Water, waste, energy and food nexus in Brazil: Identifying a resource interlinkage research agenda through a systematic review

RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS

卷:138

Review

Couto, Lilia Caiado¹  Campos, Luiza C.²  da Fonseca-Zang, Warde³  Zang, Joachim³  Bleischwitz, Raimund¹ 

[1] UCL, Bartlett Sch Environm Energy & Resources, Cent House,14 Upper Woburn Pl, London WC1H 0NN, England

[2] UCL, Dept Civil Environm & Geomat Engn, Chadwick Bldg,Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, England

[3] IFG Goiania, Fed Inst Goias, Dept 2, Sustainable Proc Technol, Rua 75,46 Ctr, BR-74055110 Goiania, Go, Brazil

关键词: Water;    Waste;    Energy;    Food;    Nexus;    Practices;    Natural resource management;    Interlinkages;    Brazil;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.rser.2020.110554

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

The resource nexus consists of a framework to address interlinkages between natural resources and systems that provide water, energy, food and waste management. It transcends traditional assessments conducted in silos, raising trade-offs and synergies that are rarely acknowledged. The nexus framework is intrinsically context specific, as each respective region has particularities in terms of critical interlinkages. Brazil is the world's eighth largest economy [1] and is heavily reliant on natural resources. This paper considers Brazil to be a textbook case for nexus research that identifies critical interlinkages that are neglected by literature, which is typically based on single-resource analysis. It proposes a research agenda to advance resource nexus assessments and improve resource governance in Brazil. We propose a novel method for nexus research, systematically reviewing geographical context-specific papers in relevant single nexus dimensions and establishing resource interlinkages that characterise research gaps and policy priorities. We found that 36% of practices reviewed involve more than one resource at a time, characterising interlinkages not analysed by the literature. Lastly, selected quantitative indicators were used to identify critical interlinkages by analysing the representativeness of practices in the national context, and the relevance of synergies or trade-offs for Brazil. Critical interlinkages in Brazil were found to be irrigation for energy crop expansion (water, food and energy); transport biofuels and fuelwood (water, energy, food); deforestation for new pasture (water, energy, food); and hydropower generation (water and energy). These are, therefore, priorities for future nexus research and for efforts to address synergies and trade-offs in resource governance.

【 授权许可】

Free