Identifying sectoral energy-carbon-water nexus characteristics of China

Energy, CO₂ emissions and water (ECW) are fundamentally linked, holistic and in-depth understanding of sectoral ECW nexus is essential to achieve socioeconomic sustainability. This study employs environmental input–output (EIO) model to calculate the sectoral embodied ECW from 2002 to 2015 and adopts four indicators, i.e., sectoral embodied ECW, the proportion of direct ECW in embodied ECW and their changes to explore sectoral ECW nexus characteristics of China. Power (EGW) and transport (TRS) are key ECW nexus sectors in China with much larger embodied ECW and direct ECW. Sectors agriculture (AGR), mining (MIN), and construction (CON) show great changes in their ECW nexus characteristics between 2002 and 2015. Sector AGR is gradually becoming ECW-intensive because agricultural modernization with the large-scale adoption of modern water-saving irrigation technologies leads to rapid increase in its energy and water use. Differentiated ECW-related mitigation measures among sectors should be implemented through identifying their different ECW nexus characteristics, as well as considering the synergies and co-benefits of ECW-related policies.