The water, food and energy nexus

Abstract

The water, food and energy nexus is a critical component for sustainable development as global population and industrialization escalate. Agriculture is responsible for the majority of freshwater consumption worldwide, while one quarter of the world's energy is spent on food production and consumption. The connections between such vital areas necessitates a profound and integrated approach to securing the water, food and energy sectors across the world. Such an integrated approach should be based upon understanding the nexus between the three individual sectors, and on coordinating the interactions between them. As the global population is expected to reach 8 billion (8 × 109) by 2030, demands for essential services and higher living standards are becoming prevalent, and the need for conscious protection of vital resources – without which, meeting those demands and desires would be impossible – is more palpable than ever. Considering the impact of water and environmental crises on food and energy security, the integrated management of water, food and energy with the collaboration of all stakeholders could result in a significant check on any detrimental changes. Due to the critical importance of food, water and energy security, policies should be implemented to conserve and protect these essential resources. Therefore, it is very important to understand the logic governing this issue, and, in this chapter, definitions and logical approaches that govern the concept of the water, food and energy nexus, the potential crises ahead, and the effective management solutions, tools, and methods used in this field are all discussed, using case studies and examples.