By Chen Jianpeng & Huang Guorui, Research Team on “The Benchmark for Judging the Turning Point of China’s Environment and the Adjustment of Regulations on the Environment,” Research Institute of Resources and Environmental Policies, DRC

Research Report, Special Issue, No.115, 2019 (Total1743) 2019-11-25

Abstract: Based on an integrated analysis and international comparisons, the paper analyzes the changing performance of water consumption relating respectively to agriculture, industry, domestic life and ecological conservation as well as the aggregate water consumption. The agricultural and industrial water consumption has turned stable and declined slightly since 2013 and 2011 respectively, while that for domestic and ecological use has increased. The country’s total water consumption is expected to reach its peak by 2025-2030, standing at 650-700 billion cubic meters per year. Its per capita water consumption is lower than the average level of the OECD member countries and close to that of developed countries such as France and Germany. In terms of water consumption efficiency, China’s water consumption for per unit of GDP still falls short of developed countries measured in dollar-denominated price, whereas the gap can be narrowed in terms of purchasing power parity. Meanwhile, China still has much room for improvement in raising the efficiency of water use for agricultural irrigation and industrial production. Compared with the developed countries and in light of China’s economic growth measured by per capita GDP, its industrial and agricultural water consumption has already reached the peak ahead of schedule.

Key words: water consumption, international comparisons, peak volume, integrated analysis, mid-to-long term