Water is intricately linked with food security, energy security, and sustainable development. As the world is moving towards sustainable development goals, it is critical to recognize the role of water in attaining these goals. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus draws attention to the complex and interrelated nature of global resource systems and forces us to think about how a decision in one sector impacts other interlinked sectors as well. This book looks at the three dimensions of sustainable developmentenvironment, economics and society – and how water is linked with them and explores the nexus approach as a framework to look at the issues and identify solutions.
Introduction: Global challenges with growing demand for resources and economic development. Three Dimensions of SD and the Nexus. Three dimensions of SD – ecosystems (environment), economic development and social equity issues. Water and three Dimensions of Sustainable Development as mitigation response for climate change. Looking beyond the water sector: An introduction to the Water-Energy-Food Nexus. Water-Energy-Food Security and the Nexus. Promoting human security: The Food Nexus, sustainable development and health. Safe water and healthy food: The link between agriculture, nutrition and water policy. Sanitation and the linkages to WEF Nexus. Water, development and urbanization/industry challenges. Inherited cultural attitude for water use and its linkages to energy and food. Linkages to SD and water use in different cultures. Climate change mitigation/adaptation issues. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Arab Region: From discussion to implementation. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Asia. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Africa. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in North America. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Europe. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Australia. Conclusion.
Dr. Velma I. Grover has work experience spanning over two decades in international development with international policy think-tank, non-governmental sector, consulting and teaching at Universities (McMaster University and York University, Canada, and Kobe College, Japan), thus developing a deep understanding of stakeholder issues and policy research (mainly in the area of water and waste). She has visited Kalmar University (1999), the Smith School of Enterprise and Environment at Oxford (2008), and currently teaches at McMaster University. Dr. Amani Alfarra has a Ph.D. degree in water resources management in the use of non-conventional water such as treated wastewater in agriculture and 25 years of experience in the field of natural resources management and policy at the country and regional levels. She currently works as a Water Resources Officer for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Italy, providing support to the Global Framework for Water Scarcity in Agriculture WASAG and the Source to Sea forum.
