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Quantifying the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Current Status and Trends

Author

Listed:
  • Yuan Chang

    (School of Management Science and Engineering, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Guijun Li

    (School of Management Science and Engineering, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Yuan Yao

    (McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA)

  • Lixiao Zhang

    (State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Chang Yu

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)

Abstract

Water, energy, and food are lifelines for modern societies. The continuously rising world population, growing desires for higher living standards, and inextricable links among the three sectors make the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus a vibrant research pursuit. For the integrated delivery of WEF systems, quantifying WEF connections helps understand synergies and trade-offs across the water, energy, and food sectors, and thus is a critical initial step toward integrated WEF nexus modeling and management. However, current WEF interconnection quantifications encounter methodological hurdles. Also, existing calculation results are scattered across a wide collection of studies in multiple disciplines, which increases data collection and interpretation difficulties. To advance robust WEF nexus quantifications and further contribute to integrated WEF systems modeling and management, this study: (i) summarizes the estimate results to date on WEF interconnections; (ii) analyzes methodological and practical challenges associated with WEF interconnection calculations; and (iii) points out opportunities for enabling robust WEF nexus quantifications in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuan Chang & Guijun Li & Yuan Yao & Lixiao Zhang & Chang Yu, 2016. "Quantifying the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Current Status and Trends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:9:y:2016:i:2:p:65-:d:62755
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