Water, energy, and food form a complex system: water is needed to grow food, produce hydroelectricity, and cool thermoelectric power plants. On the other hand, food can be used to produce biofuels and generate energy; and energy is needed in agricultural production, as well as to transport and treat water. What is more, humans, animals and plants need water to survive, and we also need it for our sanitation. All of these competing demands can place strong stresses on the available water, other resources, and our and the ecosystems’ health. Therefore, when formulating policies to achieve security in either water, energy, or food, we also need to think how the other two will be affected – otherwise we might end up making things worse off for us or for future generations.
In this page you will find articles that discuss the management of our natural resources, including water, energy, food, agriculture and land.