Operationalizing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus as an Adaptation and Mitigation Strategy for Climate Change and Resource Management

The understanding of the connection between water, energy and food (WEF) resources have been identified as a possible means of climate mitigation and adaption as well as sustainable resource management. This is because emphasis on the linkages of these three resources/sectors have a significant impact on climate mitigation based on literature while helping to manage natural resource consumption and conservation. Issues related to land use/cover changes, anthropogenic activities and their impacts on river basins, innovation and changes in production patterns and WEF nexus security from a household level on a local scale to the national level will highlight the interrelationship of these three resources. Outcomes on the WEF nexus research in relation to climate mitigation/adaption and natural resources management have a great potential of being implemented to achieve simultaneous sustainable goals such as SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 6, SDG 7, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14 and SDG 15. The findings from such research can form the basis for developing innovative ideas that leads to a sustainable path. Extrapolating findings from science to policy or implementing policies that incorporates the integration of the WEF resources will be crucial for future sustainable resource use.

Interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research involving collaboration of experts from different disciplines will be one of the main focusses of this issue. Pilot and full scale studies of practical implementation of the WEF nexus concept on various scale will bring to the fore the development of the concept to actual practical implementation. Research that sees waste in one sector as a resource in another either through reuse, recycling or remediation can also highlight the interdependence of the water, energy and food sectors with the end goal of achieving either one or all the objectives of this issue.

This special issue invites manuscripts from different disciplines that are related to the focus of this call which include critical reviews, policies, and practices. Manuscripts should include a discussion on the integration of either two or three of the WEF resources using diverse approach and tools.