Chapter 5
Reality and Challenges of China’s Water
Resources Management in the Context
of Climate Change
Wenjia Cai, Haoran Li, Mingyu Lei, Xueqin Cui, Fu Sun, and Can Wang
Abstract Water is a fundamental and essential resource for sustainable and healthy
development of natural environment and human society. China boasts considerable
water resources but is below world average on a per capita basis, and is challenged by the disparity in temporal and geographical distribution and poor utilization of water resources, severe water pollution, etc. As water is closely associated
with climate change, change in water resources amid climate change in the future
might affect China’s water security. Based on the reality and challenges of China’s
water resources, this chapter shall discuss the evolution of China’s water management system and the current water demand, as well as the trend in future. Next, a
study of water resources risk and its temporal and spatial distribution in China’s
power industry are introduced, concluding with policy recommendations for China
to address the challenges.
Keywords Water resource · Water demand · Distribution · Water management
5.1 Reality and Challenges of China’s Water Resources
5.1.1 Reality of China’s Water Resources
According to World Meteorological Organization and UNESCO, water resource is
defined as water that is suitable for use or of potential use to humans. For China,
usable water resources mainly include river runoffs and underground water, most of
the former coming from precipitation. Based on annual bulletin on water resources
W. Cai (B) · H. Li · M. Lei · X. Cui
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, and Department of Earth
System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: wcai@tsinghua.edu.cn
F. Sun · C. Wang
School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable
Development, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua
University, China’s Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development: 2020,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6100-3_5
161
Reality and Challenges of China’s Water
Resources Management in the Context
of Climate Change
Wenjia Cai, Haoran Li, Mingyu Lei, Xueqin Cui, Fu Sun, and Can Wang
Abstract Water is a fundamental and essential resource for sustainable and healthy
development of natural environment and human society. China boasts considerable
water resources but is below world average on a per capita basis, and is challenged by the disparity in temporal and geographical distribution and poor utilization of water resources, severe water pollution, etc. As water is closely associated
with climate change, change in water resources amid climate change in the future
might affect China’s water security. Based on the reality and challenges of China’s
water resources, this chapter shall discuss the evolution of China’s water management system and the current water demand, as well as the trend in future. Next, a
study of water resources risk and its temporal and spatial distribution in China’s
power industry are introduced, concluding with policy recommendations for China
to address the challenges.
Keywords Water resource · Water demand · Distribution · Water management
5.1 Reality and Challenges of China’s Water Resources
5.1.1 Reality of China’s Water Resources
According to World Meteorological Organization and UNESCO, water resource is
defined as water that is suitable for use or of potential use to humans. For China,
usable water resources mainly include river runoffs and underground water, most of
the former coming from precipitation. Based on annual bulletin on water resources
W. Cai (B) · H. Li · M. Lei · X. Cui
Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Earth System Modeling, and Department of Earth
System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: wcai@tsinghua.edu.cn
F. Sun · C. Wang
School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Tsinghua-Rio Tinto Joint Research Centre for Resources, Energy and Sustainable
Development, Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua
University, China’s Resources, Energy and Sustainable Development: 2020,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6100-3_5
161