Integrating climate change, food security, and innovative agriculture in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL): A Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach

Purpose The study has a twofold purpose to gain new insights into how contemporary antagonistic conflicts over culture unfold and the roles of libraries and museums therein and to contribute to a deeper understanding of the transnational dynamics of far-right rhetoric, and how it effects society's democratic infrastructure, of which libraries and museums form part. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a nexus approach that combines data-driven methods with qualitative-mediated narrative analysis. YouTube was selected as the empirical site due to its central role in contemporary information infrastructures. The dataset comprises 1,312 transcribed videos from three Swedish far-right YouTube channels collected via the YouTube API. Eight highly viewed videos focusing on libraries and museums were selected for qualitative analysis, complemented by topic modelling of the full corpus. Findings In the analysed material, museums and libraries are rhetorically used to foster anxieties characteristic of far-right populism: the imagined threat of migrants displacing the native population and undermining welfare provisions, fears of cultural decline, the erosion of national traditions and a presumed inability of the state to serve the people's interest. By exploiting the enablements of YouTube and drawing on conspiratorial narratives of corrupt elites, libraries and museums are rhetorically recast as tools, victims or at times even as agents of indoctrination. Originality/value The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how museums and libraries are appropriated in far-right media ecosystems. It also provides new knowledge on how far-right rhetoric contests and acts against democratic infrastructures by exploiting elite distrust and calling the legitimacy of established institutions into question.

ABSTRACT This study investigates if patent box regimes, which implemented the nexus element as mentioned in Action 5 of the BEPS project, perform better at increasing research activity. The nexus reduces the tax advantages of patent box regimes if part of the research activity is not conducted in the country where the firm registers its patent. We explore the causal impact of this nexus within a Comparative Interrupted Time Series framework during the sample period 2013–2018. We compare treated firms applying the new Belgian patent box with a control group of firms applying the French patent box regime without the nexus element. We find that research activity increases in Belgium, relative to France, after the implementation of the nexus, both in terms of patent applications and inventors. The increase seems to be more pronounced for MNEs, suggesting that relocating research activity to countries imposing a nexus seems not too costly.

Optimal techno-economic and environmental assessment of a standalone solar-powered irrigation system in North Africa based on the nexus approach

Advancing sustainability in data-sparse landscapes using a water-energy-food nexus approach

In the context of global warming and the increasing demand for air conditioning, understanding the sustainability of energy and water systems is crucial. This paper applies the Water-Energy Nexus approach to air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, comparing traditional systems (TS) based on Vapour Compression Refrigeration with Indirect Evaporative Cooling-based systems (IES), in terms of electricity use and total water consumption. The analysis considers 19 cities across different regions, incorporating national energy mixes, climate data, building types, various HVAC configurations and water stress indicators. The results show that IES can offer significant energy savings – up to 43 % - particularly in dry climates and in buildings with high sensible thermal loads. Although IES generally consumes more water than TS, the Water-Energy Nexus framework reveals that the water evaporated during IES operations must be offset by the water saved through reduced electricity generation. A net total water saving is achieved when the Water Consumption Factor (WCF) of the electricity grid reaches values in the range of tens of m3/MWh. This study, by adopting a life cycle-informed perspective, provides a significant contribution to understanding the overall sustainability of air conditioning systems: it offers a deeper insight into the complex trade-offs between energy efficiency and water use within the HVAC sector and the built environment.

Nexus approach considering Water-Exergy-Carbon-Cost for sustainable short-trip transportation systems

Drawing on interdisciplinary research employing social and natural sciences methods in two Ugandan refugee settlements, this article explores complex interactions between displacement and environmental change. Contributing to political ecological debates around scale, and employing a nexus thinking lens, this article conceptualizes a scalar nexus connecting a relational settlement communities nexus and a global or intraregional sustainability scalar nexus. Positioned between these, the Ugandan context’s palliative policies seek refugee self-reliance in a constrained and challenging landscape. An interdisciplinary approach including remotely sensed satellite imagery charting landscape change over twenty years; qualitative methods, including participatory mapping and interviews; and representative household surveys, illustrate how a scalar nexus approach teases out multilayered scalar contexts interacting in environmental change, often solely attributed to refugees. Rapidly changing global-level political situations affect settlement-scale host and refugee relationships around competition and constrained collaboration for resources. The article demonstrates that solutions must be sought across both scalar nexuses and at each node: attributing sole responsibility to one node, such as refugees, or one context, such as Uganda, does not contribute to solutions. Reconceptualizing nexus thinking at multiple scales, the scalar nexus approach can be applied to other contexts facing environmental change and displacement for nuanced understandings and tailored responses.

Background: Western Uttar Pradesh in India is facing escalating extraction of groundwater through privately owned tube wells for irrigation which raises concern for environment and sustainability. The major reasons for increasing groundwater exploitation are inefficient water supply through Government superficial canal water, changing cropping pattern towards cash crops and subsidized power utility used in groundwater pumping. It has resulted in diminishing water-energy-food (WEF) nexus approach and sustainability in agriculture practices in the region. Methods: Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interview technique from 100 farmers of two villages of Saharanpur district in western Uttar Pradesh in India. Date were also collected from 11 other stakeholders who are associated with agriculture sectors. Participatory rural appraisal (PRA), focus group discussion (FGD) and case study techniques were also used for strengthening the quality of data. Result: The cultivation practices in Saharanpur district have completely transformed. It has changed from subsistence agriculture, involving diverse crops, animal husbandry and horticulture to primarily sugarcane, wheat and rice crops. The average percentage of the use of groundwater is 83% and the superficial canal water is 17%. Out of total 100 sample size of farmers in Jakhwala and Rankhandi villages of Saharanpur district, only one farmer was using innovative methods of irrigation. Only two farmers tried to economise water usage by efficient surface irrigation. Similar are the other findings. The study suggests that farmers should be trained to improve the situation of agriculture cropping pattern by encouraging crop diversification and promote the use of drip and sprinkler methods of irrigation.

This review critically reassesses the analytical dichotomy between Macro and Micro-parameters to propose a validated, synergistic Data Fusion framework that bypasses the “Adulteration Gap” and the “Economic Wall” in global food systems. A systematic review was conducted utilizing a tiered search strategy across Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The methodology progressed from macro-level contextual filtering (drivers like the “Three Lethal Cs”) to micro-level technical validation of instrumental data, culminating in a nexus integration that cross-references socio-economic impacts with forensic protocols. The study identifies that traditional Macro analysis (proximate composition) is vulnerable to sophisticated fraud, as demonstrated by the melamine nitrogen loophole in milk. Conversely, Micro analysis (HPLC, IRMS) provides essential forensic specificity, identifying isotopic fingerprints in honey, but is often hindered by high operational costs. Industrial applications reveal that transitioning from “Lab” to “Line” via Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and utilizing Green Chemistry (NADES) effectively mitigates matrix interference and reduces waste. An integrated Nexus approach, employing rapid Macro-sensors as a first line of defense followed by targeted Microverification, provides a legally defensible and commercially viable standard. This framework contributes significantly to socio-economic protection, public health safety, and global environmental sustainability by bridging the divide between bulk composition and trace molecular integrity.

Objective – To analyze water, energy, and food security through the Nexus approach as a decision-making support tool aimed at enhancing climate resilience in the Mogi Guaçu River Basin. Methodology – Deductive research based on qualitative data published on the Brazilian government platform AdaptaBrasil MCTI. The study was conducted in three stages: data collection; analysis of information through georeferenced maps; and the proposal of adaptation measures based on the Nexus approach. Originality/relevance – The study integrates water, food, and energy security within the context of climate change, particularly in river basins. By highlighting mitigation measures with intersectoral impacts, it connects governance and regional planning themes. Results – The water sector was identified as the most threatened during drought periods. The proposed measures emphasize actions to foster climate education, improve water governance, and seek alternatives for agricultural production. Theoretical/methodological contributions – The adoption of the Nexus approach as a tool for integrated analysis and decision-making support. Methodological contribution using data made available on a public consultation platform for territorial diagnosis. Social and environmental contributions – The study proposes measures to strengthen cooperation between the analyzed sectors and to support climate resilience in river basins. It emphasizes the importance of integrated planning for environmental security and quality of life.

Integrating the Nexus approach in sludge management: co-composting wastewater sludge and green waste for enhanced forestry

Objective – Mapping community urban gardens in the city of São Paulo, focusing on areas of social vulnerability and Special Zones of Social Interest (ZEIS), and analyze them from the perspective of the integrated approach of the water-energy-food nexus and its relationship with food and nutritional (in)security. Methodology – This is a case study in the city of São Paulo. The methodology consisted of spatial mapping of community gardens and ZEIS using QGIS software (version 3.40.4), based on secondary data from the GeoSampa and Sampa+Rural platforms. The maps were analyzed interpretatively and critically, in conjunction with a literature review on food security and the Nexo approach. Originality/Relevance – This study addresses the theoretical gap in the application of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Approach to urban agriculture in peripheral areas. Its originality lies in investigating whether community gardens, located in areas of high social vulnerability, can be analyzed as an integrated strategy for optimizing resources and addressing food insecurity, a topic of academic and social relevance for sustainable urban planning. Results – The mapping identified 152 urban gardens in public spaces, of which 114 were classified as community gardens. These gardens are predominantly distributed in peripheral regions (South, East, and North Urban Zones), coinciding with favela and ZEIS areas, i.e., areas with greater socio-environmental vulnerability and food insecurity. The analysis concludes that, despite their good geographic distribution, it is assumed that the productive volume of these gardens is insufficient to significantly impact access to fresh food in these communities. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions – The study contributes theoretically by highlighting the relevance of urban agriculture as a potentially efficient system integrated into urban dynamics. Methodologically, it demonstrates the usefulness of geoprocessing tools (QGIS) and spatial data overlay for diagnosing and planning public policies for food security and urban planning. Social and Environmental Contributions – Urban community gardens, especially in public spaces, have the potential to promote food security, environmental education, grassroots organizing, and social inclusion in vulnerable areas. Furthermore, urban agriculture is recognized for its environmental benefits, such as urban drainage and heat island reduction. The study suggests that strengthening these gardens with more resources can shorten food distribution chains, reduce negative externalities (such as transportation costs and emissions), and increase their positive impacts on urban quality of life.

Abstract The overexploitation of environmental resources is at the core of the Triple Planetary Crisis of climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss. Addressing this interconnected crisis requires transformations across multiple sectors and systems. Among the main strategies adopted by signatory countries of the Paris Agreement are the energy, mobility, and circular economy transitions, which aim to decarbonise systems and promote sustainable resource management. Sustainability transitions (ST) research has largely maintained a technocentric focus, often overlooking the role of natural resource flows and the complexity of multi-system interactions, particularly in Global South contexts. This study advances the multi-system ST research agenda by integrating a Resource Nexus approach with the Multi-Level Perspective framework. Through a systematic literature review, the research identifies the key actors, landscapes, regimes, and niche innovations within Mexico’s energy, mobility, and circular economy sectors. The analysis reveals the centrality of the energy–material (waste)–climate nexus in shaping these transitions. Additionally, cross-cutting policy recommendations to support robust, coherent, and just transitions while avoiding negative environmental and social trade-offs are discussed. The study emphasises that aligning Mexico’s legal frameworks with circular economy principles and resource nexus thinking is essential in designing transition policies. Future research directions include quantifying the resource interactions, developing integrated governance strategies, and assessing the role and influence of international agreements in shaping national sustainability transitions and resource governance.

Abstract The Mediterranean Basin, already a water-scarcity hotspot, faces intensifying droughts and warming that strain the water–energy–food–ecosystems (WEFE) nexus. Climate impacts cascade across sectors, while siloed responses risk maladaptation. Nexus-based solutions—centred on water—can foster synergies and reduce trade-offs, with nature-based, socially inclusive, and clean energy strategies offering transformative potential. Yet governance, cooperation, and data gaps persist; closing these is vital to operationalize the nexus and advance regional sustainability.

The aim of this research was to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with the Water-Food-Ecosystem (WFE) Nexus approach in coastal river basins in Northeastern Pará and Eastern Amazonia. The methodology considered Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) axes 2, 6, 8, 10 and 13 through a Nexus indicator matrix. It involved a statistical analysis of distribution and correlation coefficients. The coefficient indicates the strength of the relationship and the presence of positive or negative correlations. The final distribution of the variables discussed was to zone the region into areas of higher and lower potential for water sustainability. The results showed significant variability in consumptive use along the water axis. Castanhal had the highest level of consumptive use due to its public water supply, which increased in line with population growth between 2000 and 2022 (r = 0.76), in accordance with SDG 6. In the food axis, fishing and aquaculture activities were prevalent in the coastal municipalities of Maracanã and São Caetano de Odivelas (SDGs 2 and 8). In the ecosystem axis, significant deforestation was observed (39.45% to 86.88%), accompanied by low environmental compliance. Regarding the relationship between water and food, only the proportion of rural properties with irrigation and temporary crops showed a significant negative correlation (r = −0.62). The results indicate the consolidation of measures pertaining to water security in the region, exerting a direct influence on food security and strategies employed for the administration of ecosystems imperative for the sustenance of multiple extractive communities in the region. The Nexus approach highlighted various challenges in the region, including poor environmental compliance, overuse of water and forest resources, degraded pastures, and underdeveloped socioeconomic indicators.

Assessment of water reuse and pico-scale hydropower systems in high-rise buildings: A water–energy–carbon nexus approach for urban sustainability

Business Models for phytoremediation-to-biofuel transformation ecosystems: A Stakeholder-Supply Chain Nexus approach

ABSTRACT The 2015 Constitution of Nepal embraces an integrated approach to water resource utilization with a focus on management, conservation and national investment in water resources based on people's participation and multi‐utility development of water. Against this conceptual backdrop, this discussion paper focuses on the policy and institutional dimensions and unveils the prospects of advancing WEFE nexus governance within Nepal's federal structure that has constitutionally devolved significant authority to sub‐national governments. Our analyses are informed by a review of policies and empirical insights from key informant interviews with state and non‐state actors and round table discussions. Findings show that persistent overlapping roles and responsibilities among the federal, provincial and local governments coupled with limited capacity and resources continue to thwart efforts towards strengthening WEFE nexus initiatives. There is an urgent need to sensitize stakeholders on the importance of transcending the sectoral approach and strengthening the administrative and technical capacities of federal, provincial, and local governments to facilitate integrated management and governance of WEFE resources for delivering equitable, sustainable, and resilient water (and other) services. Implementing pilot projects utilizing the WEFE nexus approach within local governance structures can yield valuable lessons for upscaling and outscaling the WEFE nexus approach.

In a context of climate change, the study of sustainability based on integrated approaches, such as the WEF Nexus (water-energy-food), has become important in assessing the efficiency of production systems. This article evaluates the sustainability of family livestock systems in Brazil's Pampa biome from the perspective of the WEF Nexus. The re-search was based on primary data collected through interviews with 83 family livestock farmers located in the Ibirapuitã River basin. The MESMIS methodology was used to construct 37 indicators, which were measured and compared between and within the WEF Nexus dimensions using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test for multiple comparisons. In an analysis between the dimensions, a significant difference was found between the averages of the sustainability indicators in the basin systems (p<0.01). The water dimension showed the highest level of sustainability, classified as “ideal”. Within the WEF Nexus, in the food dimension, a lower level of sustainability was found in the “marketing and consumption” indicators (p<0.05), classified as alert. In the energy dimension, the high level of sustainability in the use of mechanical energy in the systems stands out, in contrast to the alert situation in the use of thermal energy (p<0.05). Finally, in the water dimension, all the sustainability indicators are in an ideal situation. The study consolidated a methodology for assessing sustainability indicators based on the NEXUS approach, as well as identifying the main action points for improving the systems.