The water-energy-food nexus

Foresight for research and innovation in the context of climate change - Study

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The water, energy and food sectors are strongly inter-connected, and actions in one sector have marked impacts on the other two. Ensuring the availability and affordability of water, food and energy is of vital strategic importance. Climate-change affects the available options by influencing the challenges and opportunities for governments, industries and the economy and society at large. In this same line, the EU research funding instrument Horizon 2020 highlights the strong over-arching character of the climate change and sustainable development challenges and intends to devote a substantial... part of its overall resources accordingly. The present ‘Study on water, energy and food Nexus: research and innovation in the context of climate change’ aims to identify the openings for the EU to create a resilient low carbon economy, in preparedness for climate change, by anticipating the early signals and potential for key research and innovation to guide policy and decision making. The study has combined the analysis of the state of the art with the consultation and contrasting with more than 200 experts through different methods (interviews, Delphi study and validation workshop). Besides the research priorities of each axis of the nexus (detailed in chapters 5, 6 and 7), emerging priorities (detailed in chapter 8) have been suggested. However, these priorities will not reach their potential unless research and innovation policies are in place. As presented in chapter 9, the experts suggested transversal aspects that could drive positive impacts on the water-energy-food nexus and their potential to catalyse business opportunities.