The waterfoodenergy nexus is an approach to consider the interactions between water. This interconnectivity is illustrated by figure 6, a. By 2030, the nine billion people living on earth will need 30% more water, 40% more energy and 50% more food to survive. The products with considerable virtual water and embodied energy in direct food imports are.
The food energy water nexus 2014 page 6 introduction this interconnection of resources is referred to as the food energy water few nexus. Thus food, water, and energy are inextricably linked and must be considered together as a system. Agriculture is the largest consumer of the worlds freshwater resources, and more than onequarter of. Economic forum focused on the waterenergyfood wef nexus. Pdf water food and energy sustainability nexus researchgate. Food and agriculture organization of the united nations fao. Agriculture is the largest consumer of the worlds freshwater resources, and more than onequarter of the energy used globally is expended on food. The trends emerging as the anthropocene progresses paint a challenging picture for hydrology, especially waterways. Understanding and managing the complex interactions between water, energy and food water, energy and food are essential for human wellbeing, poverty reduction and sustainable development.
The waterenergyfood wef nexus is rapidly expanding in scholarly literature and policy. Because of the complex interdependence of urban few systems, changing components of one system may lead to ripple effects on other systems. As figure 1 illustrates, a multitude of factors work to drive demand for food, water and energyincluding changes in. Water, energy and food wef nexus systems are developed to model and analyze interactions across and between wef sectors. It takes a humanrights based approach to development that aims to ensure universal access to basic services for all, as set forth in the sdgs and in the face of challenges posed by climate. Pdf the energywaterfood nexus an introduction cameron. Nexus water, energy and food are three vital components for sustainable development.
The waterenergyfood nexus the term nexus describes the key interactions between parts of a system or systems. From silos to nexus water security, energy security, and food security are intimately linked. Inaccuracies in media reports are common because of gaps in understanding of the dynamics of the interaction between water and energy. This book provides a substantive introduction to the food energy water nexus suitable for use in higher level undergraduate and graduate level courses and for scholars moving into the field of nexus studies without a strong background in all three areas and the many aspects of nexus studies. Keywords water energy food nexus index productivity consumption introduction the worlds food, water and energy resources are nowadays experiencing signi. Growing global populations will place increasing demands on freshwaters, which occupy the critical foodwaterenergy nexus between food production irrigation, potable water use, and energy production hydroelectricity. Look at the resource scarcity through a water energy food nexus lens. Water, food and energy nexus challenges 6 impact on energy the food sector currently accounts for around 30% of the worlds total energy consumption.
However, as a waterscarce country with little arable land and a. However, information about the waterenergy nexus is often fragmented, weak and incomplete, difficult to compare, and filled with jargon. Water availability is a major factor constraining humanitys ability to meet the future food and energy needs of a growing and increasingly affluent human population. Renewable energy in the ater energy food nexus foreword 3 foreword by 2050, global demand for energy will nearly double, while water and food demand is set to increase by over 50%. Security of supply in these three resources forms the basis of a resilient economy. It gives an introduction towards aquatic ecosystem modelling approaches, and the valuable role they can provide when assessing the water energy food nexus. An innovative accounting framework for the foodenergy. The efficient provision of food, energy, and water few resources to cities is challenging around the world. Global projections indicate that demand for freshwater, energy and food will increase significantly over. A new approach in support of food security and sustainable agriculture. The food energy water nexus understanding south africas. The energywaterfood nexus concept should be applied on all levels from local to global. The connection between the systems is known as the waterenergyfood nexus. A water energy food ecosystems nexus assessment methodology has been developed under the unee water onvention in cooperation with the royal institute of technology kth in stockholm.
Water, food and energy the waterfoodenergy nexus is central to sustainable development. Processes, technologies, and challenges crc press book exponential growth of the worldwide population requires increasing amounts of water, food, and energy. Fao 2014, the water energy food nexus a new approach in support of food security and sustainable agriculture, food and agriculture organization of the united nations, pp. The waterenergyfood nexus reports, articles, research. Appropriate legal nexus instruments and frame works for transboundary policy making and decisions. However, the inputs, intersectoral flows, stocks, and outputs of these few resources from the perspective of an integrated urban few system have. Position paper on water, energy, food and ecosystems wefe nexus and sustainable development goals sdgs 12 2. Wef nexus simulation models permit evaluating the direct and indirect wef quantitative interaction effects in response to change of technology andor demand. This paper demonstrates, from a food consumption perspective, the potential of life cycle thinking in understanding the complex and often hidden linkages between few systems. The water, energy and food security nexus in the arab region. Methodologies for managing the energywaterfood nexus at.
The energy water food nexus concept should be an integrated part of future policy making and decisions in the energy, water and food sectors. National science foundation initiated the innovations at the nexus of food, energy and water systems infews program, which is designed to support research to understand current and projected coupled processes related to society and the environment. Waterenergy nexus an overview sciencedirect topics. The food energy water nexus understanding south africas most. Oct 02, 2018 food and energy are equally dependent upon each other. The water, energy and food security nexus according to the food and agriculture organisation of the united nations fao, means that water security, energy security and food security are very much linked to one another, meaning that the actions in any one particular area often can have effects in one or both of the other areas. Renewable energy in the water, energy and food nexus. The nexus assessment describes the characteristics of the sectorsresources. The water food energy and climate nexus download ebook pdf. Food, energy, and water transformative research opportunities in the mathematical and physical sciences the function of federal advisory committees is advisory only. The faos food and agriculture projections to 2050 56 provide the most comprehensive and consistent picture relative to food and feed demand. This book provides a substantive introduction to the foodenergywater nexus suitable for use in higher level undergraduate and graduate level courses and for scholars moving into the field of nexus studies without a strong background in all three areas and the many aspects of nexus studies. An interdisciplinary research effort on foodenergywater systems, including safety and security of these systems, presents a unique opportunity for nsf to work, within both a national and an international. However, as the quantity of available fresh water and energy sources directly affecting cost of food production and transportation diminishes, technological.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the advisory committee. Consumptive use of water in agriculture, industry and households. The foodenergywater nexus water, as well as the treatment of wastewater, are energyintensive processes. Demand for all three is increasing, driven by a rising global population, rapid urbanization, changing diets and economic growth. This postnote summarises current understanding of the interactions between water, energy and food production and examines how nexus approaches can be used to inform policy decisions. Position paper on water, energy, food and ecosystems wefe. Of all natural resources, energy, water and food are most needed to sustain life on earth. The past few years have seen increasing awareness of energy water food nexus challenges, as marked by the growth in publications shown in figure 6. Because of the watercentric nature of the nexus in many studies, researchers have found that current nexus analyses are insufficiently crosssectoral smajgl et al 2016. Pdf climate change and social changes such as population growth, globalization, economic growth and urbanization represent a stress on. The nexus between food and water is made even more complex by the globalization of.
This waterfoodenergy nexus looks at the debate on resource scarcity, with new scientific findings that suggested humanity has exceeded the planetary boundaries, threatening its own safety. Examples include the belmont forums sustainable urban global initiative. The energywaterfood nexus concept should be an integrated part of future policy making and decisions in the energy, water and food sectors. Food and agriculture organization of the united nations. The nexus guide shows how everyday food, water and energy decisions have a profound effect on each other and suggests nine simple, daily choices to make in order to use food, water and energy more sustainably. However, as a water scarce country with little arable land and a. The methodology is applicable to diverse transboundary basins and aquifers.
This interconnectivity is illustrated by figure 6, a hybrid. It gives an introduction towards aquatic ecosystem modelling approaches, and the valuable role they can provide. The global energy water food nexus recognises that, in natural resource policy, no effort aimed at conservation, sustainability, or environmental protection will. The interaction of these factors is commonly referred to as the water. Adequate methods are needed to study the connections among food consumption and production, energy and water, and environmental impacts.
Because of the water centric nature of the nexus in many studies, researchers have found that current nexus analyses are insufficiently crosssectoral smajgl et al 2016. Evaluations of food, energy and water few linkages are rapidly emerging in contemporary nexus studies. A waterenergyfoodecosystems nexus assessment methodology has been developed under the unee water onvention in cooperation with the royal institute of technology kth in stockholm. This paper presents a study of the evolution of the waterenergyfood wef. Water, food and energy nexus in asia and the pacific. While many federal agencies are engaged in the water energy nexus, the u. Pdf examining the water energy food nexus in jordan. This analysis presents a set of modelbased scenarios and. The waterenergyfood nexus is framed within the broader debate on sustainable development and as part of faos vision of sustainable food and agriculture to achieve its mandate of eradicating hunger, reducing poverty, and sustainably managing and using natural resources and ecosystems fao 20. The past few years have seen increasing awareness of energywaterfood nexus challenges, as marked by the growth in publications shown in figure 6.
The food energy water nexus water, as well as the treatment of wastewater, are energy intensive processes. Fuel issue ethanol production uses about 40% of the u. The availability of fresh water is a major driver in food production. For instance, largescale hydraulic infrastructure projects such as snwd or any other. Integrated scenarios to support analysis of the foodenergy. Consider how and where all three are used in the us as events like droughts, oil spills and fluctuating food prices make clear, the us cannot view these systems in isolation. While many federal agencies are engaged in the waterenergy nexus, the u. Nexus platform the waterenergyfood nexus nexus the. The relationship between energy, water, and food is at once both obvious and complex. An outlook on public institutions in the arab world 5 elements of the wef nexus. The water, energy and food security nexus in the arab region 2015 and illustrates how water, energy and food security are linked. Click download or read online button to get the water food energy and climate nexus book now. Downloadable pdf the nexus of food, energy and water.
Of all natural resources, energy, water and food are most needed to sustain. This publication was developed by the sim4nexus project and has been republished here with their friendly permission. Food energy water nexus 3 the foodenergywater nexus initiative at monash university there is widespread agreement in the global community that the conventional delivery of food, energy and water services has been resourcenegligent, posing significant challenges for sustainable development. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Towards a practical planning and decisionsupport framework for landscape investment and risk management 4 motives and drivers to integrate wef in the literature, a number of authors emphasize that the worlds food, water and energy resources are already. The energy water food nexus concept should be applied on all levels from local to global. This waterfoodenergy nexus looks at the debate on resource scarcity, with new. The nexus represents the latest in this evolving series of paradigms, described as a multidimensional means of scientific enquiry which seeks to describe the complex and nonlinear interactions between water, energy, food, with the climate, and further understand wider implications for society. The global energywaterfood nexus recognises that, in natural resource policy, no effort aimed at conservation, sustainability, or environmental protection will. Water, energy, food security relies on resources and services provided by healthy ecosystems. The waterfoodenergy nexus is central to sustainable development. Food and energy are equally dependent upon each other.
The water energy food nexus the term nexus describes the key interactions between parts of a system or systems. Innovations at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems. Apr 20, 2017 examples include the belmont forums sustainable urban global initiative. Oct 02, 2018 the nexus guide shows how everyday food, water and energy decisions have a profound effect on each other and suggests nine simple, daily choices to make in order to use food, water and energy more sustainably. They incorporate diet changes, trade and production. Food energy water nexus 3 the food energy water nexus initiative at monash university there is widespread agreement in the global community that the conventional delivery of food, energy and water services has been resourcenegligent, posing significant challenges for sustainable development.
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