A Review of the Water–Carbon Nexus in Urban Systems

Abstract

The rapid development of cities has brought a lot of carbon emissions and water consumption, leading to disasters, such as the greenhouse effect and drought. However, there is a lack of systematic review on the key nodes for the water–carbon nexus and the key points of water-saving and emission reduction improvement in the urban systems. This study reviewed the definition of the water–carbon nexus, analyzed its changing mechanism in different urban systems, and concluded the major methodologies applied in the nexus studies. The main findings are as follows: (1) the water/wastewater treatment in water systems and the structure transformation in energy systems are the key nodes for the water–carbon nexus. (2) From the perspective of methodologies, the research focus has gradually changed from single system and process analysis to multi-system and whole process analysis. (3) There is a tendency to sacrifice large water consumption in exchange for carbon reduction in the urban systems, calling for explorations in the water–carbon balance. (4) More comprehensive methods, systematic data support, and accurate definition of system boundaries are required to quantify the nexus. This study systematically reviewed the existing achievements on the water–carbon nexus, providing support for urban metabolism and related policy makings.