Research Article // The Water-Energy–Food Nexus in European Countries: A Review and Future Perspectives
By Somayeh Rezaei Kalvani and Fulvio Celico. This paper investigates the status of the WEF nexus in European countries. It is highlighted that most of the nexus studies were focused on water quantity aspects (rarely related to quality aspects) and energy; however, other resources including land, climate, ecosystem, soil, and environment received little attention.
Abstract
The interaction between water, energy, and food as the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus has drawn much attention recently to solve upcoming uncertainty in food security. The aim of this study is to investigate the status of the WEF nexus in European countries. It is indicated that the largest nexus studies (among 27 European countries) have been conducted in Spain and Italy. It is confirmed that there is a large number of nexus studies in water-stressed countries while there are few studies on water-abundant countries (Slovakia and Luxembourg). Based on existing research, the majority of nexus studies focused on energy production. It is highlighted that most of the nexus studies were focused on water quantity aspects (rarely related to quality aspects) and energy; however, other resources including land, climate, ecosystem, soil, and environment received little attention. The migration of people as a result of climate change in the WEF nexus is not considered. Moreover, there is a lack of common and standard frameworks for nexus assessment. Therefore, we suggest a standard approach for nexus studies and produce a cross-sectoral and holistic approach for the evaluation of a water (quantity and quality)–energy–food–land–climate (WqEFLC) nexus that takes into consideration the circular economy.
Published
March 2023
By
Citation
Rezaei Kalvani, S., & Celico, F. (2023). The Water–Energy–Food Nexus in European Countries: A Review and Future Perspectives. Sustainability, 15(6), 4960. MDPI AG. Doi: 10.3390/su15064960
Download
The Water-Energy–Food Nexus in European Countries: A Review and Future Perspectives.
Related Articles
- Report // Include the fossil-free transition in the next Water Action Agenda
- Research Article // Towards an operational irrigation management system for Sweden with a water–food–energy nexus perspective
- Research Article // On-farm greenhouse gas emissions associated with the cultivation of two new bioenergy crops in the UK
- Research Article // Stochastic Evaluation of the Investment Risk by the Scale of Water Infrastructures—Case Study: The Municipality of West Mani (Greece)