Water-Energy-Food for Policymakers: What does it mean?

This guide from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) explains the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus, highlighting the need for integrated management strategies to address the unsustainable nature of traditional approaches to meeting the increasing demand for water, energy, and food.

• The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus refers to the combined and increasing demand for water, energy, and food. Traditional methods of meeting these demands are often unsustainable, leading to issues such as climate change, nutrient loading in waterways, and the depletion of groundwater.
• IISD implements WEF-inspired watershed-based management by integrating policy research, stakeholder consultation, watershed modelling, and ecological design. This approach is applied to development interventions, specifically those involving mining and agriculture, to create practical solutions.
• IISD's practical engagement with WEF security includes two specific projects: developing value chains based on cattails in Canada's Lake Winnipeg watershed and collaborating with stakeholders in Suriname to improve WEF security within the mining sector.

APA

Zubrycki,, D. R. B. Z. (2015). Water-Energy-Food for Policymakers: What does it mean? International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/guide/water-energy-food-policymakers-what-does-it-mean

Chicago

Zubrycki,, Dimple Roy,Livia Bizikova,Karla Zubrycki,Karla. Water-Energy-Food for Policymakers: What does it mean? International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2015. https://www.iisd.org/publications/guide/water-energy-food-policymakers-what-does-it-mean.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Zubrycki, |first1=Dimple Roy,Livia Bizikova,Karla Zubrycki,Karla |title=Water-Energy-Food for Policymakers: What does it mean? |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=29 January 2015 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/guide/water-energy-food-policymakers-what-does-it-mean |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{zubrycki2015waterenergyfood, author = {Zubrycki,, Dimple Roy,Livia Bizikova,Karla Zubrycki,Karla}, title = {{Water-Energy-Food for Policymakers: What does it mean?}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2015}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/guide/water-energy-food-policymakers-what-does-it-mean}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }