Water Energy Food Nexus And Climate Change In Cities

This book aims to contribute to the transdisciplinary study of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus in cities and to help policy makers adopt a more integrated approach to natural resources management in urban environments to face the challenges and threats of climate change. This approach is based on a multidimensional scientific framework that seeks to understand the complex and non-linear interrelationships and interdependencies between water-energy-food under climate change and to generate solutions to reduce trade-offs among development goals and generate co-benefits that help encourage sustainable development and contribute to the achievement of SDGs, mainly SDG 11 (make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) and SDG 13 (take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts). Governing the WEF nexus in cities is one of the greatest resource challenges of our time, as cities consume large amounts of WEF, but one that can also generate relevant alternatives with which to tackle climate change. To help fostering these alternatives, this book analyzes the governance, institutional and political economy factors that determine the effectiveness of the nexus approach and reviews the potential, the benefits and the policy implications of the adoption of the WEF nexus approach at the urban level. Through a series of hands-on cases, chapters in this book present the opportunities of the WEF nexus approach to achieve innovation and transformative change and discuss concrete areas of synergy and policy initiative to raise urban resilience. Water-Energy-Food Nexus and Climate Change in Cities will serve both as a guide for policy makers as well as a useful resource for students and researchers in fields such as urban studies, public health, environmental sciences, energy studies and public policy interested in learning how cities can represent possibilities to navigate and manage sustainability from local to global.

This collection critically engages the resource use nexus. Clearly, a nexus-approach to resource policy, planning and practice is essential if sustainable development goals are to be met. In particular, in an era of climate change, an integrated approach to water, energy and agriculture is imperative. Agriculture accounts for 70% of global water withdrawals, food production accounts for 30% of global energy use and a rising global population requires more of everything. As shown in this collection, scholars of resource development, governance and management are ‘nexus sensitive’, utilizing a sort of ‘nexus sensibility’ in their work as it focuses on the needs of people particularly, but not only, in the global South. Importantly, a nexus-approach presents academics and practitioners with a discursive space in which to shape policy through research, to deepen and improve understandings of the interconnections and impacts of particular types of resource use, and to critically reflect on actions taken in the name of the ‘nexus’.

This book argues that a variety of policies will be required to create synergies between the water-energy-food nexus sectors while reducing trade-offs in the development of a green economy. Despite rising demand for water, energy and food globally, the governance of water-energy-food sectors has generally remained separate with limited attention placed on the interactions that exist between them. Brears provides readers with a series of in-depth case studies of leading cities, states, nations and regions of differing climates, lifestyles and income-levels from around the world that have implemented a variety of policy innovations to reduce water-energy-food nexus pressures and achieve green growth. The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus will be of interest to town and regional planners, resource conservation managers, policymakers, international companies and organisations interested in reducing water-energy-food nexus pressures, environmental NGOs, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students.

Water is intricately linked with food security, energy security, and sustainable development. As the world is moving towards sustainable development goals, it is critical to recognize the role of water in attaining these goals. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus draws attention to the complex and interrelated nature of global resource systems and forces us to think about how a decision in one sector impacts other interlinked sectors as well. This book looks at the three dimensions of sustainable developmentenvironment, economics and society – and how water is linked with them and explores the nexus approach as a framework to look at the issues and identify solutions.

This book focuses on climate change and sustainable development, showcasing examples of research, projects and other initiatives aimed at educating various target groups. Helping readers gain a better understanding of the water, energy and food nexus challenges in the context of climate change, and featuring valuable insights that can be implemented in other areas, it will appeal to researchers and students as well as practitioners.

This book explores the nexus among food, energy and water in peri-urban areas, demonstrating how relevant this nexus is for environmental sustainability. In particular it examines the effective management of the nexus in the face of the risks and trade-offs of mitigation policies, and as a mean to create resilience to climate change. The book delineates strategies and actions necessary to develop and protect our natural resources and improve the functionality of the nexus, such as: integrated management of the major resources that characterize the metabolism of a city, stronger coordination among stakeholders who often weight differently the services that are relevant to their individual concerns, integration of efforts towards environmental protection, adaptation to and prevention of climate change and disaster risks mitigation.

Water, energy and food are key resources to sustain life, and are the fundamental to national, regional and global economies. These three resources are interlinked in multiple ways, and the term “nexus” captures the interconnections. The nexus has been discussed, debated, researched, and advocated widely but the focus is often on the pairings of “water-energy” or “water-food” or “energy-food”. To really benefit from the nexus approach in terms of resource use efficiency it is essential to understand, operationalize and practice the nexus of all three resources. As demand for these resources increases worldwide, using them sustainability is a critical concern for scientists and citizens, governments and policy makers. Volume highlights include: Contributions to the global debate on water-energy-food nexus Examples of the nexus approach in practice from different regions of the world Perspectives on the future of the nexus agenda Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Theories and Practices is a valuable resource for students, research scholars and professionals in academic institutions with strong interests in interdisciplinary research involving geography, earth science, environmental science, environmental management, sustainability science, international development, and ecological economics. The volume will also be useful for professionals, practitioners and consultants in /NGOs, government, and international agencies. Read an interview with the editors to find out more: https://eos.org/editors-vox/working-towards-a-sustainable-future