How can virtual water trade reshape water stress pattern? A global evaluation based on the metacoupling perspective

With water scarcity increasingly becoming a growing global risk, it is prevalent to explore supply-demand interaction within and beyond national borders driven by virtual trade its effects on sustainability. However, there little study system integration of differential environmental impacts various types trade. Based metacoupling framework highlighting human-nature interactions across space- place (intracoupling), between adjacent places (pericoupling), distant (telecoupling), this quantified the linkages intensities three kinds coupling processes during for first time. Correspondingly, stress changes under set scenarios were evaluated based indicator UN SDG 6.4.2 distinguish influence taking different spatial scales. Results show that 2005–2015, local resources supported 80% consumption. Distant import was about 5 times in volume as large import, alleviating 99.8% average stress. Virtual reduced 86% developed countries increased 71% developing 2005. Owing trade, many with poor endowment declined while relatively good went up from 2005 2015. Our findings can help systematically understand change provide scientific guidance sustainable management regional regulations.