Scales of application of the WEF nexus approach

Scales of application of the WEF nexus approach

Sušnik, Janez (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education)
Masia, Sara (IHE Delft Institute for Water Education; IAFES Division)
Jewitt, G.P.W. (TU Delft Water Resources; IHE Delft Institute for Water Education; Centre for Water Resources Research; University of KwaZulu-Natal)

2022

Water, energy, and food (WEF) systems form a complex interconnected network, operational at scales from the household up to the global. These scales, like the nexus sectors themselves, and mutually interconnected, with lower-level characteristics help drive higher-level resource management, and vice versa. This chapter highlights recent WEF nexus research at spatial scales from household, to national, and up to global. The studies demonstrate the vast diversity in nexus issues and challenges, along with a concomitant diversity of research and assessment approaches to tackling and better understanding these issues. This chapter closes with a discussion on interactions between the scales, and how policy developed at one scale may impact on other scales, potentially in unanticipated and detriment ways. The investigation into cross-spatial scalar nexus interactions is in its infancy and represents a promising avenue for future research effort. Another aspect not covered so far by research is the issue of differences in the temporal scale in the nexus, both in terms of policy setting and implementation and in terms of impacts to people. This chapter represents another major topic for future research to better guide, develop, and understand the impact of policy and climate change on nexus resources and livelihoods, and vice versa.

Analytical modeling
Causal loop diagram
Data integration
Spatial interactions
Spatial scale

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:fd238cdc-d90d-4c0e-9e7f-52080dcd0136

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91223-5.00007-1

Elsevier

2023-07-01

9780323918374

Water - Energy - Food Nexus Narratives and Resource Securities: A Global South Perspective

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

Institutional Repository

book chapter

© 2022 Janez Sušnik, Sara Masia, G.P.W. Jewitt