Ecological Compensation Scheme for Greywater Footprint Transfer in the Yangtze River Economic Belt Under the Perspective of Environmental Equity

Based on China’s multi-region input–output tables from 2012 and 2017, we measured the greywater footprint and the value-added totals implied by trade within the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Additionally, we constructed an environmental inequity index to analyze the environmental inequity resulting from shifts in the greywater footprint. Finally, we designed and compared two sets of eco-compensation schemes based on the direct and opportunity costs of water resources. The results indicate that: (1) economically developed regions with strong consumption capacities, such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, are the primary importers of greywater footprints, whereas the opposite is true for exporters, with most of these regions having a higher GDP (Gross Domestic Product) share from agriculture; (2) a trade phenomenon exists where developed regions leverage their high-value-added industries to exploit underdeveloped regions, exacerbating regional imbalances and hindering the overall coordinated and high-quality development of the region; (3) the direct cost option is less effective than the opportunity cost option in promoting overall regional environmental equity, as the direct cost option fails to account for indirect costs, making the opportunity cost option more advantageous for fostering coordinated regional development.