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The Political Economy of the Water Footprint: A Cross-National Analysis of Ecologically Unequal Exchange

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  • Jared B. Fitzgerald

    (Department of Sociology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this paper.)

  • Daniel Auerbach

    (Department of Sociology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this paper.)

Abstract

Water scarcity is an important social and ecological issue that is becoming increasingly problematic with the onset of climate change. This study explores the extent to which water resources in developing countries are affected by the vertical flow of exports to high-income countries. In examining this question, the authors engage the sociological theory of ecologically unequal exchange, which argues that high-income countries are able to partially externalize the environmental costs of their consumption to lower-income countries. The authors use a relatively new and underutilized measure of water usage, the water footprint, which quantifies the amount of water used in the entire production process. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and robust regression techniques are employed in the cross-national analysis of 138 countries. The results provide partial support of the propositions of ecologically unequal exchange theory. In particular, the results highlight the importance of structural position in the global economy for understanding the effects of trade on water resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Jared B. Fitzgerald & Daniel Auerbach, 2016. "The Political Economy of the Water Footprint: A Cross-National Analysis of Ecologically Unequal Exchange," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:12:p:1263-:d:84373
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    References listed on IDEAS

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