Bloomberg Businessweek recently published an article inspired by and citing work done by the China Environment Forum on the West-East Electricity Transfer Project. The article examines the implications of China's Western energy development for the sake of the power hungry Eastern provinces as part of the "Go West" Campaign, citing data made available by the China Environment Forum's groundbreaking interactive map. The article goes on to analyze this development model in the context of China's looming water-energy confrontations.

The article also quotes CEF Director Dr. Jennifer Turner saying, "China has to become a world leader on water-use efficiency, as well as energy efficiency, but so far there’s been too little focus on water." In the words of the article's author, Christina Larson, "The bottom line: Fourteen “energy bases” could transform the economy of Western China, but water shortages and protests threaten their viability."