Your search found 20 records
1 Salam, P. A.; Shrestha, S.; Pandey, Vishnu Prasad; Anal, A. K. (Eds.) 2017. Water-energy-food nexus: principles and practices. NJ, USA: Wiley; Washington, USA: American Geophysical Union (AGU). 252p.
Water resources ; Water management ; Energy resources ; Food resources ; Food security ; Nexus ; Development policy ; Policy making ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Developing countries ; International cooperation ; International waters ; River basins ; Rural areas ; Climate change ; Carbon footprint ; Crop production ; Rice ; Cultivation ; Research institutions ; Riverbanks ; Filtration ; Case studies / South Asia / South Africa / Western Asia / USA / Southeast Nepal / Tanzania / Uganda / Rwanda / Burundi / Democratic Republic of the Congo / Kenya / Ethiopia / Eritrea / South Sudan / Republic of the Sudan / Egypt / Bangladesh / California / Nile Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048731)
2 Shrestha, S.; Adhikari, S. 2017. Assessment of water, energy, and carbon footprints of crop production: a case study from Southeast Nepal. In Salam, P. A.; Shrestha, S.; Pandey, V. P.; Anal, A. K. (Eds.). Water-energy-food nexus: principles and practices. Indianapolis, IN, USA: Wiley. pp.181-190.
Crop production ; Water resources ; Food security ; Energy resources ; Irrigation systems ; Cereal crops ; Rice ; Maize ; Wheat ; Carbon footprint ; Seasonal cropping ; Monsoon climate ; Land use ; Agriculture ; Soil types ; Emission / Southeast Nepal
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048747)
3 Shah, Tushaar. 2018. Kick-starting the Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan. Economic and Political Weekly, 53(34):13-16.
Solar energy ; Farmers ; Farm income ; Groundwater ; Energy generation ; Carbon footprint ; Economic aspects ; Crop production / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048876)
The Union Budget 2018 announced the Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, a scheme to replace diesel pumps and grid-connected electric tube wells for irrigation with solar irrigation pumps, including a buy-back arrangement for farmers’ surplus solar energy at a remunerative price. KUSUM can be a game changer as it can check groundwater over-exploitation, offer farmers uninterrupted daytime power supply, reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture, curtail the farm power subsidy burden, and provide a new source of risk-free income for farmers.
4 Ulucak, R.; Kassouri, Y.; Ilkay, S. C.; Altintas, H.; Garang, A. P. M. 2020. Does convergence contribute to reshaping sustainable development policies?: insights from Sub-Saharan Africa. Ecological Indicators, 112:106140. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106140]
Sustainable Development Goals ; Environmental sustainability ; Ecological factors ; Policy making ; Carbon footprint ; Carbon dioxide ; Emission ; Indicators ; Models / Africa South of Sahara
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049642)
(0.67 MB)
This study examines environmental convergence in ecological footprint and its sub-components in a region subjected to rapid degradation of environmental conditions and, where environmental conservation significantly remains unpopular in both government policy priorities and academic literature. This is expected to contribute to policy-shaping in the region in terms of sustainable development goals and global climate protocols. To this end, the study employs a sophisticated methodological approach (log t regression) that accounts for slope heterogeneity using a pool of inclusive environmental parameters to test convergence among different sub-components. Results show that ecological footprint and its sub-components do not converge as a whole and several clubs are determined for each sub-component except forest-land and built-up-land footprints. Given the importance of achieving sustainable development goals and struggling with environmental threats collectively, this study highlights the importance of differentiated liabilities for countries.
5 Rajan, Abhishek; Ghosh, Kuhelika; Shah, Ananya. 2020. Carbon footprint of India’s groundwater irrigation. Carbon Management, 11(3):265-280. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17583004.2020.1750265]
Carbon footprint ; Groundwater irrigation ; Energy consumption ; Climate ; Nexus ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Groundwater table ; Shallow tube wells ; Deep tube wells ; Pumping ; Pumps ; Electricity supplies ; Subsidies / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049660)
(3.02 MB)
India has an intricate nexus of groundwater irrigation, energy and climate. Subsidized electricity supply has led to unregulated groundwater pumping, causing a decrease in groundwater level and increase in carbon emissions. This complex nexus necessitates estimation of carbon emissions from groundwater irrigation. The study uses actual pumping data on 20.5 million groundwater structures from the Fifth Minor Irrigation Census (reference year 2013–14) to estimate carbon emissions. The estimates show that groundwater irrigation emits 45.3–62.3 MMT of carbon annually, contributing 8–11% of India’s total carbon emission. This analysis shows deep tubewells have a huge carbon footprint, and their growing number is a serious environmental concern. Spatial analysis reveals India’s western and peninsular region, which houses 85% of the country’s over-exploited groundwater blocks, contributes most to carbon emission. Moreover, this region hosts 27 districts which are groundwater–energy–climate nexus hotspots, together accounting for 34% of carbon emissions from groundwater irrigation. Comparison with the previous estimate reveals that carbon emission from groundwater irrigation nearly doubled between 2000 and 2013. Findings of this study are vital to the discourse on the increasing environmental costs of groundwater pumping in the country and will contribute to carbon emission mitigation strategies.
6 Chen, R.; Zhang, R.; Han, H. 2021. Where has carbon footprint research gone?. Ecological Indicators, 120:106882. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.106882]
Carbon footprint ; Research ; Climate change ; Bibliometric analysis ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Carbon dioxide ; Livestock ; Milk production ; Food consumption ; Household consumption ; Indicators ; Case studies
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050107)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X20308207/pdfft?md5=d8d7b102429faa0c860f3db10fd42069&pid=1-s2.0-S1470160X20308207-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050107.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050107.pdf
(3.47 MB) (3.47 MB)
Carbon footprint (CF) stands for a professional term is widely used in the public domain to cope with the threat posed by climate change. With obtained 9848 records of literature information from the database of Web of Science, a bibliometric analysis was implemented to judge the knowledge domain structure and evolution of frontiers in CF research by using the CiteSpace to make up for the lack of previous reviews. The results showed that the CF research was concentrated in the fields of Engineering, Environmental sciences ecology, Science technology other topics, Energy fuels, Computer science and Business economics, and there is a significant cooperative relationship between researchers, especially those with a high volume of publications. The regional layout of intercontinental CF research forces was Europe, North America, and Asia, while that between countries were the United States of America, China, England, Australia and Italy, specifically, the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed the core force of CF research with a high volume of publications and strong cooperation with international institutions. The debate and application of CF accounting method, Case Studies of CF for livestock and its products production, CF estimation for the final consumption of goods and services, Impact of human food consumption on the climate change, Application of Footprint Family for sustainable development, and CF estimation for household consumption and its drivers were the emerging CF research fronts in historical evolution. Therefore, the CF research has its own characteristics in terms of spatial and temporal layout, cooperation intensity and knowledge hierarchy, and the related topics of cross-application of agriculture and energy are becoming the potential frontier of future research. This work not only provides the possible innovative directions, but also a reliable reference for the rapid and comprehensive understanding of CF research for the novices.
7 Kashyap, D.; Agarwal, T. 2021. Carbon footprint and water footprint of rice and wheat production in Punjab, India. Agricultural Systems, 186:102959. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102959]
Carbon footprint ; Water footprint ; Crop production ; Rice ; Wheat ; Irrigated farming ; Crop residues ; Nitrogen fertilizers ; Policies ; Assessment ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Mitigation ; Water use ; Groundwater irrigation ; Agroclimatic zones ; Models ; Farm surveys / India / Punjab
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050133)
(1.80 MB)
Carbon footprint and water footprint assessments can be powerful tools to guide sustainable food production systems. The present study simultaneously quantified the carbon footprint (CF) and water footprint (WF) of rice and wheat production in the five agro-climatic zones of Punjab, India using farm survey data. Further, the variability in CF among the five agro-climatic zones and farm sizes was analysed. The carbon footprint per unit area of rice and wheat was found to be 8.80 ± 5.71 and 4.18 ± 1.13 t CO2eq/ha respectively. The CF per tonne of rice and wheat was 1.20 ± 0.70 and 0.83 ± 0.23 t CO2eq/t respectively. Large farms had 39% lower CF per tonne of rice compared to small farms. Residue burning, direct methane emissions and fertilizer use were the most important factors that contributed to the CF of rice and wheat production in Punjab. Nitrogen fertilizer use was identified as the major hotspot for mitigation. The average WF of rice and wheat was found to be 1097 and 871 m3/t respectively. A disparity between CROPWAT estimates of blue WF and actual blue water use was established indicating the need for actual blue WF accounting, particularly for flood irrigated crop production. Additionally, policy measures based on ground situation are discussed and the major role of local government policies in mitigating carbon and water footprint is highlighted.
8 Santra, P. 2021. Performance evaluation of solar PV pumping system for providing irrigation through micro-irrigation techniques using surface water resources in hot arid region of India. Agricultural Water Management, 245:106554. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106554]
Solar energy ; Photovoltaic systems ; Pumping ; Irrigation water ; Microirrigation ; Irrigation systems ; Arid zones ; Water resources ; Surface water ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Carbon footprint ; Techniques ; Irradiation ; Sprinklers ; Performance evaluation ; Costs / India / Rajasthan / Jodhpur
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050157)
(8.99 MB)
Solar PV pumping system for irrigation purpose has been gained importance in recent times considering its environmental friendly characteristics and to reduce the dependency on fossil fuel based energy sources for pumping. In general, 3 HP and 5 HP capacity solar PV pumping systems are used for irrigation purpose in India. However, large capacity pumps are often also used to lift groundwater resources, which may lead to further depletion of ground water table. Keeping in mind these constraints, performance of small sized solar PV pumps of 1 HP capacity was evaluated to lift and irrigate shallow water resources using pressurized irrigation systems. Experimental observations revealed that 1 HP solar PV pumping system either AC or DC type could successfully be used to operate mini-sprinklers, micro-sprinklers and drippers with good irrigation uniformity. Further, a self-sustainable module for sustainable use of water and energy was designed in which both water and energy are harvested and recycled. Life cycle cost analysis showed that 1 HP (DC) solar PV pumping system was slightly cheaper than corresponding AC pumping system. Even, the carbon footprint of 1 HP solar PV pumping systems is quite lower (0.009 kg CO2-eq ha-mm-1) than grid-connected electric pumps (1.214 kg CO2-eq ha-mm-1) and diesel operated pumps (0.382 kg CO2-eq ha-mm-1). Therefore, 1 HP solar PV pumping systems could be a feasible solution for small and marginal farmers in the context of water scarcity situation in near future and to mitigate the climate change effects in agricultural farms.
9 Li, M.; Li, H.; Fu, Q.; Liu, D.; Yu, L.; Li, T. 2021. Approach for optimizing the water-land-food-energy nexus in agroforestry systems under climate change. Agricultural Systems, 192:103201. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103201]
Water resources ; Land resources ; Food security ; Energy ; Nexus ; Agroforestry systems ; Climate change ; Water allocation ; Water supply ; Water use efficiency ; Irrigation water ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Carbon footprint ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Models / China / Heilongjiang
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050518)
(6.00 MB)
CONTEXT: Agroforestry systems are widely promoted for their economic and environmental benefits. Food, energy, water and land resources in agroforestry systems are inextricably intertwined and expected to be severely impacted by climate change. Socioeconomic development and increasing populations have posed unique challenges for meeting the demand for food, energy, water and land, and the challenge will become more pressing under projected resource shortages and eco-environmental deterioration. Thus, a method of optimizing and sustainably managing the water-land-food-energy nexus in agroforestry systems under climate change must be developed.
OBJECTIVE: This paper develops an optimization model framework for the sustainable management of limited water-land-food-energy resources in agroforestry systems under climate change. The aims are to (1) quantify the interactions and feedbacks within water, land, food and energy subsystems; (2) provide trade-offs among water and energy utilization efficiency, economic benefits and environmental protection in agroforestry systems; and (3) generate optimal policy options among water and land resources for different crops and woodlands in different regions under different climate change patterns.
METHODS: The model framework is based on multiobjective fractional programming, and compromise programming is used to solve it. Climate change patterns are obtained from atmospheric circulation models and representative concentration pathways. The above aims are investigated through an actual nexus management problem in northeast China. Spatiotemporal meteorological and report-based databases, life cycle assessments, Pearson correlation analyses, data envelopment analyses and analytic hierarchy processes are integrated to realize practical application.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that climate variation will change the water and land allocation patterns and these changes will be more pronounced for major grain-producing areas. The optimized water allocation decreased (especially for rice, e.g., the optimal average value of the irrigation quota of rice was 4226 m3/ha, while the corresponding actual irrigation requirement of rice was [4200–7200] m3/ha) to improve the water use efficiency, and surface water allocation accounted for two-thirds. Maize had the largest planting area, although planting soybean generated the most greenhouse gases (greenhouse gas emissions from field activities for rice, maize, and soybean were 43.46%, 84.06% and 91.16%, respectively); However, these gases can be absorbed by forests. The model improved the harmonious degree of the resource-economy-environment system from 0.24 to 0.56 after optimization.
SIGNIFICANCES: Integrated models contribute to the sustainable management of water, food, energy and land resources and can consider the complex dynamics under climate change. It can be used as a general model and extended to other agroforestry systems that show inefficient agricultural production.
OBJECTIVE: This paper develops an optimization model framework for the sustainable management of limited water-land-food-energy resources in agroforestry systems under climate change. The aims are to (1) quantify the interactions and feedbacks within water, land, food and energy subsystems; (2) provide trade-offs among water and energy utilization efficiency, economic benefits and environmental protection in agroforestry systems; and (3) generate optimal policy options among water and land resources for different crops and woodlands in different regions under different climate change patterns.
METHODS: The model framework is based on multiobjective fractional programming, and compromise programming is used to solve it. Climate change patterns are obtained from atmospheric circulation models and representative concentration pathways. The above aims are investigated through an actual nexus management problem in northeast China. Spatiotemporal meteorological and report-based databases, life cycle assessments, Pearson correlation analyses, data envelopment analyses and analytic hierarchy processes are integrated to realize practical application.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results show that climate variation will change the water and land allocation patterns and these changes will be more pronounced for major grain-producing areas. The optimized water allocation decreased (especially for rice, e.g., the optimal average value of the irrigation quota of rice was 4226 m3/ha, while the corresponding actual irrigation requirement of rice was [4200–7200] m3/ha) to improve the water use efficiency, and surface water allocation accounted for two-thirds. Maize had the largest planting area, although planting soybean generated the most greenhouse gases (greenhouse gas emissions from field activities for rice, maize, and soybean were 43.46%, 84.06% and 91.16%, respectively); However, these gases can be absorbed by forests. The model improved the harmonious degree of the resource-economy-environment system from 0.24 to 0.56 after optimization.
SIGNIFICANCES: Integrated models contribute to the sustainable management of water, food, energy and land resources and can consider the complex dynamics under climate change. It can be used as a general model and extended to other agroforestry systems that show inefficient agricultural production.
10 Samberger, C. 2022. The role of water circularity in the food-water-energy nexus and climate change mitigation. Energy Nexus, 6:100061. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexus.2022.100061]
Foods ; Water footprint ; Energy generation ; Nexus approaches ; Climate change mitigation ; Circular economy ; Sustainability ; Renewable energy ; Energy recovery ; Sustainable Development Goals ; Water use ; Water treatment ; Carbon footprint ; Freshwater ; Population ; Wastewater treatment plants ; Sewage
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051361)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772427122000249/pdfft?md5=95703584a27d4c6fc5c7ad5230256bc3&pid=1-s2.0-S2772427122000249-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051361.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051361.pdf
(2.39 MB) (2.39 MB)
By 2050, the global Earth population will reach 10 billion, leading to increased water, food, and energy needs. Availability of water in sufficient quantities and appropriate quality is a prerequisite for human societies and natural ecosystems. In many parts of the world, excessive water consumption and pollution by human activities put enormous pressure on this availability as well as on food and energy security, environmental quality, economic development, and social well-being. Water, food/materials, and energy are strongly interlinked, and the choices made in one area often have consequences on the others. This is commonly referred to as the “water-food-energy” nexus. These interconnections intensify as the demand for resources increases with population growth and changing consumption patterns, and Humanity continues using a linear economy model of ‘take-make-dispose’. The nexus makes it difficult for governments, public and private organizations, and the public, to set and follow a clear path towards a sustainable economy i.e., “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Humanity best chance at mitigating climate change, and shortage of resources is to harness the value of water as much as possible.
This paper reviews the latest publications about the water-food-energy nexus and climate change, putting numbers into perspective, attempting to explain why water circularity is part of the key factors to accelerate the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy, and to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and how circularity can be implemented in the water sector.
This paper reviews the latest publications about the water-food-energy nexus and climate change, putting numbers into perspective, attempting to explain why water circularity is part of the key factors to accelerate the transition from a linear economy to a circular economy, and to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and how circularity can be implemented in the water sector.
11 Kizhisseri, M. I.; Mohamed, M. M.; Hamouda, M. A. 2022. A mixed-integer optimization model for water sector planning and policy making in arid regions. Water Resources and Industry, 28:100193. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wri.2022.100193]
Water supply ; Water resources ; Water management ; Models ; Sustainability ; Arid regions ; Infrastructure ; Water demand ; Waste water treatment plants ; Decision making ; Environmental impact ; Economic value ; Carbon footprint ; Drinking water ; Integrated water resources management ; Policy making ; Case studies / United Arab Emirates / Abu Dhabi
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051561)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212371722000269/pdfft?md5=4d05b66377e0e6c1e30182bb85952d03&pid=1-s2.0-S2212371722000269-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051561.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051561.pdf
(5.71 MB) (5.71 MB)
Water sector planning and policy making in arid and semi-arid regions are challenging because many drivers and decision criteria require consideration. In this study, a multi-period mixed-integer linear programming model was developed to integrate and economically evaluate water management options for water supply in arid regions. The applicability of the proposed approach was demonstrated through a case study in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (EAD), United Arab Emirates. The model was programmed in general algebraic modeling system (GAMS) and solved using the Cplex solver. The model determined the optimal economic and environmental costs, capacity expansion of treatment plants and water transmission systems, and other environmental aspects including the carbon footprint and brine discharge. Results show that the capacity contribution of reverse osmosis for desalination is expected to increase from 5.1% in 2021 to 18.1% in 2050. Based on the model's results for the case study, it was concluded that even with moderate consideration of environmental aspects, desalination plants in the EAD need a major technology transformation from thermal desalination to reverse osmosis The proposed model is proved to be effective for integrated water resources management and infrastructure planning in the EAD, and has the potential for effective application in other arid or semi-arid countries.
12 Xu, X.; Chen, Y.; Zhou, Y.; Liu, W.; Zhang, X.; Li, M. 2023. Sustainable management of agricultural water rights trading under uncertainty: an optimization-evaluation framework. Agricultural Water Management, 280:108212. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108212]
Water rights ; Uncertainty ; Optimization methods ; Evaluation ; Water resources ; Irrigation water ; Hydrological cycle ; Models ; Evapotranspiration ; Economic benefits ; Water supply ; Water demand ; Water use ; Indicators ; Water footprint ; Carbon footprint ; Water allocation ; Sustainable development ; Rice / China / Heilongjiang
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051718)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742300077X/pdfft?md5=3053b49293b0c5e8a5380876d7685ede&pid=1-s2.0-S037837742300077X-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051718.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051718.pdf
(5.41 MB) (5.41 MB)
The optimal allocation of agricultural water rights is of great importance in promoting the efficient management of water resources in irrigation areas. In the process of agricultural water rights allocation, problems develop when the dynamics and uncertainties caused by changes in water cycle elements are ignored. To balance socioeconomic development and environmental protection, this study develops a model framework for evaluating and optimizing the synergistic management of agricultural water rights allocation trading under multiple uncertainties (AWRAS-TCME). The model is capable of reflecting the dynamic changes in meteorological and hydrological factors such as rainfall, evapotranspiration and runoff and quantitatively measures the synergistic effect of multidimensional objectives of the economy-society-resources-environment on water rights allocations and transactions. The AWRAS-TCME model integrates a two-level multiobjective nonlinear programming model and a projection tracking model into a framework to measure the fairness and economic benefits of water rights allocation based on an analysis of the sustainability of water rights prices in multiple dimensions, fully considering the influence of uncertainties in hydrological and social systems. The model was applied to an actual irrigation area, and the results showed that (1) total optimized water rights allocation was reduced by 4.7–20.9% at different levels of water supply and demand; (2) the total volume of water rights transfer among regions was increased by 4.8%-12.9%, and the trading volume of the water rights market was increased to account for 5%-16.2% of the total revenue; and (3) the optimal net income of water rights allocation was increased by 1.2%-3.3%, and the equity of water rights allocation was increased by 0.06–0.09. The developed model promotes the sustainable utilization of agricultural water resources in irrigated areas.
13 Meng, F.; Yuan, Q.; Bellezoni, R. A.; de Oliveira, J. A. P.; Hu, Y.; Jing, R.; Liu, G.; Yang, Z.; Seto, K. C. 2023. The food-water-energy nexus and green roofs in Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brazil, and Johannesburg, South Africa. npj Urban Sustainability, 3:12. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-023-00091-3]
Energy consumption ; Energy demand ; Water conservation ; Food security ; Food production ; Nexus approaches ; Sustainability ; Rainwater harvesting ; Environmental impact ; Ecological footprint ; Urban areas ; Carbon footprint ; Water footprint ; Transboundary waters ; Infrastructure / Brazil / South Africa / Sao Jose dos Campos / Johannesburg
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051940)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42949-023-00091-3.pdf?pdf=button%20sticky
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051940.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051940.pdf
(2.52 MB) (2.52 MB)
Green roofs affect the urban food-water-energy nexus and have the potential to contribute to sustainability. Here we developed a generalizable methodology and framework for data-sparse cities to analyze the food-water-energy nexus of green roofs. Our framework integrates the environmental costs and benefits of green roofs with food-water-energy systems and makes it possible to trace energy-water-carbon footprints across city boundaries. Testing the framework in São José dos Campos (SJC), Brazil and Johannesburg, South Africa, we found that green roofs are essentially carbon neutral and net energy consumers from a life cycle perspective. SJC is a net water beneficiary while Johannesburg is a net water consumer. Rainwater utilization could save irrigated water, but requires 1.2 times more energy consumption. Our results show that SJC and Johannesburg could direct their green roof development from local food production and energy saving, respectively and highlight opportunities for green roof practices in cities.
14 Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Wickramasinghe, N.; Bucatariu, C.; Drechsel, Pay. 2023. Case studies on food waste quantification, characterization, and identification of prevention and reduction options in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Rome, Italy: FAO; Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 98p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.4060/cb8396en]
Food waste ; Waste reduction ; Waste management ; Case studies ; Strategies ; Best practices ; Environmental impact ; Social impact assessment ; Economic impact ; Financial analysis ; Carbon footprint ; Water scarcity ; Water footprint ; Soil quality ; Wholesale markets ; Food service industry ; Household wastes ; Awareness / Sri Lanka / Colombo
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052086)
(6.04 MB) (6.04 MB)
Food waste (FW) is a key challenge on the sustainable development agenda of countries worldwide. The lack of FW data and insights from its analysis about quantities, causes, and characteristics is a significant obstacle in implementing adequate reduction and prevention interventions for different sectors. The primary purpose of the case studies was to review FW prevention, reduction, and management initiatives. Lessons and best practices that enable and facilitate solutions were identified.
Nine case studies were conducted targeting five sectors: food services (one restaurant and one hotel), wholesale markets (one fruits and vegetables wholesale market), retailers (one retail market, one retail shop, and one supermarket), caterers (one hospital), and households (five middle- and five high-income households). The case studies consisted of a FW audit that measured the amounts generated from various processes and identified drivers/causes and current best practices. Quantification involved physical separation, weighing, and categorizing the different food components. The separation classified quantities into edible and inedible portions. The study also focused on assessing the environmental and socio impacts, based on assessed and categorized FW quantities.
FW is a complex phenomenon where the amount, causes and consequences are contextually different. It is not easy to compare and contrast country-level data and the individual actors in the same country. Therefore, the case study approach has been used in many FW-related studies. Multiple case studies can be expensive and time-consuming to implement. Under this study, we analyzed nine case studies targeting five sectors: food services (four restaurants, a dessert shop and one hotel), wholesale markets (one fruit and vegetable market ), retail markets (one supermarket, one fruit and vegetable retailer, one Dedicated Economic Center), caterers/institutional canteens (one hospital) and households (five middle-income households and five low-income households). Entities were selected based on willingness to participate and an actual FW reduction need.
Nine case studies were conducted targeting five sectors: food services (one restaurant and one hotel), wholesale markets (one fruits and vegetables wholesale market), retailers (one retail market, one retail shop, and one supermarket), caterers (one hospital), and households (five middle- and five high-income households). The case studies consisted of a FW audit that measured the amounts generated from various processes and identified drivers/causes and current best practices. Quantification involved physical separation, weighing, and categorizing the different food components. The separation classified quantities into edible and inedible portions. The study also focused on assessing the environmental and socio impacts, based on assessed and categorized FW quantities.
FW is a complex phenomenon where the amount, causes and consequences are contextually different. It is not easy to compare and contrast country-level data and the individual actors in the same country. Therefore, the case study approach has been used in many FW-related studies. Multiple case studies can be expensive and time-consuming to implement. Under this study, we analyzed nine case studies targeting five sectors: food services (four restaurants, a dessert shop and one hotel), wholesale markets (one fruit and vegetable market ), retail markets (one supermarket, one fruit and vegetable retailer, one Dedicated Economic Center), caterers/institutional canteens (one hospital) and households (five middle-income households and five low-income households). Entities were selected based on willingness to participate and an actual FW reduction need.
15 Cui, S.; Zhang, J.; Wang, X.; Wu, M.; Cao, X. 2023. Fuzzy composite risk assessment of water-energy-food-carbon nexus in the dispark pumped irrigation system. Journal of Hydrology, 624:129879. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129879]
Risk assessment ; Water resources ; Energy consumption ; Food production ; Food security ; Carbon ; Nexus approaches ; Pumping ; Irrigation systems ; Drainage systems ; Virtual water ; Water flow ; Water footprint ; Carbon footprint ; Agricultural production ; Precipitation ; Models ; Economic development ; Farming systems ; Uncertainty ; Irrigated farming / China
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052137)
(9.89 MB)
Water, energy, food, and carbon are the most fundamental elements of agricultural development, and the essential needs that human beings and society depend on for survival. Systematic and quantitative analysis of the risks of the water-energy-food-carbon (WEFC) nexus is significant for resource management, especially in irrigated agriculture. Here, the water-energy-food-carbon nexus composite risk index (CRI) was calculated through a fuzzy composite risk assessment model (FCRAM) combined with food trade and virtual water flow, and the multi-dimensional influence mechanism was excavated via partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) in Lianshui irrigation district (LID), a pumped irrigation system in east China. Results indicated that the amount of food trade, virtual water flow, and carbon footprint were calculated as 6146 M kg, 7451 M m3, and 57909 kg in LID, and varied among the three sub-irrigation areas. Annual CRI in LID was 0.48 and higher than that of the three sub-irrigation areas, and CRI showed an increasing trend as a whole. Agricultural production risks varied under various precipitation conditions. The influence path was meteorological -> resources -> economic -> social -> CRI, among which economic was the main driving factor of the CRI in the dispark WEFC nexus. Therefore, it is more effective to regulate the agricultural economic and decelerate further climate deterioration to prevent and control agricultural production risks.
16 Koushki, R.; Warren, J.; Krzmarzick, M. J. 2023. Carbon footprint of agricultural groundwater pumping with energy demand and supply management analysis. Irrigation Science, 10p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-023-00885-4]
Carbon footprint ; Groundwater table ; Pumping ; Energy demand ; Irrigation water ; Agriculture ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Electricity generation ; Energy consumption ; Solar energy ; Wind power ; Natural gas ; Environmental impact / United States of America / Oklahoma / Rush Springs Aquifer / Texas / Ogallala Aquifer
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052293)
(0.68 MB)
Irrigation water is required for increased crop yield and production to satisfy global food demand. However, irrigation also has negative impacts, including the production of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from groundwater pumping. To lessen this environmental problem, management methods that minimize agricultural GHG emissions from groundwater pumping should be identified. This work aims to compare measures that decrease agricultural groundwater withdrawal GHG emissions. A comparison among different energy supply and demand management choices for groundwater pumping was made to identify the most effective measure. Results indicated that the best agricultural groundwater pumping energy management practices are affected by the type of pump (e.g., electric or natural gas operated) and for electric pumps, the electric grid energy mix (e.g., coal, natural gas, oil, wind, solar). Due to their higher operational pump efficiency (OPE), electric pumps consume less energy than natural gas pumps to extract an equal volume of groundwater under similar conditions. Nevertheless, natural gas pumps produce less GHG emissions than electric pumps using the US Central and Southern Plains electricity mix. Hence, groundwater pumping energy demand management through improving the OPE of natural gas pumps will save more GHG emissions (7600 kg CO2-eq year-1) than switching to electric pumps using the electricity mix applied to this study (2800 kg CO2-eq year-1). Additionally, switching to cleaner energy sources (wind and solar) can save significantly higher amounts of carbon than just improving OPE. This analysis can guide policymakers and individuals to assist in meeting global GHG emission reduction goals and targets while satisfying increasing food demand.
17 Chand, J. B.; Bimali, S. 2023. Exploration of the cropping pattern based on the irrigation water-energy-food and carbon emission nexus. Irrigation and Drainage, 17p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2914]
Agriculture ; Carbon footprint ; Emission ; Nexus approaches ; Irrigation water ; Energy consumption ; Food production ; Cropping patterns ; Spring crops ; Rice ; Wheat ; Maize ; Water productivity ; Farmers ; Rainfall ; Crop water use ; Water requirements / Nepal / Kapilvastu / Lumbini
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052436)
(2.80 MB) (2.80 MB)
This study examined the existing cropping patterns, yield, irrigation water and energy use and carbon emission responses to explore the best cropping pattern based on the optimum water–energy–food and carbon emission nexus. The study consisted of field visits, questionnaire surveys among 510 farmers, 10 key informant interviews, one focused group discussion and subsequent analysis of collected data. The result of the research indicated that the best existing cropping pattern was rice–wheat–no crops with a net benefit of USD 491 ha ¹, benefit–cost ratio: 1.33, water use: 8830 m3 ha ¹, energy use: 43 GJ ha ¹ and carbon emission: 2420 kg CO2-eq ha ¹. This study found spring rice to be the most appropriate agricultural commodity in the third season of the crop calendar and rice–wheat–spring rice, as the recommended cropping pattern in the selected area based on maximum production: 13.3 t ha ¹, the largest net income: USD 668 ha ¹, the highest benefit-cost ratio: 1.27 and the least use of energy 802 GJ ha ¹ with release of 3840 kg CO2-eq ha ¹ of carbon. After applying the recommended cropping pattern of this study, there will be significant growth in the benefit per unit use of water and energy and a substantial reduction in carbon emission per tonne of food production.
18 Renfrew, D.; Vasilaki, V.; Nika, E.; Tsalidis, G. A.; Marin, E.; Katsou, E. 2024. Systematic assessment of wastewater resource circularity and sustainable value creation. Water Research, 251:121141. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.121141]
Wastewater treatment ; Assessment ; Indicators ; Sustainability ; Circular economy ; Renewable energy ; Bioreactors ; Carbon footprint ; Economic value ; Social values ; Stakeholders ; Models ; Energy consumption ; Decision making
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052620)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135424000411/pdfft?md5=83fae04781ceee19191b39553b6f9406&pid=1-s2.0-S0043135424000411-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052620.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052620.pdf
(1.42 MB) (1.42 MB)
The circular use of wastewater has attracted significant attention in recent years. However, there is a lack of universal definitions and measurement tools that are required to achieve the circular economy's full potential. Therefore, a methodology was developed using three indicator typologies, namely resource flow, circular action, and sustainability indicators, to facilitate a robust and holistic circularity assessment. The method uses value propositions to integrate the assessment of intrinsic circularity performance with consequential circularity impacts, by quantifying sustainable value creation (using techniques such as life cycle assessment or cost-benefit analysis). Assessment method capabilities were exhibited by applying the defined steps to a wastewater treatment plant, comparing conventional and novel photobioreactor technologies. The resource flow indicator taxonomy results highlight improved outflow circularity, renewable energy usage, and economic efficiency of the novel system. Action indicators revealed that the photobioreactor technology was successful at achieving its defined circular goals. Lastly, sustainability indicators quantified a reduction of carbon footprint by two thirds and eutrophication by 41%, a M€ 0.5 per year increase of economic value, and that disability adjusted life year impacts are 58% lower. This supports that improving wastewater system circularity using photobioreactor technology results in environmental, economic, and social value for stakeholders.
19 He, Q.; Liu, De L.; Wang, B.; Wang, Z.; Cowie, A.; Simmons, A.; Xu, Z.; Li, L.; Shi, Y.; Liu, K.; Harrison, M. T.; Waters, C.; Huete, A.; Yu, Q. 2024. A food-energy-water-carbon nexus framework informs region-specific optimal strategies for agricultural sustainability. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 203:107428. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107428]
Sustainable agriculture ; Strategies ; Nexus approaches ; Carbon footprint ; Carbon sequestration ; Water use ; Energy ; Food production ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Profitability ; Cover plants ; Cropping systems ; Crop production ; Cash crops ; Sorghum ; Wheat ; Chickpeas ; Crop rotation ; Crop yield ; Water footprint ; Rainfall / Australia / New South Wales
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052623)
(7.12 MB)
Agricultural sustainability is threatened by pressures from water scarcity, energy crises, escalating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and diminishing farm profitability. Practices that diversify crop rotations, retain crop residues, and incorporate cover crops have been widely studied for their impacts on soil organic carbon and crop production. However, their associated usage of natural resources and economic returns have been overlooked. Here, we employed a food-energy-water-carbon (FEWC) nexus framework to assess the sustainability of crop rotations plus various management strategies across three sub-regions of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia. We found that compared with residue burning and fallowing, residue retention and cover cropping contributed to GHG abatement, but the latter consumed more energy and water per hectare. The composite sustainability scores, calculated with the FEWC framework, suggested that legume-inclusive rotations were generally more sustainable. Furthermore, in northern NSW (with existing sorghum/wheat/chickpea/wheat rotation), residue retention with cover cropping was most suitable combination, while the use of residue retention with fallow yielded greater benefits in southern NSW (with existing wheat/field pea/wheat/canola rotation). Regional disparities in climate, soil, cropping systems, and on-farm costs prompted region-specific strategies to address the unbalanced distribution among FEWC domains. Our study provides assessments for identifying feasible management practices to advance agricultural sustainability.
20 Jamshidi, S.; Farsimadan, M.; Mohammadi, H. 2024. A holistic approach for performance evaluation of wastewater treatment plants: integrating grey water footprint and life cycle impact assessment. Water Science and Technology, 89(7):1741-1756. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2024.081]
Wastewater treatment plants ; Water reuse ; Water footprint ; Carbon footprint ; Grey water ; Environmental impact ; Impact assessment ; Nexus approaches ; Energy consumption ; Greenhouse gas emissions ; Sustainable development ; Water quality ; Sewage ; Municipal wastewater
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052751)
https://iwaponline.com/wst/article-pdf/89/7/1741/1401105/wst089071741.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052751.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052751.pdf
(0.97 MB) (996 KB)
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have positive and negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) can provide a more holistic framework for performance evaluation than the conventional approach. This study added water footprint (WF) to LCIA and defined index for accounting for the damage ratio of carbon footprint (CF) to WF. The application of these innovations was verified by comparing the performance of 26 WWTPs. These facilities are located in four different climates in Iran, serve between 1,900 and 980,000 people, and have treatment units like activated sludge, aerated lagoon, and stabilization pond. Here, grey water footprint (GWF) calculated the ecological impacts through typical pollutants. Blue water footprint (BWF) included the productive impacts of wastewater reuse, and CF estimated CO2 emissions from WWTPs. Results showed that GWF was the leading factor. was 4–7.5% and the average WF of WWTPs was 0.6 m3/ca, which reduced 84%, to 0.1 m³/ca, through wastewater reuse. Here, wastewater treatment and reuse in larger WWTPs, particularly with activated sludge had lower cumulative impacts. Since this method takes more items than the conventional approach, it is recommended for integrated evaluation of WWTPs, mainly in areas where the water–energy nexus is a paradigm for sustainable development.
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