Fuzzy synthetic evaluation of treated wastewater reuse for agriculture

Reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) for agriculture is in practice in many countries. TWW reuse requires wastewater collection, treatment and recycling, which is associated with cost as well as risk to human and ecological systems. In contrast, it can increase agricultural production and reduce environmental risks by reducing wastewater discharge into the natural environment. In Saudi Arabia, where available water resources are extremely limited, TWW reuse can save significant amount of non-renewable groundwater used in agricultural development, which is a strategic goal for the country. In this paper, a multicriteria decision-making approach was developed where cost, risk, benefits and social acceptance of TWW reuse were considered to be the main criteria. A multistage hierarchy risk management model was constructed for this evaluation. Fuzzy synthetic evaluation technique was incorporated where fuzzy triangular membership functions were developed to capture uncertainties of the basic criteria. The analytic hierarchy process was used to determine the relative importance of various criteria at different hierarchy levels. This study indicated that TWW reuse could have positive impact on agriculture, risk reduction and groundwater conservation.     

A quantitative water resource planning and management model for an industrial park level

This paper introduces an integrated water management model at the industrial park level. It suggests four approaches to water management: first, direct water reuse among users; second, water reuse among users by blending with freshwater; third, water reuse between users and a wastewater treatment plant; and fourth, groundwater recharge by reclaimed wastewater or other feasible applications in order to optimize the overall water efficiency. The model results in a comprehensive management methodology for optimizing water resources within an industrial park, seeking potential water reuse among industries, and incorporating the size and cost of reclaimed wastewater delivery systems. A case study is employed to test the model’s feasibility. An economic analysis of the optimized water use network is also carried out, showing the potential water and cost savings.     

LUCC及气候变化对李仙江流域径流的影响

为揭示李仙江流域LUCC和气候变化对径流变化的影响，基于SWAT模型，通过设置不同情景，定量分析了不同土地利用类型和气候要素对流域内径流的影响，并结合RCP4.5、RCP8.5两种气候情景对流域未来径流的变化进行了预估。结果显示：(1) SWAT模型在李仙江流域径流模拟中具有很好的适用性，可以用SWAT模型进行流域的径流模拟，率定期的模型参数R2、Ens分别达到0.74、0.73，验证期的模型参数R2、Ens分别达到0.63、0.63；(2) 单一土地利用情景显示，将农业用地转化为林地或草地，均会导致流域径流量的减少，而将林地转化为草地则会引起流域径流量的增加，农业用地、林地、草地三者对径流增加贡献顺序为农业用地＞草地＞林地。(3) 2006~2015年间李仙江流域的LUCC引起的月均径流增加幅度小于气候变化引起的月均径流减少幅度，李仙江径流的变化由气候变化主导。(4) 在RCP4.5和RCP8.5两种气候情景下，2021~2050年间李仙江流域径流均呈减少趋势，减少的速率分别为3.6和2.15亿m³/10 a，这与1971~2015年间，流域实测径流减速为6.7亿m³/10 a的变化趋势一致，但这两种情景下，径流的减少趋势有所降低，分别为1971~2015年减速的53.7%、32.1%。     

Potential for the desalination of a brackish groundwater aquifer under a background of rising sea level via salt intrusion prevention river gates in the coastal area of the Red River Delta,Vietnam

Additional freshwater sources are required in many parts of the world, including the coastal areas of the Red River Delta (RRD), where the groundwater (GW) is generally brackish. Determining a feasible method for desalinating brackish aquifers would help provide additional freshwater sources. However, substantial desalination of brackish aquifers cannot be achieved under the natural conditions of GW flow and precipitation recharge. Although rainfall recharge to the shallow Holocene aquifer has occurred for hundreds of years, the aquifer still remains brackish since the natural hydraulic conditions do not allow a complete mixing between the fresh recharged water and aquifer salinized water or the discharging of the aquifer salinized water. The planned salt intrusion prevention gates in the Red River, Tra Ly River and Hoa River in the RRD coastal area, combined with increased GW abstraction and associated aquifer recharge with fresh river water, could result in the gradual desalination of the shallow Holocene aquifer. These effects would help improve the area’s resilience to freshwater shortages and sea level rises and would allow for the creation of a long-term sustainable water resource development plan to manage the salinization of water resources caused by sea level rises. Finite element (FE) modeling of GW flow, solute transport via GW flow and dynamic programming (DP) have been used to study the potential desalination of brackish aquifers, the magnitude of GW abstraction quantities and the spatial and temporal aspects of desalination. FE modeling of GW flow coupled with DP was utilized to identify the magnitude of sustainable abstraction quantities and the GW flow field, which is required in salt transport models. Multiple sizes of elements and time steps were used to adapt to the unsteady state of GW flow and hydraulic head variables between the elements in the FE meshes in order to ensure reasonable accuracy of numerical modeling. The GW flow and salt transport modeling and DP allowed determining quasi-steady-state GW abstraction rates and aquifer salinity levels for conditions that did and did not include the shallow Holocene unconfined aquifer recharge from rainfall. The aquifer modeled domain which is supposed to serve the pumping well field is 1.5 km². The results showed that the Holocene aquifer may provide a stable abstraction rate of 100 m³/day starting in the 6th year (for the worst-case scenario with zero aquifer recharge from rainfall) to 130 m³/day starting in the 3rd year (for the scenario with aquifer recharge equal to 3% of the rainfall levels). During the first years of GW abstraction, the desalination of the brackish upper Holocene aquifer will mainly occur in the area close to the river, and at the 18th year of abstraction, almost the entire area between the river and line of pumping wells would be desalinized. From the 10th year of abstraction, the abstracted water has a total dissolved solids content lower than 0.5 g/l for the worst-case scenario with zero aquifer recharge from rainfall and lower than 0.42 g/l for the scenario with aquifer recharge equal to 3% of the rainfall. The modeling results indicate the simulated process by which abstraction of groundwater adjacent to the Tra Ly River could desalinize the brackish aquifer via freshwater recharge from the river.     

Productivity of rainfed wheat as affected by climate change scenario in northeastern Punjab, India

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is grown as a rainfed crop in the sub-mountainous region of the Punjab state of India, with low crop and water productivity. The present study aims to assess the effect of climate change scenario (A1B) derived from PRECIS—a regional climate model—on wheat yield and water productivity. After minimizing bias in the model climate data for mid-century (2021–2050), evapotranspiration (ET) and yield of wheat crop were simulated using Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer, version 4.5, model. In the changed climate, increased temperature would cause reduction in wheat yield to the extent of 4, 32 and 61 % in the mid-century periods between 2021–2030, 2031–2040 and 2041–2050, respectively, by increasing water stress and decreasing utilization efficiency of photosynthetically active radiation. The decreases in crop water productivity would be 40, 56 and 76 %, respectively, which are caused by decreased yield and increased ET. Planting of wheat up to November 25 till the years 2030–2031 seems to be helpful to mitigate the climate change effect, but not beyond that.     

The closed-loop cycle for industrial wastewater: The future pollution solution

The paper discusses the trend in all the U.S. industries toward increased water recycling and reuse. Also presented are the water use demands by various industries, and the water use by functions. Data are given on industrial water quality in use for various functions among selected high water using industries. Presented is an over-all system designed for a closed-loop cycle for industrial wastewater. This will be practical for industry to implement by 1985 or soon thereafter if the required technology is properly developed. Research and development needs to achieve this closed-loop system are identified. Rather than a discussion of economics with typical costs based on amount of water treated or on the specific processes employed, the paper presents data on the total cost of removal of controlling factors from a hypothetical wastewater.Future demands and restrictions on industrial wastewater are stated and ten references are cited.     

Evaluation and application of blast furnace slag as a mud cake modifier

The aim of this research was to reuse blast furnace slag (BFS) as a mud cake modifier (MCM) to improve the annular isolation quality in oil and gas wells. For the optimum formula of drilling fluid, the effects of MCM on the drilling fluid rheology were investigated. The relationship between the MCM addition and shear strength at cement–formation interface (SSCFI) was evaluated. The experimental results showed that the optimized formula of the drilling fluid has 1.0 wt% MCM and 0.5 wt% XY-27. The simulation results showed that SSCFI increased significantly with the addition of MCM. Based on the mechanism analysis of BFS as an MCM to improve SSCFI, it is found that the transformation of mud cake to agglomerated cake can be the main reason. The application results showed that the success rate of five wells reached 100%, and the rate of quality in cement was 100%. Especially, the average high quality rate of five wells reached 83.7%. Compared with conventional methods, the average high quality rate is increased by 32.6% points. This research provides a new way for sustainable utilization of BFS.     

气候变化对涟水流域蓝水绿水资源的影响

利用SWAT分布式水文模型模拟分析1996~2015年过去20 a及2020~2079年未来60 a长期气候变化背景下涟水流域蓝水绿水资源的时空分布变化特征。将气候变化划分为1996~2015年、2020~2049年、2050~2079年三段气象背景时期,选用Had GEM2-AO大气模式的RCP2.6、RCP4.5、RCP6、RCP8.5四种典型浓度路径作为未来时期的气象输入条件,并细分为9种气候变化情景。运用PSO粒子群优化算法,以KGE克林效率系数为目标函数,采用湘乡站实测径流量及MOD16蒸散发数据并行校准模型参数,通过p-factor、r-factor、R2、NSE和PBIAS评价模型模拟效果和不确定性,评价结果表明校准期及验证期蓝水绿水模拟均达到可信程度。情景分析结果表明,对比1996~2015年、2020~2049年、2050~2079年三段气候背景时期,在各RCP浓度路径下蓝水均呈现了不同程度的下降趋势,大约降低了1.4%~17.3%,绿水流均表现出一定的上升趋势,约增长3.5%~12.4%,绿水蓄量则在持续降低,大致下降了7.8%~19.7%,即使将95PPU模拟不确定性范围考虑进来,绿水流的增长趋势也较为明显。因此,将绿水资源纳入涟水流域未来水资源评价体系,实现蓝水绿水综合规划管理具有实际意义。     

Estimating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the greenhouse gas balance of soils in Wales under current and future climate

The Welsh Government is committed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural systems and combat the effects of future climate change. In this study, the ECOSSE model was applied spatially to estimate GHG and soil organic carbon (SOC) fluxes from three major land uses (grass, arable and forest) in Wales. The aims of the simulations were: (1) to estimate the annual net GHG balance for Wales; (2) to investigate the efficiency of the reduced nitrogen (N) fertilizer goal of the sustainable land management scheme (Glastir), through which the Welsh Government offers financial support to farmers and land managers on GHG flux reduction; and (3) to investigate the effects of future climate change on the emissions of GHG and plant net primary production (NPP). Three climate scenarios were studied: baseline (1961–1990) and low and high emission climate scenarios (2015–2050). Results reveal that grassland and cropland are the major nitrous oxide (N₂O) emitters and consequently emit more GHG to the atmosphere than forests. The overall average simulated annual net GHG balance for Wales under baseline climate (1961–1990) is equivalent to 0.2 t CO₂e ha^?1 y^?1 which gives an estimate of total annual net flux for Wales of 0.34 Mt CO₂e y^?1. Reducing N fertilizer by 20 and 40 % could reduce annual net GHG fluxes by 7 and 25 %, respectively. If the current N fertilizer application rate continues, predicted climate change by the year 2050 would not significantly affect GHG emissions or NPP from soils in Wales.     

Recording the occurrence of trophic level changes in the lagoon of Venice over the '90s

Four areas of the Venice lagoon, placed near the Malamocco mouth (Alberoni, st. A), in the Lido watershed (Sacca Sessola, st. B) and near the mainland under the influence of freshwater and urban (San Giuliano, st. C) or industrial (Fusina, st. D) effluents were monitored in two periods: 1989-92 and 1998-99 in order to quantify some environmental changes (macroalgal and phytoplankton biomass, nutrient concentrations, physico-chemical variables) occurred in both the water column and the surface sediment over the '90s. Stations B and C, two areas particularly affected by macroalgae exhibited a biomass of ca. 20 and 8 kg WW m(-2), respectively, during 1989-90. In 1998-99 maximum densities decreased to ca. 0.3 and 0.01 kg WW m(-2). During that period, phytoplankton also decreased significantly both in peaks (Chl a: from 58-86 to 4.0-3.5 microg dm(-3)) and mean values (Chl a: from 9.1-10.3 to 1.3-1.4 microg dm(-3)), especially at sts. C and D. As far as nutrient concentrations are concerned, a different trend was observed in the water column and in the surface sediment, mainly because of the reduction of the primary producers and the disappearance of anoxic crises. In 1998-99 reactive phosphorus (RP) in the water column was up to ca. 3 times as high as in 1989-92. Conversely, dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was not significantly changed. In 1998-99 the 5 cm sediment top layer at sts. B, C, displayed a significant total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) decrease (TN annual mean: from 1.29 and 2.79 mg DW g(-1) to 0.69 and 1.47 mg DW g(-1), respectively; TP: from 401 and 626 microg DW g(-1) to 360 and 455 microg DW g(-1)). A different result was found at st. A which in 1998-99 was colonised by the seagrass Zostera marina L. That station showed a TN sediment increase from 0.25 to 0.67 mg DW g(-1) and a TP decrease from 455 to 350 microg DW g(-1). Station D, which did not show any macrophyte biomass coverage either in 1992-93 or in 1998-99, exhibited negligible differences. Besides the monitoring of biomasses and nutrients, significant changes related to oxygen concentration, water transparency, pH and E(h) and sediment rates were also recorded.     

Bioclimatic modelling of current and projected climatic suitability of coffee (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coffea arabica</Emphasis>) production in Zimbabwe

Coffee is an important commodity crop in Zimbabwe and many other African countries in terms of its contribution to local and national economies. Coffee production in terms of productivity and quality face severe constraints due to climate change. A study was therefore carried out to understand and quantify the potential impact of climate change on the coffee sector in Zimbabwe using a bioclimatic modelling approach. Current climatically suitable areas were identified and compared with those areas identified to be climatically suitable under projected 2050 climatic conditions. The projected climatic conditions were obtained from climate predictions of two models: CCSM4 model and HadGEM2 model. Coffee production was found to be mostly sensitive to precipitation factors as these were the most important in determining climatic suitability of coffee production in Zimbabwe. The modelling showed that current coffee suitability varies spatially between the four coffee producing districts in Zimbabwe. Chipinge district has the largest area climatically suitable for coffee production followed by Chimanimani district with Mutare district having the smallest. The modelling predicted that there will be a spatial and quantitative change in climatic suitability for coffee production in Zimbabwe by 2050. The greatest changes are projected for Mutare district where over three quarters according to the CCSM4 model and the entire district according to the HadGEM2 model will turn marginal for coffee production. A westward shift in climatic suitability of coffee was observed for Chipinge and Chimanimani district. The models predicted a loss of between 30,000 ha (CCSM4) and 50,000 ha (HadGEM2) in areas climatically suitable for coffee production by 2050 in Zimbabwe. These changes are likely to be driven by changes in the distribution of precipitation received in the coffee areas. The study presents possible adaptation measures that can be adopted by the coffee sector in Zimbabwe and the region to maintain coffee productivity under a changing climate.     

Climate change impacts on irrigation water requirements in the Guadalquivir river basin in Spain

Irrigated production in the Guadalquivir river basin in Spain has grown significantly over the last decade. As a consequence, water resources are under severe pressure, with an increasing deficit between available supplies and water demand. To conserve supplies, the water authority has reduced the volume of water assigned to each irrigation district. Major infrastructural investments have also been made to improve irrigation efficiency, including the adoption of high technology micro-irrigation systems. Within a context of increasing water scarcity, climate change threatens to exacerbate the current supply-demand imbalance. In this study, the impacts of climate change on irrigation water demand have been modelled and mapped. Using a combination of crop and geographic information systems, maps showing the predicted spatial impacts of changes in agroclimate (climate variables that determine the irrigation requirements) and irrigation need have been produced. The maps highlight a significant predicted increase in aridity and irrigation need. Modelling of irrigation water requirements shows a typical increase of between 15 and 20% in seasonal irrigation need by the 2050s, depending on location and cropping pattern, coupled with changes in seasonal timing of demand.     

Plant community tolerant to trace elements growing on the degraded soils of São Domingos mine in the south east of Portugal: environmental implications

The selection of trace element tolerant species is a key factor to the success of remediation of degraded mine soils. Mining activities generate a large amount of waste rocks and tailings, which get deposited at the surface. The degraded soils, the waste rocks and tailings are often very unstable and will become sources of pollution. The direct effects will be the loss of cultivated land, forest or grazing land, and the overall loss of production. The indirect effects will include air and water pollution and siltation of rivers. These will eventually lead to the loss of biodiversity, amenity and economic wealth. Restoration of a vegetation cover can fulfil the objectives of stabilization, pollution control, visual improvement and removal of threats to human beings. Thus, remediation of mine spoils/tailings and biogeochemical prospecting would rely on the appropriate selection of plant species. Plant community responds differently on their ability to uptake or exclude a variety of metals. In this work, plant species were sampled from all populations established in an abandoned copper mine of S?o Domingos, SE Portugal. Plants belonging to 24 species, 16 genera and 13 families were collected from the degraded copper mine of S?o Domingos. Plant samples were analysed for total Ag, As, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn. The highest concentrations of metals in soils dry matter were 11217.5 mg Pb kg(-1), 1829 mg Cu kg(-1), 1291 mg As kg(-1), 713.7 mg Zn kg(-1), 84.6 mg Cr kg(-1), 54.3 mg Co kg(-1), 52.9 mg Ni kg(-1) and 16.6 mg Ag kg(-1). With respect to plants, the higher concentrations of Pb and As were recorded in the semi-aquatic species Juncus conglomeratus with 84.8 and 23.5 mg kg(-1) dry weight (DW), Juncus efusus with 22.4 and 8.5 mg kg(-1) DW, and Scirpus holoschoenus with 51.7 and 8.0 mg kg(-1) DW, respectively. Thymus mastichina also showed high content of As in the aboveground parts, 13.6 mg kg(-1) DW. Overall, the results indicate accumulation of various metals by different plant species, with some of these metals being partitioned to the shoots. Environmental implications of these observations are discussed.     

Assessment of regional climate change impacts on Hungarian landscapes

The assessment of regional climate change impacts combined with the sensitivity of landscape functions by predictive modelling of hazardous landscape processes is a new fundamental field of research. In particular, this study investigates the effects of changing weather extremes on meso-regional-scale landscape vulnerability. Climatic-exposure parameter analysis was performed on a predicted climate change scenario. The exposure to climate change was analysed on the basis of the original data of the meso-scale IPCC A1B climate scenario from the REMO and ALADIN regional models for the periods of 2021–2050 and 2071–2100, and the regional types of climate change impacts were calculated by using cluster analysis. Selected climate exposure parameters of the REMO and ALADIN models were analysed, in particular, for extreme events (days with precipitation greater than 30 mm, heat waves, dry periods, wet periods) and for daily temperature and precipitation. The landscape functions impacted by climate change are proxies for the main recent and future problematic processes in Hungary. Soil erosion caused by water, drought, soil erosion caused by wind, mass movement and flash floods were analysed for the time periods of 1961–1990, 2021–2050 and 2071–2100. Based on the sensitivity thresholds for the impact assessments, the landscape functional sensitivity indicators were interpreted, and an integrative summary of the five indicators was made, differentiating the regions facing only a few or multiple sensitivities. In Central Hungary, the increasing exposure and sensitivity to droughts will be a serious problem when following the REMO scenario. In several regions, most indicators will change the sensitivity threshold from a tolerable risk to an increased or very high risk.     

城镇化过程中的流域面源污染时空变化

以斧头湖流域为研究对象，在野外调查的基础上，借助遥感和GIS技术，对2008年、2015年斧头湖流域土地利用格局、人畜排放进行分析，利用输出系数模型解析斧头湖的面源污染负荷时空分布及主要来源。结果表明:斧头湖流域2008～2015年面源总氮（TN）和总磷（TP）负荷输出分别从由原来的 2 915 和 178 t 增长至 3 252 和 202 t。城镇化发展使得农村耕地面积减少，耕地对TN的输出贡献比例降低，但是耕地化肥使用依然是TN最主要来源。城镇化使得居民区对面源贡献增大，特别是TP的贡献显著增加。随着人们生活水平的提高，畜禽养殖对面源污染的贡献也显著增加，应予以足够重视     

Practising the past in the present: using Ghanaian indigenous methods for water quality determination in the contemporary era

Surface water sources remain the dominant sources of water supply for a significant proportion of poor communities. These water supply sources tend to have low water quality levels. Application of water quality determination and purification measures could minimize water-related diseases associated with direct consumption of water with poor quality levels. A number of simple measures have been devised and utilized by indigenous communities based on their resource conservation knowledge to improve water quality levels. However, scientific approaches that are more in tune with modern demands for reliability and exactness are the preferred, mainstream approaches for determining water quality. Growing recognition of the relevance of indigenous knowledge has led to renewed interest in the possibility of utilizing it for such tasks. Research conducted in 2007 and 2008 in two indigenous communities in Ghana revealed a diversity of indigenous methods for water quality determination and purification including straining, settling and use of special seeds which could still be useful in this contemporary era. This paper recommends that knowledge co-production and transdisciplinary approaches be employed to enable indigenous communities and experts to collaborate and develop measures that tap both knowledge systems for improving water quality levels for human use.     

基于SWAT模型的细河流域蓝水绿水资源量时空分布研究

利用SWAT（Soil and Water Assessment Tool，SWAT）模型、SUFI-2算法对细河流域水文过程进行了模拟，评估了1977~2015年及典型年份流域蓝水、绿水资源量时空间分布状况。研究结果表明：（1）细河流域多年平均水资源量953.24 mm，其中蓝水资源量290.9 mm，绿水资源量662.33 mm，流域水资源构成以绿水资源为主；（2）典型年份蓝水资源变化较大，特枯水年、平水年和特丰水年分别为86、277和656 mm；绿水系数在特枯水年、平水年和特丰水年差异亦较为明显，分别为87.12%、69.78%和49.31%;（3）在空间上，细河流域蓝水呈现由东向西减少的趋势，绿水流呈现由四周向中部减少的趋势，绿水储呈现由东向西减少的趋势，在特枯水年尤为显著。     

Exploring the effects of population growth on future land use change in the Las Vegas Wash watershed: an integrated approach of geospatial modeling and analytics

The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing areas in the southwestern United States. The rapid urbanization has presented many environmental challenges. For instance, as population growth and urbanization continue, the supply of sufficient clean water will become a concern. In addition, the area is also experiencing the longest drought in history, and the volume of water storage in Lake Mead, the main fresh water supply for the entire region, has been reduced greatly. The water quality in the main stem of the Las Vegas Wash (LVW) and Lake Mead may also be significantly affected. In order to develop effective sustainable management plans, the very first step is to predict the plausible future urbanization and land use patterns. This paper presents an approach to predict the future land use pattern at the LVW watershed using a Markov cellular automata model. The multi-criteria evaluation was used to couple population density as a variable depicting the driving force of urbanization in the model. Moreover, landscape metrics were used to analyze land use changes in order to better understand the dynamics of urban development in the LVW watershed. The predicted future land use maps for the years 2030 and 2050 show substantial urban development in the area, much of which are located in areas sensitive to source water protections. The results of the analysis provide valuable information for local planners and policy makers, assisting their efforts in constructing alternative sustainable urban development schemes and environmental management strategies.     

城市水源地建设中的水权交易理论与实践述评

水源地是城市水资源可持续供给的重要空间载体。伴随城市化的快建发展，城市水资源供求压力日起紧张，城市水源地在保障城市水资源可持续供给方面的作用日益突出。本文从城市化过程中的水资源需求变化出发，揭示水源地在城市可持续发展中的战略地位，评析我国水桓交易的理论研究进展，在此基础上提出我国城市水源地建设保护过程中水权交易的走势判断。     

Consumptive water footprint and virtual water trade scenarios for China — With a focus on crop production,consumption and trade

The study assesses green and blue water footprints (WFs) and virtual water (VW) trade in China under alternative scenarios for 2030 and 2050, with a focus on crop production, consumption and trade. We consider five driving factors of change: climate, harvested crop area, technology, diet, and population. Four scenarios (S1–S4) are constructed by making use of three of IPCC's shared socio-economic pathways (SSP1–SSP3) and two of IPCC's representative concentration pathways (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5) and taking 2005 as the baseline year. Results show that, across the four scenarios and for most crops, the green and blue WFs per tonne will decrease compared to the baseline year, due to the projected crop yield increase, which is driven by the higher precipitation and CO₂ concentration under the two RCPs and the foreseen uptake of better technology. The WF per capita related to food consumption decreases in all scenarios. Changing to the less-meat diet can generate a reduction in the WF of food consumption of 44% by 2050. In all scenarios, as a result of the projected increase in crop yields and thus overall growth in crop production, China will reverse its role from net VW importer to net VW exporter. However, China will remain a big net VW importer related to soybean, which accounts for 5% of the WF of Chinese food consumption (in S1) by 2050. All scenarios show that China could attain a high degree of food self-sufficiency while simultaneously reducing water consumption in agriculture. However, the premise of realizing the presented scenarios is smart water and cropland management, effective and coherent policies on water, agriculture and infrastructure, and, as in scenario S1, a shift to a diet containing less meat.