There are important linkages between water, food, energy and climate change.
Regions where food security is most prevalent are also regions where climate change is expected to pose great challenges for agriculture.
Nexus is a response to the global crisis that hit energy and food demands in 2007 and 2008.
Global priorities may not always reflect local concerns and so one model does not fit all.
Energy is key in terms of demand, assets and supply.
Climate Change is key in terms of effects on food, energy and water.
Our world connects people, landscapes and ecosystems.
Food is key in terms of demand, assets and supply.
Water is key in terms of demand, assets and supply.
Fossil fuel extraction impacts on food supply.
Biofuels production impacts on food supply.
3 billion more middle-class people will demand more meat
Meat-rich diets will require far more land than the traditional diets they will replace.
Climate change means that rainfall & water availability are likely to become more uncertain.
Water infrastructure & use impacts on fish stocks
Much of the population growth and the middle-class growth will occur in countries that are already water-scarce.
Water infrastructure &use impacts on food supplies
More than 70% of the world’s freshwater used is in agriculture.
Water infrastructure impacts on land use
Pastoral and arable food production needs clean water
Food production impacts on water quality through agro-chemical runoff & salinization
Food production impacts on water availability through over irrigation & groundwater extraction
Energy production needs water e.g. nuclear cooling
Energy production impacts on water quality e.g. pollution of groundwater supplies.
Energy production impacts on water availability
Clean water supply requires energy for treatment, pumping & distribution as well as for biofuel growth.
Food production requires energy in terms of machinery & fertilizer
Food processing requires energy
Food distribution requires energy, often referred to as 'Food Miles'
2017 sees 2 billion people worldwide in the Middle Class
2030 will see a Middle Class numbering 5 billion
By 2030 it is predicted that we will require 50% more food
By 2030 it is predicted that we will require 30% more freshwater
By 2030, total world population is predicted to be 8.5 billion people.
In the 1970's, we were worried by oil depletion and pollution
In the 1980's, we were worried by deforestation & the hole in the Ozone layer.
In the 1990's, we were worried by water scarcity.
In the 2000's we were worried by soil degradation.
These decade 'worry trends' were always single issues, now the move is towards nexus thinking.
Nexus can be approached from the perspective of sustainability & interrelationship between the environment, society & economy.
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