Measuring integration – towards a water-energy-food nexus index

Abstract

Water-energy nexus Measuring integration – towards a water-energy-food nexus index Water, energy and food are three of the key pillars upon which humanity exists and develops. But these pillars are not independent, as illustrated in Figure 1. Rather, a multitude of connections and trade-offs exist between them. For instance, water is utilised in agricultural irrigation and food processing. Water is also essential for energy generation, be it directly in the case of hydropower or indirectly in coal mining. Energy is utilised in the pumping of water and for the mechanisation of various agricultural activities. The nexus approach to sector management seeks to understand the linkages, dependencies, and trade-offs associated with the core elements within the particular nexus. The regulatory custodians of water, energy and agriculture, often reside in separate departments. With a lack of coordination between them, these departments can (and do) promote conflicting programmes that inadvertently threaten the security associated with an adjacent sector.

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