Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Asia-Pacific Region

Water, energy, and food are among the most important and fundamental resources for human beings and society. Despite the large potential for efficiency and reduction of losses, the demand for these resources is likely to increase due to population growth, changes in lifestyles, climate change, and other aspect of global change. The strong interconnectedness of these three vital resources has been termed the “Nexus” in the scientific literature in recent years. While many papers claim its fundamental importance, few provide specific ideas on how to deal with this Nexus in practice. This paper introduces twenty case-studies that are highlighted in this special issue that explore the practice of the Nexus and its scientific basis with particular focus on the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Asia-Pacific Region.