The spatial-temporal disparities of water footprints intensity based on Gini coefficient and Theil index in China
基于基尼系数和锡尔指数的中国水足迹强度时空差异变化格局

Water footprint can measure the real water resources consumption of the human being, and its intensity reflects the water utilization efficiency. Based on the calculated water footprint in different regions of China from 1997 to 2007, this paper analyzed the spatial distribution variations in the past 11 years using Gini coefficient and Theil index. The results show that water footprint intensity has declined on the whole in China which means the water utilization efficiency has improved, in spite of regional imbalance, the general regional difference of water footprint intensity has experienced a course of successive increase first and decrease next. The spatial development tends to polarize from 1997 to 2002 and be similar in the next few years, and the difference between the south and north reduced. The south concerning the share of contribution to water footprint intensity in regional differences is larger than that of the north, and the east share is lager than that of the west. The main factors causing the spatial distribution variations are the regional development strategy, the level of economic development and the degree of market development. In addition, it has been found that polarization in regional differences of water pollution footprint intensity is very serious in China, which reveals the fact that, with the economic development, the water pollution problems in some areas are very serious. At last, some corresponding suggestions responding to identified problems were put forward in order to coordinate the relations between economy development and water resources utilization in China.