Elsevier, 17 June 2019
This Special Issue, bringing together articles from Science of the Total Environment; Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews; Ecological Modelling, and Resources; Conservation and Recycling, highlights the increasing understanding that major systems servicing human well-being, food, energy and water (FEW) systems are inextricably connected, and any attempt to address one dimension in isolation of the others will lead to unexpected, undesired, and far from optimal consequences. Considering these three systems holistically as the Food-Energy-Water Nexus directly considers Sustainable Development Goals 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), and 12 (responsible consumption and production).
Elsevier, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 97, December 2018
Despite a major, policy-driven increase in research on the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus in recent years, research addressing the required changes in policy structures and processes for an effective, integrated governance of FEW nexus resources is still in its infancy. This paper adapts the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework to the requirements and challenges of FEW nexus governance and sets a special focus on action situations, actors, and institutions. The analysis thus contributes to the debate about the practicality and benefits of a comprehensive FEW nexus policy approach.
Elsevier, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 137, October 2018
Activities in the food-energy-water nexus require ecosystem services to maintain productivity and prevent ecological degradation. This work applies techno-ecological synergy concepts in an optimization formulation to design a system for co-producing food and energy under constraints on ecological sustainability. The system includes land use activities and biomass conversion processes for the production of energy carriers, as well as supporting ecosystems that increase the supply of key ecosystem services.
Elsevier, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 133, June 2018
Successful Food-energy-water (FEW) nexus projects will be more likely to succeed if a transdisciplinary approach is used. Ecological modernization (ecological technology) policies and practices, and sustainable supply chains influence the FEW nexus from a commerce and industry perspective. Taking these perspectives and considering their intertwined linkages is important for advancing research and adoption of FEW nexus efforts. This paper provides an overview of these perspectives and interlinkages.
Elsevier, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 133, June 2018
The increase in population coupled with rising per capita income and associated change in consumption habits will put unprecedented stress on food, energy and water (FEW) resources. Sustainable and reliable fresh water supply is central for life and also for all sectors that support our existence. Uncertainty on water security prompted interest in investigation of renewable energy driven desalination processes. One particularly promising option is to produce fresh water from the two most abundant resources on earth: solar energy and seawater.
Elsevier, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 133, June 2018
Sustainable use and management of nutrients is an important issue for food, energy and water systems. The close connections between the three systems, reflected by the “nexus” concept, warrant an integrated approach to nutrients management across the nexus. In this paper, dynamic modelling of nutrient flows in a local food-energy-water system is presented and applied to a simplified case study.
Elsevier, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, Volume 137, October 2018
A policy and research agenda has emerged in recent years to understand the interconnected risks natural resource systems face and drive. The so-called ‘Food-Energy-Water’ (FEW) nexus has served as a focal point for the conceptual, theoretical and empirical development of this agenda. This special issue provides an opportunity to reflect on whether natural resource use, as viewed through the FEW-nexus lens, provides a useful basis for guiding integrated environmental management.
Elsevier, Ecological Modelling, Volume 391, 10 January 2019
Using a consumption-based Multi-Regional Input-Output (MRIO) model, we investigate the distinctive characteristics, self-efficiency or external dependency, of energy demand's water footprint in China's two biggest and fastest developing megalopolises. We find that energy demand water footprint in the Jing-Jin-Ji and the Yangtze Delta amounted to 2.41 and 9.59 billion m³of water withdrawal respectively in 2010, of which 848.06 and 973.91 million m³was consumed. Among all energy products, electricity contributed the largest share to the energy sector's water footprint in both regions.
Elsevier, Ecological Modelling, Volume 390, 24 December 2018
Water resources are an essential and determining factor for food production, ecosystem health, and socio-economic development. The socio–economic water cycling system is a complex adaptive system. Changes in the socio-economic system at the macro level, such as industrial transformation, technical progress, and water price reform, will have impacts on water resources utilization at the micro level.
Elsevier, Ecological Modelling, Volume 391, 10 January 2019
The world food price crisis in 2007/08 has aroused worldwide attention to the global food price volatility and food self-sufficiency issues. This paper modelled the entire environment of food production and transaction from a holistic view by a Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus in order to reveal the hidden connections related to the food self-sufficiency issue, including the interdependencies of food production with its restraining factors (hybrid energy, hybrid water), other production sectors, and international exchanges.
