The trilemma of food production, clean energy, and water: COP27 perspective of global economy

Abstract

AbstractFood production is an essential component of global society, providing sustenance to the world's growing population. Countries export food to leverage their comparative advantages in agricultural production, satisfy the demands of international markets, and generate economic benefits. Additionally, food exports contribute to global food supply chains, which ensures the availability of food in places with limited production due to resource limits, climate conditions, or seasonal variations. As a reaction to these challenges, there has been a rise in the number of efforts made to promote food systems that are sustainable and resilient, to enhance food security. In recent years, green technologies have become increasingly crucial to the food production industry as they offer ways to minimize agriculture's environmental impact, encourage sustainable practices, and create high‐quality food. This study examines the impact of access to green technologies for cooking, CO2 emissions, arable land, and water productivity (WP) on global food production from 1990 to 2022. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers, academia and researchers regarding sustainable agricultural practices, trade development, and environmental conservation. Using advanced parametric approaches, the results show that access to clean technology for cooking, gross domestic product, and the availability of arable land positively affect food exports. On the other hand, WP demonstrates a negative influence on food exports. This highlights the requirement for environmentally responsible methods of water management.