Exploration of Equity Cooperation Concepts in Water Resource Management

This study introduces the concept and methodologies of equity cooperation into the research on the coordinated development of the “water-economy-environment” nexus, and develops a corresponding economic analysis model. The research begins by proposing a theoretical framework for equity cooperation in water resources, exploring foundational theories, conceptual extensions, analogies, and stakeholder interactions. It then introduces the “economic-equity mapping” matrix and its associated model, based on the Input-Output model. An empirical case study is conducted in Hubei Province, China. The findings reveal that between 2010 and 2020, the total input-output increased from 2,218.37 billion to 9,445.80 billion Chinese Yuan (CNY), with an average annual growth rate of 15.6%. Within this period, the total input-output of Water Utilization rose from 7.42 billion to 10.59 billion CNY, while Water Protection increased from 7.53 billion to 19.32 billion CNY. Compared to the initial equity structure, equity in the Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary industries, as well as Water Protection, improved, whereas equity in the Water Supply sector declined. The study recommends increasing environmental investment, particularly led by the Secondary sectors, to achieve regional sustainable development. This research aims to provide a decision-making bases and valuable references for advancing regional sustainable development.