Using the IPAT identity and decoupling analysis to estimate water footprint variations for five major food crops in China from 1978 to 2010

TY - JOUR

T1 - Using the IPAT identity and decoupling analysis to estimate water footprint variations for five major food crops in China from 1978 to 2010

AU - Tian, Yuanhong

AU - Ruth, Matthias

AU - Zhu, Dajian

PY - 2017/12/1

Y1 - 2017/12/1

N2 - Evaluations of water footprint (WF) used to enhance performance of policies on water utilization will benefit from combining WF analysis with methods from sustainability analysis. For this purpose, this paper analyzes the WF of China’s five main food crops, which together account for roughly 33 % of the nation’s water consumption. We assess distributional equity at the provincial scale and use the IPAT identity and a decoupling analysis to assess the scale of both national and provincial WF consumption, the factors influencing the WF fluctuation, and the efficiency of water allocation. Results show that although it is difficult in the short term to end the unsustainable WFs of China’s five main food crops, more efficient allocation can be achieved through appropriate agricultural policy modification. In the long term, distributional equity at the provincial level must be the key factor in achieving sustainable agriculture in China.

AB - Evaluations of water footprint (WF) used to enhance performance of policies on water utilization will benefit from combining WF analysis with methods from sustainability analysis. For this purpose, this paper analyzes the WF of China’s five main food crops, which together account for roughly 33 % of the nation’s water consumption. We assess distributional equity at the provincial scale and use the IPAT identity and a decoupling analysis to assess the scale of both national and provincial WF consumption, the factors influencing the WF fluctuation, and the efficiency of water allocation. Results show that although it is difficult in the short term to end the unsustainable WFs of China’s five main food crops, more efficient allocation can be achieved through appropriate agricultural policy modification. In the long term, distributional equity at the provincial level must be the key factor in achieving sustainable agriculture in China.

KW - Decoupling analysis

KW - Food crops

KW - IPAT equation

KW - Sustainability analysis

KW - Water footprint

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84988710006&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10668-016-9860-1

DO - 10.1007/s10668-016-9860-1

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84988710006

VL - 19

SP - 2355

EP - 2375

JO - Environment, Development and Sustainability

JF - Environment, Development and Sustainability

SN - 1387-585X

IS - 6

ER -