Unraveling the Water-Energy-Food-Environment Nexus for Climate Change Adaptation in Iran: Urmia Lake Basin Case-Study

Hossein Nasrollahi,Majid Amidpour,Rasool Shirazizadeh,Reza Shirmohammadi,Omid Pourali

doi:10.3390/w13091282

Hossein Nasrollahi, Majid Amidpour + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/w13091282

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Journal: Water	Publication Date: May 1, 2021
Citations: 19	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: K.N.Toosi University of Technology, University of Tehran

Abstract

A holistic approach to the management of water, energy, food, and the environment is required to both meet the socioeconomic demands of the future as well as sustainable development of these limited resources. The Urmia Lake Basin has faced environmental, social, and economic challenges in recent years, and this situation is likely to worsen under the impacts of climate change. For this study, an adaptability analysis of this region is proposed for the 2040 horizon year. Two models, the water evaluation and planning (WEAP (Stockholm Environmental Institute, Stockholm, Sweden)) and the low emissions analysis platform (LEAP (Stockholm Environmental Institute, Boston, MA, USA)), are integrated to simulate changes in water, energy, food, and the environment over these 20 years. Two climate scenarios and nine policy scenarios are combined to assess sustainable development using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach. Results show that, through pursuing challenging goals in agricultural, potable water, energy, and industrial sectors, sustainable development will be achieved. In this scenario, the Lake Urmia water level will reach its ecological water level in 2040. However, social, technical, and political challenges are considered obstacles to implementing the goals of this scenario. In addition, industry growth and industry structure adjustment have the most impact on sustainable development achievement.

Highlights

Population growth and economic development in recent years have led to an increase in demand for natural resources
The concept of sustainable development has been endorsed as a policy objective to protect future generations [1,2], and the interaction between water, energy, food, and environment (WEFE) sectors have been identified as the nexus approach in the development of the integrated strategies [3,4]
One of the emerging tools in the nexus approach is the use of two models: (1) the water evaluation and planning (WEAP) and (2) the low emissions analysis platform (LEAP)

Summary

Introduction

Population growth and economic development in recent years have led to an increase in demand for natural resources. As a consequence, providing water, energy, and food, as well as protecting the environment, have become a challenge for governments. In this context, the concept of sustainable development has been endorsed as a policy objective to protect future generations [1,2], and the interaction between water, energy, food, and environment (WEFE) sectors have been identified as the nexus approach in the development of the integrated strategies [3,4]. The most important aims of these studies are to (1) highlight the complex interaction of the different sectors, (2) develop and analyze multidisciplinary scenarios [7], (3) identify scenarios that (a) attain sustainable development in a region [8], (b) maximize the synergy of the sectors [9], (c) optimize resource sustainability [10], and (d) while minimizing the environmental impacts [11].

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Conclusion