The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus recognizes the interdependence of natural resources to depict underlying synergies and trade-offs between the three sectors. This study applies a WEF nexus framework to Lebanon as a case study, which has defined an updated national water strategy, agriculture strategy, and a renewable energy plan. As the country aims to navigate its development prospects, this study assesses the impact of various crop-to-land allocation possibilities, then applies a WEF nexus framework to evaluate the impacts of the three interlinked strategies. Results aim to guide coordinated policy dialogue by showing potential competition and highlighting co-sectoral synergy opportunities.
This article analyses the water crisis in the central region of Zacatecas, Mexico, by adopting a hydrosocial territorial approach that brings into dialogue the notions of water grabbing as enclosure and hydroextractivism as ongoing rent extraction. We argue that the crisis is not fundamentally the result of absolute water scarcity, but rather the outcome of the historical production of an extractive hydrosocial territory, characterized by chronic groundwater overexploitation, water contamination, and unequal allocation. The proposed Milpillas dam is therefore unlikely to overcome the crisis. Accordingly, we examine non-supply-side alternatives through the lens of soft-water paths.
As climate change intensifies water-related challenges, the EU adopts an increasing number of climate change adaptation measures to ensure water security. Because water systems are interconnected, isolated measures are insufficient. This paper examines both vertical and horizontal coordination of adaptation measures in EU water law. It explores wastewater reuse to evaluate coordination between the relevant EU legislation and the implementing legislation of water-stressed Malta. We show that Malta has achieved coordination by prioritizing measures that expand water supply over those reducing demand, made possible by the ambiguities in the EU regulatory framework and the soft nature of the water hierarchy.
