Abstract
Water security plays a crucial role in maintaining livelihoods, especially emerging economies. In Malaysia, understanding the inter-relationships of water within the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus is at its infancy. This paper investigates the interactions of the water sector with energy sector in Malaysia, through the lenses of WEF nexus, using system dynamics. The first part of the research involves qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in the water sectors, which provides validation for the initial causal loop relationships built and qualitative inputs of the water-energy nexus through the lenses of the water sector. The second part of the research is a quantitative simulation of stock and flow based on four carefully designed scenarios revolving around Malaysian water security. Key findings include an apparent disconnect between the states and federal governments in managing water supply, poor economic sustainability of the water supply and services industry, and significant energy use in the water sector. On the other hand, environmental impacts stemming from the water sector is minimal. Streamlining water governance and revising water tariffs have thus been suggested as policy recommendations, where their implementation could propagate into downstream benefits for the energy sector.
Highlights
A number of research and investigations have been conducted on and around the water sector for Malaysia and whilst it was acknowledged that key challenges revolve around technology, economy, social, and governance [58,59], the way forward in advancing the water industry should be concerned with implementing actions that are holistic and centralizing [60], to move from Water Supply
Once the boundary is defined, system modeling begins with the construction of CLD and stock and flow diagram (SFD), which describes the interaction of variables within the Malaysian WEF nexus
In step 3, the models are tested and verified every step along the way by adopting a few tools outlined by Sterman [68], namely, boundary adequacy, dimensional consistency, parameter assessment, extreme conditions, and integration which describes the interaction of variables within the Malaysian WEF nexus
Summary
In 2013, UN-Water defined water security as “the capacity of a population to safeguard its sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability” [1]. Despite the many differing definitions of water security that exist [2,3,4,5,6,7], they usually revolve around elements of availability, acceptability, quantity, quality, and livelihood. One of the earliest discussions on water security, initiated by Falkenmark and Lundqvist [9], discussed water security as closely related to water quality, efficiency, demand management, climate, and food self-sufficiency. Falkenmark furthered this analysis by showing the linkages between land, water, and the ecosystem [6]. Cook and Bakker suggested addressing water security issues using a holistic approach deployed on a paradigmatic level as opposed to an operational level [10]
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