Governing the energy–water nexus in China: An analysis from the perspective of the science–policy interface

Abstract

China is facing great water and energy pressure due to industrialization, urbanization, population growth and environmental change. China's explosive economic development has come at a steep cost in terms of natural resource exploitation and environmental problems. These unintended negative consequences are partly the result of a narrow single-sector management approach to natural resources, which often caused conflicts and low efficiency of related policies. Although the nexus approach is beneficial for optimization of natural resource utilization and development, the question of whether it can be applied in policy and practice is determined by various factors. The science–policy interface that stresses the political and social contexts provides a useful perspective for understanding the process of the nexus approach, from the scientific domain to policy. Combining criteria of good governance and an effective science–policy interface, suggestions for promoting good energy–water nexus governance are put forward, including popularization of scientific knowledge about the nexus in the political and social fields, collaborative governance of the nexus, and accelerating good governance of the whole of society.