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Economic Approaches to Sustainable Water Management: Policy, Innovation, and Global Challenges

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 2804

Special Issue Editor

Northwest Institute of Historical Environment and Socio-Economic Development, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
Interests: water footprint; water-energy nexus; ecological footprint

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims at exploring the vital role of economic theory and tools in addressing pressing global water management issues. This issue invites research that examines the intersection of water resources and economic policy, assessing how market-based mechanisms, regulatory interventions, and financial incentives can promote water sustainability. Emphasis will be placed on economic evaluations of water management strategies, the role of water pricing, and the impacts of environmental taxes. The issue also seeks to explore innovative economic models that foster water conservation, enhance efficiency, and mitigate water scarcity challenges. By encouraging interdisciplinary perspectives, this collection aims to provide a comprehensive view of how economic approaches can be leveraged to address the growing global water crisis. Studies addressing the economic dimensions of water management in both developed and developing countries, with a focus on sustainability and resilience, are particularly welcome.

Dr. Lan Mu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • water resource economics
  • sustainable water management
  • market-based mechanisms
  • global water policy
  • water efficiency innovation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 1239 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Water Resources Tax Reform on Corporate ESG Performance: Patent Evidence from China
by Jiachun Wen, Xiang Ji and Xue Wu
Water 2025, 17(7), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17070959 - 25 Mar 2025
Viewed by 237
Abstract
This paper uses a difference-in-differences approach to investigate how China’s water resources tax reform influences corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance. Drawing on a panel dataset of A-share listed companies from 2013 to 2023, we find that the reform significantly improves firms’ [...] Read more.
This paper uses a difference-in-differences approach to investigate how China’s water resources tax reform influences corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance. Drawing on a panel dataset of A-share listed companies from 2013 to 2023, we find that the reform significantly improves firms’ ESG ratings, a result that holds under multiple robustness checks. Mechanism tests reveal that this positive effect operates through enhanced green technological innovation, increased environmental investment, and heightened pressure from capital markets, with media attention further reinforcing these pathways. Heterogeneity analyses indicate that state-owned enterprises and larger firms experience particularly strong ESG improvements following the tax reform. These findings provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of government-led environmental governance policies and offer practical insights for promoting green transformation in the corporate sector. Full article
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15 pages, 401 KiB  
Article
How Can We Improve the Consumer Acceptance Level for Disposers Considering Regional Characteristics?
by Seoyeong Park, Jaena Ryu, Donghyun Lee and Jungwoo Shin
Water 2025, 17(4), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17040493 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 619
Abstract
The volume of food waste is increasing, and research has highlighted the issues related to its disposal methods. Disposers are emerging as a solution for food waste recycling; they are already used in various countries. Only a limited portion of solid waste discharge [...] Read more.
The volume of food waste is increasing, and research has highlighted the issues related to its disposal methods. Disposers are emerging as a solution for food waste recycling; they are already used in various countries. Only a limited portion of solid waste discharge has been permitted depending on the infrastructure capacity. Although additional administrative costs are required to adapt the existing food waste disposal system to include disposers, research on consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for such changes is lacking. Therefore, this study analyzes consumer WTP to increase the capacity of infrastructure. In this study, contingent valuation methods are employed to evaluate WTP, and data are collected based on a one-and-one-half-bounded dichotomous choice model with 1155 residents. In addition, this study considers the relevant knowledge, satisfaction, and expectations of the service. The results show that the average WTP for additional sewage rates is KRW 6860 (USD 5.2). Covariate models show that knowledge of water quality and awareness of the extent of untreated sewage discharge during rainfall in CSOs significantly influence WTP. Additionally, satisfaction with sewage odor, expectations regarding sewerage fees, and concerns about preventing sewer backflow impact WTP. However, satisfaction with the disposer does not significantly affect WTP. Additionally, a regional analysis is conducted to determine the priority of regional infrastructure improvements. In Incheon and Seoul, where the number of complaints was higher than the average, WTP showed a positive influence. The findings of this study have practical implications for policymakers, as they can be used to determine regional policy priorities. Full article
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20 pages, 2009 KiB  
Article
Promoting the Establishment of China’s Rural Domestic Wastewater Standard System Based on the 6S Principle
by Zixin Pan, Yuying Zhao, Di Peng, Carlos Alexandre Lutterbeck, Shikun Cheng, Jingang Chen and Zifu Li
Water 2025, 17(3), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17030313 - 23 Jan 2025
Viewed by 698
Abstract
The standardization of rural domestic wastewater (RDW) management is crucial for mitigating its negative environmental impacts. China has seen a significant increase in RDW emissions over the past decade, paralleled by the development of RDW management standards. This study reviews the development process [...] Read more.
The standardization of rural domestic wastewater (RDW) management is crucial for mitigating its negative environmental impacts. China has seen a significant increase in RDW emissions over the past decade, paralleled by the development of RDW management standards. This study reviews the development process of China’s RDW management standard system, analyzes RDW management practices in terms of standards in the United States, Japan, the European Union, and New Zealand. Considering the current situation and characteristics of China’s RDW treatment industry, this paper proposes a novel 6S principle that includes Specificity (adjusting standards to local conditions), Scientificity (ensuring the feasibility of standard indicators and thresholds), Suitability (developing technical guidelines suitable for different regions), Supervision (implementing monitoring, management, maintenance, and evaluation of RDW treatment facilities), Servitization (promoting reclaimed water reuse and nutrient recovery), and Systemization (establishing a complete RDW standard system). This principle covers the entire life cycle of RDW treatment system and offers targeted suggestions to address the strengths and weakness of the RDW management standard system. China can update and form a comprehensive RDW standard system and then improve the RDW management according to the 6S principle. The present paper has the potential to guide the establishment and improvement of RDW standard system in China and other developing countries. Full article
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15 pages, 526 KiB  
Article
The Impact of the River Chief System on Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China
by Lan Mu, Chuanzhen Zhang and Haoying Liu
Water 2025, 17(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17020265 - 18 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 806
Abstract
This paper takes the implementation of the River Chief System (RCS) as a case study representing government-led environmental governance policies. Based on the sample of 11,654 observations of Chinese A-share-listed companies spanning the years 2009 to 2021, it empirically examines the effect of [...] Read more.
This paper takes the implementation of the River Chief System (RCS) as a case study representing government-led environmental governance policies. Based on the sample of 11,654 observations of Chinese A-share-listed companies spanning the years 2009 to 2021, it empirically examines the effect of the RCS on corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance and the macro- and micro-mechanisms utilizing a staggered Difference-in-Differences (DID) model, controlling for companies’ financial and organizational structure characteristic variables, cities’ economic characteristic variables, and firm-year two-way fixed effects. The results indicate that the implementation of the RCS significantly enhances corporate ESG performance, a conclusion supported by various robustness checks such as the parallel trend test and placebo test. Further investigation reveals that implementing the RCS, at the micro level, boosts corporate green technology innovation, increases environmental protection investment, and, at the macro level, heightens public environmental attention, thus improving corporate ESG performance. Heterogeneity analysis finds that the RCS has a more pronounced impact on enhancing ESG performance for enterprises in central and western regions of China, state-owned enterprises, enterprises with political connections, and enterprises in mature and declining stages. These research findings of this paper provide valuable insights for local governments seeking to enhance the RCS, enrich environmental governance frameworks, and facilitate corporate green transformation. Full article
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