China’s carbon neutrality policy facilitates halving industrial water withdrawal

Abstract

China concurrently confronts acute water resource challenges and substantial carbon emissions, with its industrial sector being a significant freshwater consumer and a primary carbon emitter. China has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, yet the exact impact of this goal on industrial water withdrawal (IWW) remains unclear. Here, we project IWW in China considering both scenarios with and without the carbon neutrality target, based on industry-specific water quota standards and projections of industrial product output. Our findings indicate a 53.76% (51.41 km³) reduction of IWW by 2060 under a carbon neutrality scenario, compared to business-as-usual, with the IWW peak advancing from 2035 to 2025. The thermal power industry holds the largest water withdrawal reduction, accounting for 75.74% (38.94 km³) of the total reduction. Additionally, both the East coastal region and the Middle Yangtze River region could reduce 62.08% (31.96 km³) of IWW under the CN scenario, with Jiangsu province emerging as a significant contributor. This study provides a reliable basis for evaluating the potential for future water withdrawal reduction within the industrial sector and suggests that achieving the carbon neutrality target could offer a promising direction for alleviating China's water scarcity challenges.