Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies

The already complex interrelationships between water, food, energy and the environment are facing both challenges and opportunities. Rising fuel costs and increasing concerns over the effects of climate change are reinvigorating policymakers’ interest in renewable energy sources such as hydropower a...

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Autores principales: McCornick, Peter G., Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele, Abebe, M.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: IWA Publishing 2008
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40741
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author McCornick, Peter G.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Abebe, M.
author_browse Abebe, M.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
McCornick, Peter G.
author_facet McCornick, Peter G.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Abebe, M.
author_sort McCornick, Peter G.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The already complex interrelationships between water, food, energy and the environment are facing both challenges and opportunities. Rising fuel costs and increasing concerns over the effects of climate change are reinvigorating policymakers’ interest in renewable energy sources such as hydropower and bio-energy—both from biofuels as well as biomass. Development of any of these sources has the potential to generate positive economic and environmental benefits, yet, at the same time, they can cause negative food and equity impacts. This obviously entails major tradeoffs between the food, energy and environmental goals of water and energy development, allocation and management. Using both a brief global overview as well as a closer review of four case studies from India, Ethiopia, Jordon and the USA, this paper tries to (i) a present the nature of the tradeoffs under different hydrological, energy, agricultural and environmental contexts and (ii) provide some anecdotal evidence and illustrative cases for the available policy options for minimizing conflicts but maximizing synergies between water, energy, food and environment.
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spelling CGSpace407412025-06-17T08:24:24Z Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies McCornick, Peter G. Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele Abebe, M. biofuels energy water power conflict case studies irrigation water environmental effects river basins dams The already complex interrelationships between water, food, energy and the environment are facing both challenges and opportunities. Rising fuel costs and increasing concerns over the effects of climate change are reinvigorating policymakers’ interest in renewable energy sources such as hydropower and bio-energy—both from biofuels as well as biomass. Development of any of these sources has the potential to generate positive economic and environmental benefits, yet, at the same time, they can cause negative food and equity impacts. This obviously entails major tradeoffs between the food, energy and environmental goals of water and energy development, allocation and management. Using both a brief global overview as well as a closer review of four case studies from India, Ethiopia, Jordon and the USA, this paper tries to (i) a present the nature of the tradeoffs under different hydrological, energy, agricultural and environmental contexts and (ii) provide some anecdotal evidence and illustrative cases for the available policy options for minimizing conflicts but maximizing synergies between water, energy, food and environment. 2008-03-01 2014-06-13T14:48:18Z 2014-06-13T14:48:18Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40741 en Limited Access IWA Publishing McCornick, Peter G.; Awulachew, Seleshi B.; Abebe, M. 2008. Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies. Water Policy, 10(Suppl.1):23-36. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2008.050
spellingShingle biofuels
energy
water power
conflict
case studies
irrigation water
environmental effects
river basins
dams
McCornick, Peter G.
Awulachew, Seleshi Bekele
Abebe, M.
Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies
title Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies
title_full Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies
title_fullStr Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies
title_full_unstemmed Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies
title_short Water-food-energy-environment synergies and tradeoffs: major issues and case studies
title_sort water food energy environment synergies and tradeoffs major issues and case studies
topic biofuels
energy
water power
conflict
case studies
irrigation water
environmental effects
river basins
dams
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40741
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AT awulachewseleshibekele waterfoodenergyenvironmentsynergiesandtradeoffsmajorissuesandcasestudies
AT abebem waterfoodenergyenvironmentsynergiesandtradeoffsmajorissuesandcasestudies