The Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus

The report addresses the interdependence of water, energy, and food (WEF) security, arguing that sectoral silos lead to unsustainable outcomes and increased risks. It reviews existing conceptual frameworks from the World Economic Forum, ICIMOD, and the Bonn2011 Nexus Conference, noting a gap in practical implementation guidance. To fill this, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) introduces a place-based analysis framework centered on ecosystem goods and services (EGS) as the primary link between the three securities. This framework is embedded in a four-stage participatory process: assessing the current system, envisioning future landscape scenarios, developing an investment strategy, and transforming the system through adaptive management. The goal is to move from 'land-grabs' to 'land stewardship' by using natural capital as a hedge against socio-ecological risks.

• The interdependence of water, energy, and food (WEF) security is a systemic risk where demand for these resources is expected to increase by 30-50% over the next two decades, potentially leading to social instability and geopolitical conflict.
• Large-scale land acquisitions in developing countries, often termed 'land-grabbing', are frequently driven by the need for water to increase land productivity, but often neglect local livelihoods and ecosystem services.
• Climate change exacerbates the challenges of the WEF nexus by impacting the availability of water for drinking, ecosystems, and food production, while simultaneously altering energy consumption patterns.
• Existing WEF frameworks, such as those from the World Economic Forum and ICIMOD, provide conceptual understanding of risks and ecosystem services but lack practical, operational guidance for implementing integrated investments.
• The IISD proposes a place-based framework that uses ecosystem goods and services (EGS) as the central connection between water, energy, and food, arguing that restoring EGS is a practical way to optimize security.
• The report outlines a four-stage operational process for landscape investment: assessing the current WEF system, envisioning future scenarios through critical uncertainties, creating a shared investment strategy, and transforming the system via adaptive management.

APA

Bizikova, L., Roy, D., Swanson, D., Venema, H. D., & McCandless, M. (2013). The Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wef_nexus_2013.pdf

Chicago

Bizikova, Livia, Dimple Roy, Darren Swanson, Henry David Venema, and Matthew McCandless. The Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2013. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wef_nexus_2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bizikova |first1=Livia |last2=Roy |first2=Dimple |last3=Swanson |first3=Darren |last4=Venema |first4=Henry David |last5=McCandless |first5=Matthew |title=The Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=February 2013 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wef_nexus_2013.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bizikova2013waterenergyfood, author = {Bizikova, Livia and Roy, Dimple and Swanson, Darren and Venema, Henry David and McCandless, Matthew}, title = {{The Water–Energy–Food Security Nexus}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2013}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/wef_nexus_2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }