Collaborative governance and green transformation pathways of the WEFE nexus system in the Yellow River basin during the 15th Five-Year Plan period
WANG Hao
MENG Xianyong
Li Binbin
Abstract：The 15th Five-Year Plan period represents a critical phase for promoting coordinated regional development,optimizing regional economic layout,and accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development to build a Beautiful China.It also marks a critical stage for tackling key challenges in the Yellow River basin's green and low-carbon transformation.As the cradle of Chinese civilization and a strategic national energy and food security base,the Yellow River basin faces complex water-energy-food-ecosystem(WEFE)nexus relationships amid severe resource-environment constraints and green development pressures.This study employs a theoretical framework for WEFE nexus relationships to systematically identify synergistic and trade-off mechanisms among water,energy,food,and ecosystem subsystems through a comprehensive analysis of policy objectives across nine provinces(autonomous regions)in the basin.Results indicate that the policy objectives for water and ecosystem subsystems demonstrate predominantly positive relationships,reflecting policy harmony.The exploitation and utilization of coal resources are in obvious conflict with the protection of water resources and the governance of the ecological environment;renewable energy development generally facilitates system synergy.The sustainability index of the middle Yellow River region has shifted from steady to rapid growth after 2017,though Inner Mongolia faces dual constraints from agricultural irrigation and energy consumption(obstacle degree is 9.64%),while Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces show significant reductions in industrial chemical oxygen demand obstacle degrees.Targeting carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals,the study advocates for coordinated advancement of the energy system's green transformation,efficient water resource allocation,sustainable food system development,and ecosystem protection and restoration to establish a synergistic and efficient basin governance paradigm.Policy recommendations encompass strengthening top-level design,innovating institutional mechanisms,enhancing policy support,and promoting scientific and technological innovation to accelerate high-quality,green,and low-carbon development in the Yellow River basin.
Keywords：Yellow River basinWEFE nexusgreen and low-carbon developmentsystemic governance15th Five-Year Planwater resource utilizationwater-energy-food-ecosystem coupling
Publication Date：2025-12-12
Online Publishing Date：2025-12-30(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：10( 12-21 )