The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin

Study region: Yellow River Nine Provinces (China) Study focus: This study analyzes water consumption drivers in agriculture, industry, and domestic sectors using the LMDI method. It explores the relationship between water use and economic development via the decoupling model to identify key influenc...

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Main Authors: Shengqi Jian, Xiang Cheng, Tianzi Wang, Shentang Dou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825001636
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author Shengqi Jian
Xiang Cheng
Tianzi Wang
Shentang Dou
author_facet Shengqi Jian
Xiang Cheng
Tianzi Wang
Shentang Dou
author_sort Shengqi Jian
collection DOAJ
description Study region: Yellow River Nine Provinces (China) Study focus: This study analyzes water consumption drivers in agriculture, industry, and domestic sectors using the LMDI method. It explores the relationship between water use and economic development via the decoupling model to identify key influencing factors and regional disparities. New hydrological insights for the region: The Water use intensity and economic growth had opposite effects, potentially leading to the Jevons paradox. Agricultural water-saving potential was high, with reductions in water use intensity contributing significantly in Inner Mongolia (-15.053), Shandong (-14.496), and Henan (-10.124). Industrial structure adjustments had a stronger negative impact on water use in developed provinces like Shandong (-0.425). In the domestic sector, rural consumption level played a significant role in increasing water use, with strong positive effects in Sichuan (3.754) and Henan (3.698). Urban per capita consumption showed the weakest decoupling from water use, particularly in Shandong and Henan. Strengthening agricultural water conservation, upgrading industrial structures, educating rural residents, and guiding urban water-saving habits can improve water sustainability in the Yellow River Basin.
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issn 2214-5818
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
spelling doaj-art-82aca44ccaca45c2b5328e99ad1cc3ed2025-08-20T01:55:31ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182025-06-015910233810.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102338The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River BasinShengqi Jian0Xiang Cheng1Tianzi Wang2Shentang Dou3College of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaCollege of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaKey Laboratory of Yellow River Channel and Estuary Regulation of the Ministry of Water Resources, Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Zhengzhou 450003, China; Yellow River Laboratory, Zhengzhou 450003, China; Corresponding author at: Key Laboratory of Yellow River Channel and Estuary Regulation of the Ministry of Water Resources, Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research, Zhengzhou 450003, China.Study region: Yellow River Nine Provinces (China) Study focus: This study analyzes water consumption drivers in agriculture, industry, and domestic sectors using the LMDI method. It explores the relationship between water use and economic development via the decoupling model to identify key influencing factors and regional disparities. New hydrological insights for the region: The Water use intensity and economic growth had opposite effects, potentially leading to the Jevons paradox. Agricultural water-saving potential was high, with reductions in water use intensity contributing significantly in Inner Mongolia (-15.053), Shandong (-14.496), and Henan (-10.124). Industrial structure adjustments had a stronger negative impact on water use in developed provinces like Shandong (-0.425). In the domestic sector, rural consumption level played a significant role in increasing water use, with strong positive effects in Sichuan (3.754) and Henan (3.698). Urban per capita consumption showed the weakest decoupling from water use, particularly in Shandong and Henan. Strengthening agricultural water conservation, upgrading industrial structures, educating rural residents, and guiding urban water-saving habits can improve water sustainability in the Yellow River Basin.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825001636LMDIDecouplingYellow River Nine Provinces (China)Water use sectors
spellingShingle Shengqi Jian
Xiang Cheng
Tianzi Wang
Shentang Dou
The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin
Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
LMDI
Decoupling
Yellow River Nine Provinces (China)
Water use sectors
title The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin
title_full The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin
title_fullStr The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin
title_full_unstemmed The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin
title_short The driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development—A multi-sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the Yellow River Basin
title_sort driving factors of water use and its decoupling relationship with economic development a multi sectoral perspective in the nine provinces of the yellow river basin
topic LMDI
Decoupling
Yellow River Nine Provinces (China)
Water use sectors
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825001636
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