der Voet, Ester, 2016. "The foundations of the environmental rebound effect and its contribution towards a general framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 60-69.
    21. Lin Fang & Fengping Wu & Yantuan Yu & Lin Zhang, 2020. "Irrigation technology and water rebound in China's agricultural sector," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(5), pages 1088-1100, October.
    22. A. Greening, Lorna & Greene, David L. & Difiglio, Carmen, 2000. "Energy efficiency and consumption -- the rebound effect -- a survey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(6-7), pages 389-401, June.
    23. Zhang, Yue-Jun & Liu, Zhao & Qin, Chang-Xiong & Tan, Tai-De, 2017. "The direct and indirect CO2 rebound effect for private cars in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 149-161.
    24. David Font Vivanco & Jaume Freire‐González & Ray Galvin & Tilman Santarius & Hans Jakob Walnum & Tamar Makov & Serenella Sala, 2022. "Rebound effect and sustainability science: A review," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1543-1563, August.
    25. Haoyang Li & Jinhua Zhao, 2018. "Rebound Effects of New Irrigation Technologies: The Role of Water Rights," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(3), pages 786-808.
    26. Jaume Freire-González, 2019. "Does Water Efficiency Reduce Water Consumption? The Economy-Wide Water Rebound Effect," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 33(6), pages 2191-2202, April.
    27. Aurélien Dumont & Beatriz Mayor & Elena López-Gunn, 2013. "Is the rebound effect or Jevons paradox a useful concept for better management of water resources? Insights from the Irrigation Modernisation Process in Spain," Post-Print halshs-00991778, HAL.
    28. Harty D. Saunders, 1992. "The Khazzoom-Brookes Postulate and Neoclassical Growth," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4), pages 131-148.
    29. Jan Eliasson, 2015. "The rising pressure of global water shortages," Nature, Nature, vol. 517(7532), pages 6-6, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. David Font Vivanco & Jaume Freire‐González & Ray Galvin & Tilman Santarius & Hans Jakob Walnum & Tamar Makov & Serenella Sala, 2022. "Rebound effect and sustainability science: A review," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1543-1563, August.
    2. Xu, Hang & Song, Jianfeng, 2022. "Drivers of the irrigation water rebound effect: A case study of Hetao irrigation district in Yellow River basin, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    3. Fei, Rilong & Xie, Mengyuan & Wei, Xin & Ma, Ding, 2021. "Has the water rights system reform restrained the water rebound effect? Empirical analysis from China's agricultural sector," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    4. Chen, Qian & Zha, Donglan & Wang, Lijun & Yang, Guanglei, 2022. "The direct CO2 rebound effect in households: Evidence from China's provinces," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    5. Pronti, A. & Zegarra, E. & Vicario, D. Rey & Graves, A., 2024. "Global exports draining local water resources: Land concentration, food exports and water grabbing in the Ica Valley (Peru)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    6. Song, Jianfeng & Guo, Yanan & Wu, Pute & Sun, SHikun, 2018. "The Agricultural Water Rebound Effect in China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 497-506.
    7. David Font Vivanco & Serenella Sala & Will McDowall, 2018. "Roadmap to Rebound: How to Address Rebound Effects from Resource Efficiency Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    8. Thomas, Brinda A. & Azevedo, Inês L., 2013. "Estimating direct and indirect rebound effects for U.S. households with input–output analysis Part 1: Theoretical framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 199-210.
    9. Figge, Frank & Thorpe, Andrea Stevenson, 2019. "The symbiotic rebound effect in the circular economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 61-69.
    10. Karen Turner, 2013. ""Rebound" Effects from Increased Energy Efficiency: A Time to Pause and Reflect," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 4).
    11. Xie, Yang & Zilberman, David, 2015. "Water Storage Capacities versus Water Use Efficiency: Substitutes or Complements?," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205439, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    12. Wen, Fenghua & Ye, Zhengke & Yang, Huaidong & Li, Ke, 2018. "Exploring the rebound effect from the perspective of household: An analysis of China's provincial level," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 345-356.
    13. Li, Guohao & Niu, Miaomiao & Xiao, Jin & Wu, Jiaqian & Li, Jinkai, 2023. "The rebound effect of decarbonization in China’s power sector under the carbon trading scheme," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    14. Guzzo, D. & Walrave, B. & Videira, N. & Oliveira, I.C. & Pigosso, D.C.A., 2024. "Towards a systemic view on rebound effects: Modelling the feedback loops of rebound mechanisms," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    15. Broberg, Thomas & Berg, Charlotte & Samakovlis, Eva, 2015. "The economy-wide rebound effect from improved energy efficiency in Swedish industries–A general equilibrium analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 26-37.
    16. Blum, Bianca & Hübner, Julian & Müller, Sarah & Neumärker, Karl Justus Bernhard, 2018. "Challenges for sustainable environmental policy: Influencing factors of the rebound effect in energy efficiency improvements," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 02-2018, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    17. Xu, Hang & Yang, Rui, 2022. "Does agricultural water conservation policy necessarily reduce agricultural water extraction? Evidence from China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    18. Copiello, Sergio & Grillenzoni, Carlo, 2017. "Is the cold the only reason why we heat our homes? Empirical evidence from spatial series data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 491-506.
    19. Estrella Trincado & Antonio Sánchez-Bayón & José María Vindel, 2021. "The European Union Green Deal: Clean Energy Wellbeing Opportunities and the Risk of the Jevons Paradox," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-23, July.
    20. Galvin, Ray, 2020. "Who co-opted our energy efficiency gains? A sociology of macro-level rebound effects and US car makers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    agricultural water use; Rebound effect; technological progress; sequential Malmquist index; logit model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bge:wpaper:1415. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Bruno Guallar (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bargses.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.