Research on the Nexus and Difference of Water-Carbon Footprint of Residents’ Dietary Consumption in Typical Countries

Abstract:

Among the 17 goals of sustainable development proposed by the United Nations, the resolution of food and resource shortages and other issues have been formally put on the agenda. The responsible dietary consumption of residents is also closely related to the goal. In order to quantify the carbon and water footprints related to national industrial water withdrawal and residents' diets and their differences, the article constructed a multi-regional input-output model at the global scale in 2014 based on the GTAP10 database, and matched the corresponding water withdrawal and carbon emissions. The conclusion points out (1) The total dietary water footprint of residents in China, the United States, India and Japan has reached 43.4% of the total. East Asia and South Asia are the areas with the most water footprints for residents' dietary consumption; countries such as Japan, the United States, South Korea, and India have higher per capita dietary water footprints, and Japan has the highest per capita dietary water footprint, reaching 488 cubic meters per year. Processed rice and processed food are the main reasons for the higher per capita dietary water footprint. (2) The overall dietary carbon footprint of residents in China, India and the United States is relatively high, accounting for 31% of the total. The per capita dietary carbon footprint of Americans is the highest, at 75 kilograms. The overall per capita dietary carbon footprint of European and American countries is relatively high. The consumption of meat and processed products by residents of these countries is the main reason for the higher per capita carbon footprint. (3) From the perspective of nexus, the overall dietary carbon-water footprints of residents in China, the United States and India are relatively high, the per capita dietary carbon and water footprint of the United States and Japan are both at the forefront. Processed foods (such as bread, pastries, etc.) are the key nexus sectors which lead to higher carbon and water footprints of residents’ diets. These countries and departments need to take on the important responsibility of achieving the coordinated realization of carbon reduction and water saving, which should attract enough attention to provide reference for solving the problem of resource shortage caused by residents' diet.