Nexus Approach Research Articles

Implications for Humanitarian‐Development‐Peace Nexus (HDPN) implementation in forced migration context: A collaborative governance approach

AbstractMotivationThe Humanitarian‐Development‐Peace Nexus (HDPN) approach emphasizes the importance of collaboration. However, there is little exploration of HDPN from a collaborative governance perspective.PurposeThis study aims to analyse how the HDPN approach is applied in settings of forced migration and evaluate the application of Emerson et al.'s (2012) Integrative Framework for Collaborative Governance in these contexts. The focus is on how the four components of collaborative governance are covered in HDPN settings.Approaches and MethodsThe study examines 12 empirical HDPN studies in situations of forced migration. It uses the Integrative Framework for Collaborative Governance to evaluate the components of principled engagement, shared motivation, capacity for joint action and impact/adaptation.FindingsThe findings indicate that the framework is suitable for and relevant to the HDPN approach. Collaborative governance is shown to be necessary to improve cross‐sectoral co‐ordination, deal with complex and protracted crises, and achieve collective outcomes. The study also identified knowledge gaps and difficulties in implementing collaborative governance within HDPN.Policy ImplicationsThe study sets the groundwork for future research to develop comprehensive guidelines and best practices to implement the HDPN approach. It highlights the need for collaborative governance to improve the effectiveness of the HDPN approach in addressing the challenges of forced migration.

Environmental Management Accounting as a Mediator in the Impact of Innovations on Competitive Advantage: a Nexus Approach to the SDGs

Environmental Management Accounting as a Mediator in the Impact of Innovations on Competitive Advantage: a Nexus Approach to the SDGs

Integrating Wind Energy in Desalination: A Water-Food-Energy Nexus Approach in Dakhla, Morocco

This study explores the wind energy potential for a wind-powered desalination project in Dakhla, Morocco, by analyzing two models: the Weibull distribution and the WAsP model. Over two years of wind data were processed to estimate energy production, with the Weibull model offering a baseline and the WAsP model refining predictions with site-specific variables. The project, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), serves 219 agricultural estates over 5200 hectares and ensures potable water for Dakhla’s residents. The PPP framework promotes financial sustainability, with funding shared between public and private stakeholders, ensuring long-term viability in addressing the region’s water-energy needs.

Stakeholder perspectives on fostering the water-energy-food nexus in Jordan: lessons beyond agricultural water management

Abstract The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus is an integrated conceptual tool for achieving sustainable development especially for countries facing limitations in one or more of its three pillars. The approach relies on bringing different stakeholders from the water, agriculture and energy sectors together to collaboratively plan and adopt a holistic approach to resources management. This enables them to address sector-specific issues and develop a comprehensive understanding of the connected sectors leading to better outcomes. However, WEF nexus implementation is currently in its infancy in many countries and stakeholders are in the process of learning how to effectively communicate and collaborate with each other. In this paper, we report the state of the WEF nexus in Jordan, a dry country grappling with water, energy and food production challenges in a changing climate. Stakeholders from line ministries, academics, private sector players and non-state actors were brought together to discuss the status of the WEF nexus and identify challenges that need to be overcome for full realization of the WEF nexus as an operational framework for integrated development at country level. Stakeholders identified 7 cardinal lessons in the process of WEF nexus implementation in Jordan. These are that (i) data/information sharing is vital (ii) WEF nexus requires funding, (iii) collaborations among actors is key, (iv) inclusivity in planning is necessary, (v) clear responsibilities and boundaries among stakeholders are needed, (vi) sustainability and cohesion are a must and (vii) building trust among and within organizations is a primary ingredient for success. A deeper understanding of the interrelated dynamics of these challenges is required to foster the WEF nexus in Jordan as the issues are grave but not insurmountable. It is therefore suggested that deliberate efforts are needed from a technical and policy angle to ensure full operationalization of the WEF nexus approach in Jordan and elsewhere.

Disaster resilience of household-level food-energy-water nexus

This study examines the resilience and sustainability of household-level Food-Energy-Water (FEW) systems in the face of increasing natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. With the backdrop of escalating natural hazards and heightened vulnerabilities, this research explores innovative approaches to enhancing household resilience through the implementation of sustainable FEW systems such as rainwater harvesting, sand filtration, solar energy, geothermal energy, gas-powered and solar generators, hydroponic food production, and small greenhouses. Three primary scenarios, food disruption, energy scarcity, and water shortage are analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of various household-level FEW systems within a residential context. These systems are compared in terms of cost-effectiveness and performance, highlighting their capacity to supply essential needs during crises. The paper also introduces an integrated nexus approach, considering the interdependencies among food, energy, and water systems, and evaluates the compounded impact of simultaneous disruptions. This comprehensive analysis aims to provide actionable insights into the development of resilient infrastructures at a micro-scale, which can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of global environmental changes on local scales.

Urban FEW Nexus Model for the Otun River Watershed

The food–energy–water (FEW) nexus has emerged as an alternative for managing resources in the food, energy, and water systems. However, there are limited case studies applying this approach in the Latin American and Caribbean region. This region stands to benefit significantly from the FEW nexus approach due to its heavy reliance on hydropower for electricity generation and unevenly distributed and poorly managed water resources. In this study, an urban FEW nexus framework was used in the Otun River Watershed (ORW) to evaluate changes in food, energy, and water demand for four scenarios. Additionally, regional climate models (RCMs) were used to forecast water availability in the ORW from 2030–2039. The results show that water demand could increase by 16% and energy demand will increase by roughly 15% for scenario 2, while water demand in scenario 3 will likely remain unchanged in relation to the current conditions (base scenario). Enhancing water resources management in the ORW will involve a variety of measures, including: implementing practices to reduce water losses in distribution systems, developing green infrastructure and decentralized wastewater systems, and embracing urban and peri-urban farming. Successful application of urban FEW nexus solutions requires involvement from stakeholders across the food, energy, and water systems.

Towards sustainable land management in small islands: A Water-Energy-Food nexus approach.

The environmental and multi-sectoral challenges faced by small islands requires consideration of sustainability issues. The sustainability challenges in these regions involve in particular the achievement of a greater autonomy through the development of local resources. This is a complex system that encompasses interconnections between the resources available and the land use. In this article we focus on the study of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus, and propose an integrated and systemic approach to do so. Our contribution consists in studying food system sustainability of small islands by exploring the reciprocal influences between the valorization of local WEF resources and land use competition for various integrated WEF scenarios. Additionally, we integrate dietary behaviors and demonstrate their close interlinking with land use practices, and thus their impact on the potential for transitioning towards a more sustainable food system. To achieve this, we present a generic combined Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and robust optimization model. This model is then applied to Reunion island using collected real data. Our approach aims to assist local policymakers, at the island scale, by constructing insightful scenarios to facilitate informed decision-making. Our results highlight the need to save land space when developing local resources through effective land use management policies combined with a shift in food practices. This shift would imply in particular, to convert some of the sugarcane areas into subsistence farming. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of transitioning consumption practices under various integrated WEF scenarios, showcasing our model as an insightful decision-support tool.

Tackling soil erosion and contamination within the SDGs framework: a case study of the Erdenet copper-molybdenum mine

Mining operations in Mongolia have contributed significantly to national economic growth. However, the lack of adequate mine land rehabilitation practices has resulted in various forms of land degradation, including land cover change, soil erosion and contamination with heavy metals and metalloids. These issues have negatively affected ecosystems and posed potential risks to human health due to the interconnected relationships between land, water and human activities. This study focuses on the copper-molybdenum mining site of Erdenet, the oldest and one of the largest copper mines in Mongolia, to investigate the main drivers of soil degradation and evaluate effective rehabilitation strategies. By combining findings from our previous studies on soil erosion and contamination in the Erdenet area with a review of existing research, we assess key rehabilitation priorities. Taking a Nexus approach, this study explores the interconnections between environmental, economic and social sectors, emphasizing the importance of balancing mining activities with sustainable land management. The previous studies suggest that for the next 10–15 years, priorities should focus on tailings storage facility rehabilitation and soil contamination remediation, while longer-term goals include developing sustainable environmental management strategies that foster cooperation between mining corporations and local communities, enforce regulations and improve monitoring in the Erdenet mining area. The study aligns these priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals, offering science-based recommendations for managing soil erosion and reducing contamination.

Old Wine in New Bottles? A Triple Nexus Approach to Linking Aid Cooperation to Peacebuilding on the Korean Peninsula

ABSTRACT This article examines the utility of the Triple (Humanitarian, Development, Peace) Nexus in linking aid cooperation to peacebuilding by conducting a case study on the Korean peninsula. Since the 1990s, humanitarian and development cooperation in North Korea has raised hopes that such cooperation could contribute to peacebuilding on the Korean Peninsula. However, these aid efforts have been marked by significant fluctuations due to heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula. This study employs a qualitative methodology, including problem-centred expert interviews with former/current officials from the UN, and European aid agencies, who are considered relatively neutral, and the US and South Korean aid agencies, whose countries are main parties in the Korean conflict. Drawing on the interrelated theoretical insights of contact theory and strategic peacebuilding, the findings suggest that aid actors have different strategic advantages and disadvantages in operationalizing the Triple Nexus, according to their positionalities concerning the protracted Korean conflict context. We argue that for the Triple Nexus to represent more than a mere rebranding of contentious efforts to connect aid and peacebuilding, it requires, not only the recognition of potential comparative advantages of different sectors, but also the understanding of strategic advantages and disadvantages of actors with different positionalities.

Resource Nexus for decision-making: an industry-community synergistic approach for textile wastewater management

ABSTRACT Although the textile industry is crucial to economic development, it is a significant polluter of global water sources through its wastewater discharge, which endangers aquatic ecosystems and neighboring communities. This study focuses on stakeholder perceptions from farming and fishing communities related to wastewater management in the Bangladesh textile industry. Using focus group discussions with stakeholders that focused on sustainability values and a Resource Nexus framing, the results emphasise the adverse effects of textile wastewater on neighbouring communities, spanning agriculture, livestock, and ecological resources. The findings also underscore a significant need for collaboration between the textile industry and neighbouring communities, emphasising the ongoing obligation of governance resources, such as monitoring, regulations, and proactive measures and advocates for engaging different stakeholders in the formulation of robust policies, stringent regulations, and concerted efforts across industry, government, and communities to deliver improved governmental monitoring, enforcement of regulations and transparency in wastewater management practices in the textile industry of Bangladesh. The study suggests that a Water-Energy-Ecosystems-Food (WEEF) Resource Nexus approach can enhance decision-making, promoting sustainable energy infrastructure, encourage increased treated wastewater reuse, and facilitate effective management for environmental resilience and socio-ecological systems sustainability. This study contributes valuable insights elicited from a WEEF Resource Nexus approach, offering guidance for policymakers, industry practitioners, and researchers in the textile industry and beyond, aiding in the understanding of resilient industry-community ecosystems.

The Food‑Energy‑Water Nexus Optimization: A Systematic Literature Review

The sudden rise in population and the need to sustain natural resources have subjected many researchers to another dimension of an interesting study, such as integrating food, energy and water into a single entity. Tampering with natural resources, especially food, energy, or water, could be an aspect that hinders the requirement to meet the world’s growing city needs. The food-energy-water nexus has become even more difficult due to agricultural globalization, the essential task of which is to secure regional food and water. Therefore, the systematic literature review in this article critically investigates food interactions with energy and water optimization for sustainable development and illustrates the key points, networks, and gaps within this literature. The databases from Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were the key retrieved data in this study from 2010 to 2024. A total of 641 research journals, book chapters and conference papers were systematically reviewed. The results based on country mapping analysis strongly favour advanced countries, for example, Germany, the United States , and the United Kingdom, recording almost more than 40% of published articles; while China, including other developing countries, record more than 5% of food-energy-water nexus research. In addition, several food-energy-water nexus articles are restricted to about one-quarter of subject categories, such as water resources, environmental sciences and green sustainable science technology. The results also depicted that the food-energy-water nexus method encourages inter-sectoral and multilevel governance, scholarly and private sector, thereby supporting the intricacies and inadequacies in attaining the sustainable development goals. The prioritization of the food-energy-water nexus approach, particularly during the incident of COVID-19, can be a complete method to sustainably exploit natural resources to support the attainment of environmental sustainability. Thus, studying the integration of food, energy and water would produce better knowledge in advancing the flexibility of natural resources and decreasing multifaceted global poverty.

Risk Assessment of Urban Water and Energy Supply Using Copula Function: A Water–Energy Nexus Approach in an Arid City

Planning for the future of water and energy supply systems in urban areas requires a thorough assessment of associated risks. In this study, monthly water and energy demand data from 2011 to 2022 in an arid city was used to predict the corresponding demands from 2023 to 2032 using the seasonal auto-regressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) method. The aim is to estimate future water and energy supply risks both individually and jointly, using cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) derived from historical data. The main focus is to calculate the combined risk of water and energy, referred to as the water–energy nexus (WEN) risk. Based on the interdependent relationship between water and energy, the Copula function was utilized to model the bivariate distribution between these two variables. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a strong correlation between water and energy supplies. Among the distributions fitted to the data, the log-normal and gamma distributions were the best fit for water supply and energy supply systems, respectively, with the lowest Akaike information criterion (AIC) values. The Gumbel Copula, with a parameter of 1.66, was identified as the most suitable for modeling the joint distribution, yielding the lowest AIC value. The results indicate that the risks associated with energy supply, water supply, and their joint dependency could exceed 0.8% in the future, highlighting a potentially critical situation for the city. The trend analysis revealed that forecasted water and energy demands and their corresponding risks and the WEN risk are expected to have a significant upward trend in the future. Finally, local authorities need to explore alternative sources to supply water and energy in the future to address the ever-growing water and energy demands.

Water–Energy Nexus-Based Optimization of the Water Supply Infrastructure in a Dryland Urban Setting

Managing water supply systems is essential for developing countries to face climate variability in dryland settings. This is exacerbated by high energy costs for pumping, water losses due to aging infrastructures, and increasing demand driven by population growth. Therefore, optimizing the available resources using a water–energy nexus approach can increase the reliability of the water distribution network by saving energy for distributing the same water. This study proposes a methodology that optimizes the Water Distribution Network (WDN) and its management that can be replicated elsewhere, as it is developed in a data-scarce area. Indeed, this approach shows the gathering of WDN information and a model to save energy by optimizing pump schedules, which guarantee water distribution at minimal operational costs. The approach integrates a genetic algorithm to create pumping patterns and the EPANET hydraulic simulator to test their reliability. The methodology is applied for a water utility in the dryland urban setting of Lodwar, Turkana County, Kenya. The results indicate a potential reduction in energy costs by 50% to 57% without compromising the supply reliability. The findings highlight the potential of WEN-based solutions in enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of data-scarce water utilities in dryland ecosystems.

Assessing the Impacts of Nature-Based Solutions on Ecosystem Services: A Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus Approach in the Nima River Sub-Basin (Colombia)

Forest ecosystem services are critical for maintaining ecological balance and supporting human well-being from different perspectives. However, rapid land use changes driven by agricultural expansion, urbanization, and industrial activities have significantly altered forest ecosystems, degrading the services they provide. We here conduct an ecosystem service assessment through biophysical and economic estimates for a multipurpose Andean water sub-basin in western Colombia. We compare a business as usual (BAU) with a forest nature-based solution (NbS) scenario focused on forest landscape restoration. The research employed participatory methods for the NbS selection and economic valuation techniques to evaluate water flow regulation, water provisioning, water purification, and food provisioning services. Results show that the NbS scenario yielded a net positive economic impact across most evaluated ecosystem services, with notable trade-offs. Specifically, the NbS scenario increased water retention by 2.9% compared to BAU. Water flow regulation demonstrated the most substantial economic benefit, increasing by EUR 11.39 million/year in the NbS scenario. On the other hand, the food provisioning service presented a reduction of EUR 3.2 million/year in the NbS scenario. These findings highlight the potential of forest-based NbS to address the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus challenges. The study’s outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, supporting the development of Payment for Ecosystem Services schemes and integrating ecosystem service valuation into land use planning and decision-making processes.

Implementing the Resource Nexus approach: the contribution of internationalising German businesses

The Resource Nexus is an approach to sustainably manage environmental resources by considering the interlinkages, trade-offs and synergies between them. While a lot is known about this Resource Nexus framework and the impact this has on sustainable development and politics, far less is known about the technological, economic, and political situation required for the implementation of this approach. This paper considers the role of international business cooperation between German and Sub-Saharan African firms in facilitating this implementation. It explores the major barriers faced by German businesses looking to work in Sub-Saharan Africa and analyses the work of the German Außenhandelskammern (German Chambers of Commerce Abroad) as a replacement for the networks that are commonly seen as vital to business internationalisation. The findings have far-reaching implications for German and Sub-Saharan African politics, for business practices, and for the work of intermediary organisations looking to facilitate the internationalisation, as well as for those actors looking to implement a Resource Nexus approach across the world.

The Water–Energy Nexus in 26 European Countries: A Review from a Hydrogeological Perspective

The significance of the interconnection between water and energy, known as the water–energy (WE) nexus, is highly regarded in scientific publications. This study used a narrative review method to analyze the existing WE nexus studies performed before 2024 in 26 European countries. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the existing WE nexus to identify research gaps and to report a conceptual overview of energy consumption related to groundwater use phases, ranging from the tapping to distribution. This information is valuable as a guideline for any future estimates in this field. The results indicate that the WE nexus in 26 European countries comprises a variety of topics, including the water supply system, wastewater treatment, hydropower, desalination, and biofuel production. Most of the focus has been on fossil fuel production, while water supply and desalination were considered rarely. Italy and Portugal had the largest WE nexus. It is highlighted that there have been no studies on the WE nexus focusing on the groundwater supply system that consider the conceptual hydrological model or hydrodynamic processes. In this work, a view of these aspects was provided by taking into account different hydrogeological and hydraulic scenarios that may affect the amount of energy required for groundwater exploitation. Most scientific publications have focused on quantitative analysis. In the future, it will be necessary for WE nexus models to place a greater emphasis on governance and the implications of the WE nexus approach.

Sustainability Nexus AID: landslides and land subsidence

Landslides and land subsidence pose significant threats that are both existing and growing in nature. These complex phenomena should not be considered in isolation but rather as interconnected challenges. To effectively understand and mitigate them, a data-driven nexus approach is necessary. Recognizing the importance of addressing this issue comprehensively, the United Nations University has launched the Sustainability Nexus Analytics, Informatics and Data Programme, a comprehensive initiative that intends to enable the nexus approach to problem solving in coupled human–environment systems. This paper provides a detailed background on the Programme’s “Landslides and Land Subsidence Module”, underscoring the crucial need for a nexus approach. Additionally, it highlights some of the tools and strategies that can be employed to tackle the challenges at hand. The success of this initiative hinges on active participation from various stakeholders. By embracing a holistic approach and fostering collaboration, we can strive towards better preparedness and long-term resilience against landslides and land subsidence.

Experimental and theoretical insights into bioethanol recovery: Valorizing waste PET bottles for sustainable pervaporation membranes

The use of bioethanol as an alternative source of fuel could solve energy and pollution concerns. However, its conventional recovery procedures make the overall process costly and energy intensive. Membrane-based pervaporation (PV) has gained significant attention in recent years. Most membranes that purify bioethanol are fabricated from conventional fossil-based polymers. This study presents the first work for biofuel separation by valorizing waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into PV membranes. The performance of the membrane was characterized in terms of FTIR, XRD, TGA, WCA, SEM, and AFM and tested for a 10 wt% ethanol–water feed mixture at different temperatures. The mild hydrophobic character of PET allowed the PV membrane to achieve a separation factor of 10.45, a total flux of 1.7 kg m−2h−1, and a pervaporation separation index (PSI) of 18.72 at 45 °C. The recycled PET membrane (rPET) has higher mass transfer resistance for water compared to ethanol. The density functional theory (DFT) analysis confirms a stronger affinity of PET membrane towards ethanol than water. The results showed that rPET membranes have competitive performance compared to conventional fossil-based derived membranes. This study explores an energy-environment nexus approach, which could significantly contribute to achieving the key United Nations’ sustainable development goals.

Watersheds Governance Optimizing Water-Energy-Food Nexus Approach Across Water Users and Watershed Scales

Watersheds Governance Optimizing Water-Energy-Food Nexus Approach Across Water Users and Watershed Scales

A Water-Energy-Carbon Nexus Approach for the Optimal Design and Configuration of Green Roofs and Photovoltaic Systems

A Water-Energy-Carbon Nexus Approach for the Optimal Design and Configuration of Green Roofs and Photovoltaic Systems