sei-2013-www-nexus-article-b5f7a55018e97853.pdf

This research paper argues for the implementation of systematic approaches to understand the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus across various scales and sectors to achieve sustainable development goals. It presents a continuum of assessment tools, ranging from qualitative methods like index building to quantitative data-driven modelling, to support cooperative governance and resource management.

• Projections indicate significant increases in global demand for food and energy by 2050, with the demand for better-quality and more nutritious foods expected to almost double and primary energy demand to increase by nearly 80 per cent.
• There is a systemic lack of data regarding water use within WEF nexus value chains at regional and local levels. While sectoral data exists for water supply, sanitation, and agriculture, the energy production sector specifically lacks systematic accounting for consumptive water use during fuel extraction and refinement.
• Water constraints are already creating additional costs for the energy sector in several regions, including France, China, India, and the Southeastern United States. Biofuels are noted as being consistently water intensive.
• The WEF nexus can be analyzed using a continuum of tools based on the goal, available data, and stakeholder trust. Qualitative tools like the Transboundary Waters Opportunity Analysis (TWO) help identify barriers and development options, as demonstrated in the Orange-Senque River basin in Southern Africa.
• Quantitative modelling tools, such as the integration of Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) and Long Range Energy Alternatives System Planning (LEAP) with GIS land-use models, allow for the exploration of trade-offs between water, land, and energy. This approach has been applied in California and is being tested in Ethiopia's Lake Tana and Upper Blue Nile basin.
• Hydro-economic modelling was used in a pilot study for the Euphrates and Tigris region to test if cooperative management of water resources—specifically regarding irrigated agriculture, hydropower, and ecosystem services—could generate marginal benefits.
• A modified Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) approach, used in the Nile Equatorial Lakes Region, serves as a pre-investment tool to facilitate cooperative infrastructure planning. This approach supports a development agenda linked to the East African Community (EAC).

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2013). sei-2013-www-nexus-article-b5f7a55018e97853.pdf. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2013-WWW-Nexus-article.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. sei-2013-www-nexus-article-b5f7a55018e97853.pdf. 2013. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2013-WWW-Nexus-article.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=sei-2013-www-nexus-article-b5f7a55018e97853.pdf |date=2013 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2013-WWW-Nexus-article.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2013sei2013wwwnexusarticleb5f7a55018e97853pdf, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{sei-2013-www-nexus-article-b5f7a55018e97853.pdf}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2013-WWW-Nexus-article.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }