The water–energy–food nexus: an ecosystems and anthropocentric perspective

As the consequences of climate change continue to unfold globally, effective adaptation strategies are critical. There are many uncertainties inherent in climate change adaptation. Thus a holistic approach must be undertaken to ensure all affected environmental resource sectors are accounted for. Adaptation strategies must involve consideration for water, energy, and food systems, and these sectors' impact on one another. This chapter examines the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus as a tool to provide stakeholders with possible future intersectoral adaptation strategies. This chapter uses two case study regions, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America (LA), to illustrate the benefits of the WEF nexus approach for creating robust, intersectoral adaptation approaches for regional stakeholders.