Is it crunch time for the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus? 3 recommendations to move the needle

The concept of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus has gained widespread traction in the last decade and now features prominently in the water research community. An Internet search reflects just how far the idea has resonated. There are now more than 8300 peer-reviewed publications on Google Scholar and numerous online blogs which contain a range of assessment frameworks, conceptual approaches, and model solutions.

The premise of the WEF nexus is that water, energy and food systems and their related sectors are inherently interlinked and that development projects need to be planned and implemented in a holistic manner. Applying a nexus approach means that potential conflicts between sectors are identified and managed, and synergies highlighted and harnessed. This is a promising way to deliver more integrated, sustainable and ultimately effective…