Where is the added value?

The review finds that while the WEF nexus concept is widely used to expand the scope of analysis, it lacks a uniting methodology and has not yet demonstrated a clear ability to improve resource management or governance outcomes.

• The review of 63 empirical studies indicates that the WEF nexus is primarily defined by the "complex interdependencies and linkages between WEF sectors or systems, including trade-offs and feedbacks between them."
• Empirical nexus research is most frequently motivated by two factors: the current scarcity of resources (particularly water scarcity in the MENA region) and threats to resource security caused by large-scale infrastructure development, such as hydropower and irrigation.
• Analysis of the literature reveals that economic forces and governance are central to the nexus; economic incentives are viewed as critical tools for management, while governance is identified as both a "current limitation and an opportunity."
• The authors conclude that the WEF nexus has not produced a consistent "intellectual toolkit" or a clear methodology, as studies employ disparate approaches ranging from quantitative hydro-economic modelling to qualitative resource accounting.
• There is a significant "outcome gap" in the literature, as the authors found no evidence that nexus approaches have tangibly improved resource management or governance outcomes, despite the conceptual claims that they would.
• The review notes that the nexus concept often serves more as a means of expanding study scope or mobilizing research funding rather than providing a structured framework for policy implementation.

APA

Galaitsi, S., Veysey, J., & Huber-Lee, A. (2018). Where is the added value? Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/review-of-the-water-energy-food-nexus.pdf

Chicago

Galaitsi, Stephanie, Jason Veysey, and Annette Huber-Lee. Where is the added value? Stockholm Environment Institute, 2018. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/review-of-the-water-energy-food-nexus.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Galaitsi |first1=Stephanie |last2=Veysey |first2=Jason |last3=Huber-Lee |first3=Annette |title=Where is the added value? |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=June 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/review-of-the-water-energy-food-nexus.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{galaitsi2018where, author = {Galaitsi, Stephanie and Veysey, Jason and Huber-Lee, Annette}, title = {{Where is the added value?}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/review-of-the-water-energy-food-nexus.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }