Can interbasin water transfer affect water consumption and pollution? Lessons from China's South–North water transfer project

Abstract

Interbasin water transfer has become a means by which countries around the world solve the problem of water shortage. Moreover, interbasin water transfers may also stimulate stronger controls over water pollution control in water-receiving areas. However, most existing literature fails to examine the impacts of interbasin water transfers on water consumption and pollution from the perspective of the complex entanglement between human activities and environmental change. In order to respond to this research gap, this study establishes an improved human–environment model that considers the impacts of interbasin water transfer, and uses data about China's South–North Water Transfer Project to e..