The role of water quality, particularly its impact on health, environment and wider well-being, are rarely acknowledged in the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus. Here we demonstrate the necessity to include water quality within the water dimension of the WEF nexus to address complex and multi-disciplinary challenges facing humanity. Firstly, we demonstrate the impact of water quality on the energy and food dimensions of the WEF nexus and vice versa at multiple scales, from households to cities, regions and transboundary basins. Secondly, we use examples to demonstrate how including water quality would have augmented and improved the WEF analysis and its application. Finally, we encourage hydrological scientists to promote relevant water quality research as addressing WEF nexus challenges. To make tangible progress, we propose that analysis of water quality interactions focuses initially on WEF nexus “hotspots,” such as cities, semi-arid areas, and areas dependent on groundwater or climate change-threatened meltwater.

International audience

We thank Arnbjerg-Nielsen and co-authors for their constructive contribution. We endorse their key comments and suggestions on how to increase awareness of and action on water quality interactions in the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus. Here, we advance the discussion, commenting on the scope of water quality to embrace ecosystem as well as human needs, and the importance of transdisciplinarity and focusing at the city/aquifer/drainage basin scale in WEF nexus hotspots in ensuring that water quality is considered in WEF nexus approaches. We also identify how recent global events, the COVID-19 pandemic and the 26th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 26), may intensify the WEF nexus and its water quality interlinkages, highlighting the need to weave WEF considerations into addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the climate and biodiversity emergencies.

Simon E. Cook, Tassilo T. Tiemann, M. Fisher, Larry W. Harrington, 'Food, water and poverty: basin and global scale patterns of water availability, use and its impacts on rural development (Abstract only)', 2014

The article takes hydro-development schemes in the Upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia as an example to discuss the suitability and shortcomings of nexus approaches for the analysis of complex socio-ecological transformations. Based on critical theoretical debates and extensive field research in Ethiopia, the paper broadens the nexus perspective by integrating the three analytical dimensions of time, space, and power. The empirical material comes from a case study of the Fincha-Amerti-Neshe scheme that was implemented in three consecutive stages over almost half a century, combining dams, hydro-power plants, large-scale sugar cane plantations, and a factory for sugar production. The empirical findings follow the historical stages of the scheme and their physical outcomes, which affected much more than just water, energy, and food. The paper explores socio-ecological transformations along the analytical dimensions of time, scale, and power. First, it views time and temporality as essential aspects of change and calls for a more systematic recognition of the historical context out of which development trajectories and current nexus situations have emerged. Second, it takes a cross-scalar perspective to explain how local land use is influenced by regional and global drivers. And third, it emphasizes the importance of asymmetric power structures to explain the dynamics of hydro-developments and their social consequences. In conclusion, the paper calls for a “nexus-plus” perspective that is more sensitive to the historical and cross-scalar embeddedness of hydro-development, and which enables more inclusive and fair governance of scarce resources.

This summary informs decision makers and planners at national and regional level about a potential approach to transition degraded drylands with available but saline groundwater, to irrigated legume production. It is also useful for extension planners and rural development groups (NGOs) | Hugo Remaury. (31/3/2013). Small-scale water desalination increases farm-level food security and income in the driest areas (Tunisia). Beirut, Lebanon: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

Since cyclones Sidr (2007) and Aila (2009), communities in southern Bangladesh have increasingly needed to protect their homes and livelihoods from destructive natural disasters. WorldFish embarked on a climate-resilient housing project in 2013, building a prototype climate-smart house that is resilient to cyclones and is also water, food, energy and space efficient. This brief describes how the climate-smart house provides protection against cyclones and flooding and supports efficient use of water and energy. Many features of the house are aimed at increasing food production and helping families become more self-sufficient and better able to cope with extreme weather events | Hossain, E., Nurun Nabi, S.M., Kaminski, A. (2015) Penang, Malaysia: WorldFish. Program Brief: 2015-27

Kabir, K.A., Saha, S.B., Phillips, M., Karim, M., Meisner, C.A. (2016) Global Aquaculture Advocate, online 22 Feb (open access) | The Southwestern coastal zone of Bangladesh is agro-based and one of the worldâ??s most populous, poverty-stricken and food-insecure regions, with high vulnerability to climate change. Shrimp aquaculture rapidly expanded in this tidal floodplain but shrimp is highly susceptible to disease, has less contribution in local consumption, and its profitability depends on international market prices, leading the demand for improving the farming system. There is an opportunity to diversify and increase system productivity by integrating rice with aquaculture during the monsoon season through adoption of some water management practices at an individual and community level. This also minimizes the effluent load of aquaculture intensification