What is the WEF Nexus?
It is broadly understood that water, energy, and food securities are inextricably linked, with usage within one sector influencing the use and availability in the adjacent sectors. Consequently, achieving water, energy and food security will be possible by considering the interdependencies between the sectors.
The term ‘nexus’ refers to linkages and connections between various elements. The WEF nexus is broadly defined as an approach that considers the interactions, synergies and trade-offs of water, energy, and food when undertaking the management of these resources.
This intersectoral approach to sustainable development proposes that, instead of focusing on water, energy and food systems separately, governance of resource use and service provision should address the interconnections between the three sectors.
Over the years multiple frameworks for assessing WEF nexus have been developed. These frameworks largely focus on resource flows, technical dimensions and management of resources. Recently, there has been a great emphasis to focus on the political dimension of these three sectors.
