Network analysis of the food–energy–water nexus in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt from a synergetic perspective

Abstract

Economic development, resource scarcity and climate change pose enormous challenges to the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus, calling for integrative resources governance to improve the synergy between subsystems. However, it is unclear about the synergy evolution of the FEW nexus in temporal and spatial scales. This paper uses the network analysis to explore the FEW nexus in China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt. First, the comprehensive index system containing subsystems, order parameters and eigenvectors are determined in causal paths. Second, the synergetic network among order parameters is developed, and the centrality analysis is then conducted to identify the influencing factors. Third, the Bayesian network among eigenvectors is constructed to analyze the sensitivity of the dominant influencing factors. The results show that: (a) Energy subsystem has the highest centralities and dominates the FEW nexus. (b) From the perspective of time variability, the network centralization reaches the highest in 2007, but reaches the lowest in 2013, showing a downward trend, so we should adhere to the national strategy of synergetic development to realize the resource sustainability. (c) From the perspective of spatial sensitivity, upper reach (UR) is sensitive to food-related factors while lower reach (LR) is sensitive to energy-related factors. Therefore, the development of agriculture in upper UR should focus on protection, and the development of industry in LR should focus on remediation. The significance of the research is to construct a network analysis framework for better understanding the spatio-temporal variability of the FEW nexus in Yangtze River Economic Belt.