Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Local-scale systems input-output analysis of embodied water for the Beijing economy in 2007

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Earth Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using the most detailed and recent statistics available for Beijing, a local-scale embodiment analysis on water use was conducted, employing a systems input-output analysis that integrates economic systems with natural resources data. Systems analysis for water research at the local scale is a crucial part of a systems oriented water accounting framework. To our knowledge, however, related works have not been thoroughly conducted. In this paper, a set of embodied water intensity inventory data is presented, which is applicable to both intermediate input and final demand. Also, detailed analyses of Beijing’s embodied water use accounting are presented. The embodied water intensity of the Water Production and Supply Industry Sector turns out to be the highest among the 42 sectors. For water embodied in final demand, the total amount is 3.48 km3, of which the water embodied in urban household consumption makes up nearly a half proportion. As a net virtual water importer, Beijing’s water embodied in commodity trade totals 5.84×108 m3. As a result, in addition to improvements in technology and water use efficiency, adjustments in industrial structure and trade policies are also of significant importance to water conservation efforts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allan J A (1993). Fortunately There are Substitutes for Water Otherwise Our Hydropolitical FuturesWould be Impossible. Priorities forWater Resources Allocation and Management. London, UK: ODA

    Google Scholar 

  • Allan J A (1994). Overall Perspectives on Countries and Regions. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Beijing Municipal Government (2011). Beijing 12th Five Year Protectin and Utilization of Water Resource Plan. Beijing: Beijing Municipal Government (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Beijing Municipal Government (2012). Beijing Water Conservation Measures. Beijing: Beijing Municipal Government (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Beijing Water Authority (2007). Beijing Water Resources Bullet (2007). Beijing: Beijing Water Authority (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • BSY (2008). Beijing Statistical Yearbook 2007. Beijing: China Statistical Publishing House (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Casler S, Wilbur S (1984). Energy input-output analysis: a simple guide. Resour Energy, 6(2): 187–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CCSY (2008). China City Statistical Yearbook (2007). Beijing: China Statistical Publishing House (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapagain A K, Hoekstra A Y (2003). Virtual water flows between nations in relation to trade in livestock and livestock products. Value of Water Research Report Series No. 13. Delft, the Netherlands: UNESCO-IHE

    Google Scholar 

  • Chapagain A K, Hoekstra A Y (2007). The water footprint of coffee and tea consumption in the Netherlands. Ecol Econ, 64(1): 109–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapagain A M, Hoekstra A Y (2011). The blue, green and grey water footprint of rice from production and consumption perspectives. Ecol Econ, 70(4): 749–758

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen B, Chen G Q, Hao F H, Yang Z F (2009). The water resources assessment based on resource exergy for the mainstream Yellow River. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 14(1): 331–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G Q, Chen H, Chen Z M, Zhang B, Shao L, Guo S, Zhou S Y, Jiang MM (2011a). Low-carbon building assessment and multi-scale input-output analysis. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 16(1): 583–595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G Q, Chen Z M (2010). Carbon emissions and resources use by Chinese economy 2007: a 135-sector inventory and input-output embodiment. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 15(11): 3647–3732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G Q, Chen Z M (2011a). Greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use by the world economy: ecological input-output modeling. Ecol Modell, 222(14): 2362–2376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G Q, Guo S, Shao L, Li J S, Chen Z M (2013). Three-scale input-output modeling for urban economy: carbon emission by Beijing 2007. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 18(9): 2493–2506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen G Q, Yang Q, Zhao Y H, Wang Z F (2011b). Nonrenewable energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions of a 1.5 MW solar power tower plant in China. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 15(4): 1961–1967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z M, Chen G Q (2011b). Embodied carbon dioxide emission at supra-national scale: a coalition analysis for G7, BRIC, and the rest of the world. Energy Policy, 39(5): 2899–2909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen ZM, Chen G Q (2013). Virtual water accounting for the globalized world economy: national water footprint and international virtual water trade. Ecol Indic, 28: 142–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z M, Chen G Q, Xia X H, Xu S Y (2012). Global network of embodied water flow by systems input-output simulation. Frontiers of Earth Science, 6(3): 331–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Z M, Chen G Q, Zhou J B, Jiang M M, Chen B (2010). Ecological input-output modeling for embodied resources and emissions in Chinese economy 2005. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 15 (7): 1942–1965

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costanza R (1980). Embodied energy and economic valuation. Science, 210(4475): 1219–1224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costanza R, Herendeen R A (1984). Embodied energy and economic value in the United States economy: 1963, 1967, and 1972. Resour Energy, 6(2): 129–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dietzenbacher E, Velázquez E (2007). Analysing Andalusian virtual water trade in an input-output framework. Reg Stud, 41(2): 185–196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong H, Geng Y, Sarkis J, Fujita T, Okadera T, Xue B (2013). Regional water footprint evaluation in China: a case of Liaoning. Sci Total Environ, 442: 215–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duarte R, Sanchez-Choliz J, Bielsa J (2002). Water use in the Spanish economy: an input-output approach. Ecol Econ, 43(1): 71–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feng K, Siu Y L, Guan D, Hubacek K (2012). Assessing regional virtual water flows and water footprints in the Yellow River Basin, China: a consumption based approach. Appl Geogr, 32(2): 691–701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fraiture C, Cai X, Amarasinghe U, Rosegrant M, Molden D (2004). Does inter-national cereal trade save water? The impact of virtual water trade on global water use. Comprehensive Assessment Research Report 4. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute

    Google Scholar 

  • Geng Y, Yi J (2006). Integrated water resource management at the industrial park level: a case of Tianjin Economic Development Area. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 13(1): 37–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan D, Hubacek K (2007). Assessment of regional trade and virtual water flows in China. Ecol Econ, 61(1): 159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guan D, Hubacek K (2008). A new and integrated hydro-economic accounting and analytical framework for water resources: a case study for North China. J Environ Manage, 88(4): 1300–1313

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo S, Chen G Q (2013). Multi-scale input-output analysis for multiple responsibility entities: carbon emission by urban economy in Beijing 2007. Journal of Environmental Accounting and Management, 1(1): 43–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo S, Liu J B, Shao L, Li J S, An Y R (2012a). Energy-dominated local carbon emissions in Beijing 2007: inventory and input-output analysis. ScientificWorldJournal, doi: 10.1100/2012/923183

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo S, Shao L, Chen H, Li Z, Liu J B, Xu F X, Li J S, Han MY, Meng J, Chen Z M, Li S C (2012b). Inventory and input-output analysis of CO2 emissions by fossil fuel consumption in Beijing 2007. Ecol Inform, 12: 93–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han M Y, Chen G Q, Shao L, Li J S, Alsaedi A, Ahmad B, Guo S, Jiang M M, Ji X (2013). Embodied energy consumption of building construction engineering: case study in E-town, Beijing. Energy Build, 64: 62–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han M Y, Shao L, Li J S, Guo S, Meng J, Ahmad B, Hayat T, Alsaadi F, Ji X, Alsaedi A, Chen G Q (2014). Emergy-based hybrid evaluation for commercial construction engineering: a case study in BDA. Ecol Indic, (In press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannon B, Blazeck T, Kennedy D, Illyes R (1983). A comparison of energy intensities: 1963, 1967 and 1972. Resour Energy, 5(1): 83–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra A Y (2012). The hidden water resource use behind meat and dairy. Anim Front, 2(2): 3–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra A Y, Chapagain A K (2006).Water footprints of nations: water use by people as a function of their consumption pattern. Water Resour Manage, 21(1): 35–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra A Y, Chapagain A K, Aldaya M M, Mekonnen M M (2009). Water Footprint Manual State of the Art 2009. Enschede: Water Footprint Network

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra A Y, Hung P Q (2002). Virtual water trade: a quantification of virtual water flows between nations in relation to international crop trade. Value of Water Research Report Series No. 11. Delft: UNESCO-IHE

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra A Y, Hung P Q (2005). Globalisation of water resources: international virtual water flows in relation to crop trade. Global Environmental Change-Human and Policy Dimensions, 15(1): 45–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoekstra A Y, Mekonnen M M (2012). The water footprint of humanity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 109(9): 3232–3237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hubacek K, Guan D, Barrett J, Wiedmann T (2009). Environmental implications of urbanization and lifestyle change in China: ecological and water footprints. J Clean Prod, 17(14): 1241–1248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ji X, Chen Z M, Li J K (2014). Embodied energy consumption and carbon emissions evaluation for urban industrial structure optimization. Front Earth Sci, 8(1): 32–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim H S (2003). Sustainable Development and the South-to-North Water Transfer Project in China. New Britain: Central Connecticut State University

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambooy T (2011). Corporate social responsibility: sustainable water use. J Clean Prod, 19(8): 852–866

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenzen M (2009). Understanding virtual water flows: a multiregion input-output case study of Victoria. Water Resour Manage, 45: W09416

    Google Scholar 

  • Lenzen M, Foran B (2001). An input-output analysis of Australian water usage. Water Policy, 3(4): 321–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li J S, Chen G Q (2013). Energy and greenhouse gas emissions review for Macao. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 22: 23–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li J S, Chen G Q, Lai T M, Ahmad B, Chen Z M, Shao L, Ji X (2013). Embodied greenhouse gas emission by Macao. Energy Policy, 59: 819–833

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Development and Reform Commission (2005). China water-saving technology policy outline. China: National Development and Reform Commission (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum H T (1971). Environment, Power, and Society. New York: Wiley-Interscience

    Google Scholar 

  • Odum H T (1983). Systems Ecology: An Introduction. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, 644

    Google Scholar 

  • Oki T, Kanae S (2004). Virtual water trade and world water resources. Water Sci Technol, 49(7): 203–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Rulli M C, Saviori A, D’Odorico P (2013). Global land and water grabbing. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 110(3): 892–897

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shao L, Chen G Q (2013). Water footprint assessment for wastewater treatment: method, indicator, and application. Environ Sci Technol, 47(14): 7787–7794

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shao L, Chen G Q, Chen Z M, Guo S, Han M Y, Zhang B, Hayat T, Alsaedi A, Ahmad B, Tang H S (2014). Systems accounting for energy consumption and carbon emission by building. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 19(6): 1859–1873

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shao L, Wu Z, Zeng L, Chen ZM, Zhou Y, Chen G Q (2013). Embodied energy assessment for ecological wastewater treatment by a constructed wetland. Ecol Modell, 252: 63–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Velázquez E (2006). An input-output model of water consumption: analysing intersectoral water relationships in Andalusia. Ecol Econ, 56(2): 226–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Wang H R (2005). Sustainable use of water resources in agriculture in Beijing: problems and countermeasures. Water Policy, 7: 345–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Xiao H L, Lu MF (2009). Analysis of water consumption using a regional input-output model: model development and application to Zhangye City, northwestern China. J Arid Environ, 73(10): 894–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Huang K, Yang S, Yu Y (2013). An input-output approach to evaluate the water footprint and virtual water trade of Beijing, China. J Clean Prod, 42: 172–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wen K, Zhu E (2012). Beijing Tianjin Hebei Regional Integration Development Report (2012). Beijing: Social, Sciences Academic Press, 472 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang H, Reichert P, Abbaspour K C, Zehnder A J B (2003). A water resources threshold and its implications for food security. Environ Sci Technol, 37(14): 3048–3054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang H, Wang L, Abbaspour K C, Zehnder A J B (2006). Virtual water trade: an assessment of water use efficiency in the international food trade. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci, 10(3): 443–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Chen G Q (2013). Greenhouse gas emissions of corn-ethanol production in China. Ecol Modell, 252: 176–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Chen G Q, Zhao Y H, Chen B, Li Z, Zhang B, Chen Z M, Chen H (2011). Energy cost and greenhouse gas emissions of a Chinese wind farm. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 5: 25–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Q, Guo S, Yuan W H, Chen Y Q, Wang X H, Wu T H, Alsaedi A, Hayat T (2013). Energy-dominated carbon metabolism: a case study of Hubei province, China. Ecol Inform, (In press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu Y, Hubacek K, Feng K, Guan D (2010). Assessing regional and global water footprints for the UK. Ecol Econ, 69(5): 1140–1147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Yang Z, Fath B D (2010). Ecological network analysis of an urban water metabolic system: model development, and a case study for Beijing. Sci Total Environ, 408(20): 4702–4711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z Y, Shi M J, Yang H (2012). Understanding Beijing’s water challenge: a decomposition analysis of changes in Beijing’s water footprint between 1997 and 2007. Environ Sci Technol, 46(22): 12373–12380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z Y, Shi M J, Yang H, Chapagain A (2011a). An input-output analysis of trends in virtual water trade and the impact on water resources and uses in China. Econ Syst Res, 23(4): 431–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z Y, Yang H, Shi M J (2011b). Analyses of water footprint of Beijing in an interregional input-output framework. Ecol Econ, 70 (12): 2494–2502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Z Y, Yang H, Shi M J, Zehnder A J B, Abbaspour K C (2011c). Analyses of impact of China’s international trade on its water resources and uses. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci, 8(2): 3543–3570

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao X, Chen B, Yang Z F (2009). National water footprint in an input-output framework — A case study of China 2002. Ecol Modell, 220 (2): 245–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao X, Yang H, Yang Z, Chen B, Qin Y (2010). Applying the input-output method to account for water footprint and virtual water trade in the Haihe River basin in China. Environ Sci Technol, 44(23): 9150–9156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou S Y, Chen H, Li S C (2010). Resources use and greenhouse gas emissions in urban economy: ecological input-output modeling for Beijing 2002. Commun Nonlinear Sci Numer Simul, 15(10): 3201–3231

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Mengyao Han & Jiashuo Li

  2. Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 999077, China

    Shan Guo

  3. Guangdong Huianhengda Management Consulting Co. Ltd, Guangzhou, 510080, China

    Hui Chen

  4. School of Economics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China

    Xi Ji

Authors
  1. Mengyao Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shan Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hui Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xi Ji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jiashuo Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xi Ji or Jiashuo Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Han, M., Guo, S., Chen, H. et al. Local-scale systems input-output analysis of embodied water for the Beijing economy in 2007. Front. Earth Sci. 8, 414–426 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-014-0430-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-014-0430-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation