The Primary Implementation of SEEAW in Zhangye

Abstract

The System of Environmental and Economic Accounting for Water (SEEAW) is an accounting framework exclusively on water resources, which was published by United Nations Statistics Division. The ability to address jointly the environmental, economic, and social aspects of water policy is central to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). SEEAW has a unique contribution to make to IWRM because it is the only approach that integrates economic accounts with accounts for water use and supply in a framework. According to SEEAW framework, the paper tries to start the implementation of SEEAW at regional level in China. According to the standardized information system which harmonizes information from different sources, various relevant departments, a physical water supply and use table (SUT) in Zhangye City, an arid area in China, is compiled. The results show that agricultural irrigation is the main source of water pressure on Zhangye. In order to alleviate the water stress, it is very important to adjust the structure and reduce the proportion of high water-consumption crops. The author concludes that although there is considerable difference on water environment statistics from the international standards currently, the SUT compilation in China has more feasibility in practice compare with other accounts in SEEAW.