Coupling coordination and spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of the water-energy-food-land (WEFL) nexus in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 30; no. 12; pp. 34978 - 34995
• Main Authors: Jing, Peiran, Hu, Tiesong, Sheng, Jinbao, Mahmoud, Ali, Liu, Yong, Yang, Dewei, Guo, Lidan, Li, Mingxian, Wu, Yueting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-03-2023
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; China; Cities; Conservation of Natural Resources; Earth and Environmental Science; Economic Development; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Research Article; Rivers; Sustainable Development; Waste Water Technology; Water; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; China; Yangtze River Economic Belt; Water-energy-food-land nexus; Spatiotemporal dynamic evolution; Coupling coordination relationship; Obstacle factors; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 1614-7499; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24659-1

The interrelationship between regional water, energy, food, and land systems is extremely complex. Hence, accurately assessing the coupling coordination relationship and identifying the influential factors of the water-energy-food-land nexus (WEFL nexus) are of utmost importance. This study proposes a novel analytical framework and evaluation index system for exploring interactions across the WEFL nexus. The comprehensive benefit evaluation index (CBEI), coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, and obstacle factor diagnosis model are integrated to assess and analyze the coupling coordination relationship and spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of the WEFL nexus in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2006 to 2020. The results indicated that (1) the CBEI and CCD generally increased from 0.23 to 0.79 and 0.45 to 0.88, respectively, revealing the upward trend of the coordination development levels of the WEFL nexus in the YREB. (2) The lower reaches achieved a relatively higher coordination development degree than the upper and middle reaches of the YREB. (3) The findings of obstacle factors reveal that agricultural non-point source pollution control, waterlogging disaster prevention, industrial solid waste efficient treatment, and urban water-saving are the essential fields that need to be improved in YREB’s future development. This study helps to understand the complex interrelation of the WEFL nexus at different spatial–temporal scales and provides a novel framework that can be used as an evaluation system and policy insights for a region’s integrated resources, environmental management, and green sustainable development.