Multi-Regional Input–Output Analysis of Water–Energy–Food Nexus Consumption and Transfer in the Yangtze River Delta in China

Water, energy, and food (WEF) are intricately linked through economic activities in the Yangtze River Delta, creating increasingly strong interdependencies. Tracking the consumption and transfer of the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus across regions and sectors is essential for the synergetic management of these critical resources. To characterize the WEF nexus from both consumption and production ends, this study develops a quantitative accounting framework based on a multi-regional input–output model. The proposed framework integrates direct WEF nexus consumption with embodied consumption driven by final demand and further investigates transfer patterns induced by intermediate inputs. The results indicate that the nexus-oriented consumption between water, energy, and food exceeds individual resource consumption. In particular, food-related water resource consumption in the Service sector in Jiangsu is 28 times that of individual water consumption. The embodied consumption of WEF accounts for 42%, 31%, and 47% of the total consumption, respectively. In particular, the embodied consumption of the WEF nexus caused by urban household consumption in Shanghai is much higher than that in other regions. Manufacturing is the resource-exporting sector, while Agriculture and Construction are the resource-importing sectors. Shanghai is a major resource-importing city, while Zhejiang is a typical resource-exporting city. The results also suggest that Jiangsu–Shanghai and Jiangsu–Anhui are regions with strong connections of WEF nexus transfer, while Agriculture–Manufacturing, Manufacturing–Construction, and Service–Construction are sectors with strong connections. These results highlight the complex interplay between water, energy, and food across the Yangtze River Delta. Given this, this study recommends enhancing resource regulation capabilities and paying attention to strongly correlated regions or sectors.