China Ecological Footprint Report 2012
Water stress in China Water stress can be defined as the proportion of renewable surface water and underground water that is consumed by households, industry and agriculture in a given country or a region on a year round basis. It is calculated as the ratio of Water Footprint of Production minus the green water component to the annual renewable water resources in the country or region. The degree of water stress experienced in China varies among regions, but the overall situation with regard to China’s water resources is of general concern. Provinces experiencing the most severe water resource
stress (> 100% in 2009) are mainly in the north of the country and are characterized by their large cities and significant agricultural economies. Water stress is also significant in Central China and in the lower reaches of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, and the geographic area experiencing water stress is expanding into more southerly provinces (Figure 1.26). Steps that could help alleviate China’s water resource stress include further industry restructuring, more efficient irrigation techniques such as drip and spray irrigation, and development of a new water strategy.
Figure 1.26 Geographic Distribution of China’s water resource stress (2009) In the north, water resource stress is severe, but the per capita Water Footprint of Consumption is relatively low. In contrast, water resources along the southeast coast are plentiful, water resource stress is low and per capita Water Footprint of Consumption is high. Besides the region’s large population, the role of the agricultural areas of the North in China’s economic development contributes to high water resource stress. Data source: IGSNRR, 2012
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