Study Uncovers Link Between Energy Poverty and Water Sustainability in China

By Muhammad OsamaReviewed by Laura ThomsonJul 11 2025

A recent study published in Scientific Reports explores the complex relationship between energy poverty and the sustainable development efficiency of water resources in China. Using advanced modeling and data from 2016 to 2020, researchers examined regional disparities and how energy access affects water sustainability. While energy poverty presents clear challenges, the study suggests it can encourage more efficient and innovative resource management.

The Interconnection Between Water Scarcity and Energy Poverty

Water is vital for human health, economic growth, and environmental protection. It is recognized globally as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation). Yet, billions of people still lack access to safe drinking water, and much of the world's wastewater remains untreated.

Energy poverty, defined as a lack of access to affordable clean energy, affects billions, especially in developing regions, and significantly hinders progress toward sustainable development.

Water and energy systems are closely intertwined: energy is needed to extract, treat, and distribute water, and water plays a crucial role in energy production. A prime example is China’s south-to-north water diversion project, which relies heavily on energy-intensive infrastructure.

Although China achieved full electrification by 2015, nearly half of its households continue to face some form of energy deprivation. This highlights a key insight from the study: energy access alone does not guarantee equity or efficiency. Addressing energy poverty is essential for advancing water sustainability.

How the Study Measured Water Sustainability

The researchers used a dynamic two-stage slack-based measure (SBM) model to explore this relationship, which incorporates a super-efficient data envelopment analysis (DEA). This approach allows for desirable outputs (such as economic gains) and undesirable ones (such as pollution).

The sustainable development of water resources was analyzed in two phases:

Production stage

Assessed the economic and social benefits derived from water use.

Sustainability stage

Focused on environmental factors such as pollution control.

Energy poverty was included as an external variable, represented by a comprehensive index with 14 indicators covering accessibility, affordability, cleanliness, efficiency, and management.

The model was applied to data from 29 Chinese provinces (excluding Tibet), categorized into eastern, central, and western regions.

The study used the technology gap ratio (TGR) to account for uneven technological advancement, comparing each region’s performance to a meta-frontier benchmark. This framework offered detailed insights into how energy poverty affects water sustainability and helped identify where policy adjustments are most needed.

Regional Trends in Water Efficiency

The study found that while overall efficiency in water sustainability remained relatively low across China, it gradually improved between 2016 and 2020.

Interestingly, provinces with scarce water resources—such as Beijing and Qinghai—often outperformed others due to stricter regulations and investment in modern technologies. Conversely, water-rich provinces such as Anhui and Hubei showed lower efficiency, likely because their abundance reduced the urgency to conserve.

Many provinces emphasized economic output at the expense of environmental performance. For instance, Sichuan effectively leveraged water for industrial development but lagged in pollution control efforts. This pattern underscores a broader national challenge: balancing short-term growth with long-term environmental sustainability.

In terms of technology adoption, eastern provinces generally performed better, closely aligning with top-tier practices. Western regions showed positive momentum, while central provinces lagged and will need targeted support to close the gap.

Energy poverty's effect varied by region. It negatively impacted the East, primarily due to high energy costs and complex water management demands. Surprisingly, in the West, limited energy access seemed to encourage more efficient practices, potentially due to stronger policy frameworks and localized innovation.

Policy Implications and Global Lessons

The findings reinforce the importance of tailored, region-specific strategies. Policies should focus on scaling renewable energy and tightening industrial water use regulations in the water-scarce East. Central provinces would benefit from accelerating the shift to green industries and strengthening incentive systems for environmental protection.

The western region’s experience highlights that smart governance and proactive environmental policies can lead to meaningful progress even with limited resources. Globally, the study positions energy poverty as a barrier and catalyst for creative solutions in resource management. These insights offer valuable guidance for countries achieving clean water and affordable energy goals.

Toward Integrated Sustainability

The study makes a compelling case that tackling energy poverty is critical to improving water sustainability. By examining regional differences and incorporating energy access as a key variable, the research paints a more nuanced picture of how water and energy systems interact.

Future research should apply this integrated modeling approach to other countries and investigate the role of emerging clean technologies in bridging water-energy challenges. As countries work toward SDG 6 and SDG 7, this study provides practical insights for shaping more effective and inclusive policies.

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