The competitive relationship and regional differences in water use for energy and food production in China.

Shuoguo Yang, Jianqin Ma, Qing Wu, Wen Li, Bifeng Cui

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in iScience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Shuoguo YangSchool of Water Conservancy, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China.

Jianqin MaSchool of Water Conservancy, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China.

Qing WuCollege of Surveying and Geo-informatics, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China.

Wen LiSchool of Water Conservancy, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China.

Bifeng CuiSchool of Water Conservancy, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

China's dual carbon goals and increasing water stress underscore the importance of understanding energy-food water competition. Using a water footprint framework, we quantified water use between energy and food production across 31 provinces in China from 2005 to 2020, analyzing spatial patterns, competition intensity, and inequality. Energy water use rose rapidly, particularly from thermal and hydropower, while food water use stayed stable. Competition was most severe in northern and northwestern regions, and inequality in water use widened, reflecting mismatches between resource availability and industrial layout. These findings provide a basis for targeted policies, water right reform, and interregional cooperation to enhance sustainability.

Indexed as

agricultural resource economicsenergy resourcessustainability aspects of food production

Identifiers

PMID41244584

DOI10.1016/j.isci.2025.113719

PMCPMC12613077

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.