China's Urban Agglomerations Face Water Stress, Research Shows

Strategic Insights -

China's rapid urbanization and industrialization have resulted in significant challenges for water resource management, particularly in urban agglomerations. These regions, which are driving economic growth, are particularly vulnerable to water stress due to the spatial mismatch between water availability and demand. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have studied the impact of domestic trade on alleviating regional water scarcity in China's urban agglomerations.

Key Takeaways:

  • China's urban agglomerations collectively saw a decline in blue water footprint from 394.67 to 380.11 billion m3 during 2012-2017, corresponding to 81.40% and 79.42% of the national total, respectively.
  • Domestic trade plays a progressively important role in redistributing water resources, promoting interregional synergy.
  • However, its regulatory effect is heterogeneous: trade has expanded the extent and intensity of its role in alleviating water scarcity across urban agglomerations, but also significantly exacerbated water scarcity risks in some regions.
  • The driving forces behind water footprint changes have shifted from technological progress to a dual mechanism of structural transformation and demand-side expansion.
  • The research suggests that domestic trade can be a strategic instrument for reallocating water resources and improving sustainable water use in China's urban agglomerations.
  • The study used the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to systematically assess the virtual water flow (VWF) patterns among China's urban agglomerations.
  • A novel indicator, virtual water trade compensation index (VWTCI), was developed to quantify the contribution of trade to water scarcity mitigation.

Statistics:

  • 394.67 billion m3: the blue water footprint of China's urban agglomerations in 2012.
  • 380.11 billion m3: the blue water footprint of China's urban agglomerations in 2017.
  • 81.40% and 79.42%: the percentage decline in blue water footprint of China's urban agglomerations during 2012-2017.
  • 2012-2017: the time period studied by the researchers to assess the impact of domestic trade on water scarcity.
  • 526: the journal issue number where the research was published.

Sources:

  • VerticalNews, October 21, 2025
  • NewsRx LLC
  • Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 526 (2025)
  • Elsevier Sci Ltd
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Journal of Cleaner Production (www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-cleaner-production/)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)