Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus
Water, energy, food, and the environment are deeply interconnected and essential for economic development, environmental sustainability, and human well-being. Energy is required to manage water resources and to support the growth, processing, and distribution of food. At the same time, the enviro...
| Autores principales: | , |
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| Formato: | Brief |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
International Water Management Institute
2025
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| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177791 |
| _version_ | 1855529515549196288 |
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| author | Dankens, Sarah Buisson, Marie-Charlotte |
| author_browse | Buisson, Marie-Charlotte Dankens, Sarah |
| author_facet | Dankens, Sarah Buisson, Marie-Charlotte |
| author_sort | Dankens, Sarah |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Water, energy, food, and the environment are deeply interconnected and essential for economic development, environmental sustainability, and human well-being.
Energy is required to manage water resources and to support the growth, processing, and distribution of food. At the same time, the environment regulates the water cycles and energy stores necessary for agricultural production. Water – both blue water, the “visible” water extractable from rivers, lakes, and aquifers, and green water, the moisture stored in soils and vegetation – underpins energy production, food security, and healthy environments. Without water, these interconnected systems cannot function.
Disruptions to one system, whether to water, energy, food, or the environment, can have rebound effects across the others. For instance, decreased precipitation and overextraction of water will harm both crop yields and power generation, while energy shortages can disrupt water supply systems and food processing chains. With that, environmental degradation, due to extractive production and land use change, for example, can weaken the very ecosystems that sustain the water, energy, and food production.
The Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) nexus approach has emerged as an integrated framework that recognizes and optimizes the interdependencies between water, energy, food, and the environment. Utilized as a tool, it encourages cross-sectoral synergies, so that policymakers and other decision-makers may effectively address significant global challenges, such as food security, climate change, and resource scarcity, without creating conflicting outcomes.
The Global Commission on the Economics of Water’s recommendations – which include transforming food systems, conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, and promoting a circular water economy – acknowledge the interdependence of the WEFE dimensions and recognize blue and green water as foundational pillars for advancing a resilient WEFE approach. |
| format | Brief |
| id | CGSpace177791 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | International Water Management Institute |
| publisherStr | International Water Management Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1777912025-11-12T02:09:55Z Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus Dankens, Sarah Buisson, Marie-Charlotte water management energy food security environmental impact nexus approaches Water, energy, food, and the environment are deeply interconnected and essential for economic development, environmental sustainability, and human well-being. Energy is required to manage water resources and to support the growth, processing, and distribution of food. At the same time, the environment regulates the water cycles and energy stores necessary for agricultural production. Water – both blue water, the “visible” water extractable from rivers, lakes, and aquifers, and green water, the moisture stored in soils and vegetation – underpins energy production, food security, and healthy environments. Without water, these interconnected systems cannot function. Disruptions to one system, whether to water, energy, food, or the environment, can have rebound effects across the others. For instance, decreased precipitation and overextraction of water will harm both crop yields and power generation, while energy shortages can disrupt water supply systems and food processing chains. With that, environmental degradation, due to extractive production and land use change, for example, can weaken the very ecosystems that sustain the water, energy, and food production. The Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) nexus approach has emerged as an integrated framework that recognizes and optimizes the interdependencies between water, energy, food, and the environment. Utilized as a tool, it encourages cross-sectoral synergies, so that policymakers and other decision-makers may effectively address significant global challenges, such as food security, climate change, and resource scarcity, without creating conflicting outcomes. The Global Commission on the Economics of Water’s recommendations – which include transforming food systems, conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, and promoting a circular water economy – acknowledge the interdependence of the WEFE dimensions and recognize blue and green water as foundational pillars for advancing a resilient WEFE approach. 2025-08-30 2025-11-11T09:23:02Z 2025-11-11T09:23:02Z Brief https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177791 en Open Access application/pdf International Water Management Institute Dankens, S.; Buisson, M.-C. 2025. Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 12p. doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2025.236 |
| spellingShingle | water management energy food security environmental impact nexus approaches Dankens, Sarah Buisson, Marie-Charlotte Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus |
| title | Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus |
| title_full | Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus |
| title_fullStr | Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus |
| title_short | Brief: the water-energy-food-environment nexus |
| title_sort | brief the water energy food environment nexus |
| topic | water management energy food security environmental impact nexus approaches |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177791 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dankenssarah briefthewaterenergyfoodenvironmentnexus AT buissonmariecharlotte briefthewaterenergyfoodenvironmentnexus |