Paths and strategies for a resilient megacity based on the water-energy-food nexus

Abstract

• Summarize the economic and social characteristics of megacities. • Present a roadmap of disaster impacting on resilience of megacities. • Consider water-energy-food nexus into resilience of megacity. • Problems brought by water-energy-food significantly affect resilience of megacities. • Infrastructure construction was key to zhengzhou's resilience. Megacities are more vulnerable to disasters because of their large population and high external dependence on basic resources. To deal with short-term shocks and long-term pressures, there is an urgent need for megacities to enhance their resilience. As the basic resources for production and living, water, energy, and food show a relationship called “nexus,” which affects the ability of megacities to address the impact of disasters. Hence, an evaluation index system of a resilient megacity based on water–energy–food nexus (WEFN) was established to assess the resilience level of megacities. The entropy weight-TOPSIS method and obstacle degree model were used, and Zhengzhou was selected as an example to study the paths and strategies for its resilience. It was found that infrastructure construction was key to Zhengzhou's resilience; problems caused by production, allocation, and consumption of water, energy, and food had great impacts on it. To improve its resilience, Zhengzhou should optimize its industrial structure, strengthen its social security, improve infrastructure investment, and strengthen the supply chain. The resilience framework of megacities accounting for WEFN can more comprehensively review the deficiencies in resilience construction and then provide decision-making tools for resilience construction planning of megacities.