The Water-Energy-Food Nexus Index: A Tool for Integrated Resource Management and Sustainable Development

Abstract

The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus has, in the past decade, gained prominence as an approach for assessing integrated resource management. One challenge related to the WEF nexus approach is how to represent and monitor it since a system that includes water-, energy- and food-related parameters is complex. Not only are these resources quantified utilising different units, but they vary both spatially and temporally.This paper presents a national-level composite indicator that has been established for 170 countries, utilising the methodology developed by the Joint Research Centre: Competence Centre on Composite Indicators and Scoreboards. Following an assessment of 87 globally applicable water-, energy- and food-related indicators, 21 were selected to constitute the WEF Nexus Index. This index is made up of three equally weighted pillars representing the three constituent resource sectors, and six sub-pillars. A core element in the development of this index is equitable access to resources, which is characterised by each resource sector's ‘access’ sub-pillar. The WEF Nexus Index provides a quantitative perspective and offers a lens for evaluating trade-offs to be considered in the pursuit of sustainable development. To this end, it is intended for assessing national progress relating to integrated resource management as well as supporting decision making and policy development. The relevance and usefulness of the outcomes are demonstrated through an assessment of South Africa. The development of the WEF Nexus Index has demonstrated that no country is undertaking integrated resource management flawlessly. Every nation has the potential for improvement; which is evidenced by, for example, the top-ranking country for the index needing to reduce CO2 emissions. Neither the composite indicator nor the WEF nexus approach is, however, the panacea that will solve all the significant development or environmental challenges facing the global society. It can, however, contribute to integrated resource management and is complementary to the Sustainable Development Goals. It should ideally be utilised as an entry point into the underlying pillars, sub-pillars and indicators, in parallel with other qualitative and quantitative studies.

Algal biorefinery: a potential solution to the food–energy–water–environment nexus

“…57% and 41% of the African countries rank in the 4 th and 3 rd quartile with only 2% in the 2 nd quartile of water access and availability. 259 Besides, as stated before, African countries' potential in the production of microalgae is considerable due to long daily periods of sunshine, low daily temperature uctuation, etc. 262 Hence, algal biorenery establishment in Africa can be a reasonable solution to the FEWE nexus.…”

“…78 As for water, energy, and food access and availability, Spain ranks 33 rd , 92 nd , and 125 th globally, respectively. 205,259 The ranking indicates that Spain can be a potential country for microalgae biorenery considering nexus concepts.…”

“…However, in recent years, there has been a demand to shift from “nexus thinking” to “nexus action”. 259 Fig. 6 highlights the importance of water, energy, and food security based on accessibility and availability of the three resource sectors.…”

“…6, Iran ranks 49 th , 94 th , and 107 th for energy, water, and food access and availability worldwide. 259 The high potential in algal cultivation integrated with the unfavorable situation regarding food, energy, water access, and availability make Iran a promising candidate for establishing an algal biorefinery platform.…”

“…The other 48% belong to the second and third quartile; no countries rank in the first quartile, emphasizing the critical situation of African countries in terms of food access and availability. As for the food access and availability, many indicators have been considered based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as follows: 259 (1) prevalence of undernourishment, (2) average protein supply, (3) prevalence of obesity in the adult population, (4) average dietary energy supply adequacy, (5) prevalence of severe food insecurity in the total population, (6) cereal yield, (7) average value of food production, (8) forestry and fishery and value-added products, (9) pest destroying crops, and (10) quality of food products. Algal biorefinery can impact the mentioned indicators significantly.…”