Water, Food, and Energy Nexus in South Asia: Implications for Adaption to Climate Change

Adaptation to climate change has received increased attention in recent years in the academic and development discourse. Effective adaptation to climate change requires the efficient use of land, water, energy, and other vital resources, together with coordinated efforts to minimize trade-offs and maximize synergies. The concept of water, energy, and food nexus is considered to be an effective mechanism for enhancing resource use efficiency, minimizing trade-offs, and maximizing synergies in resource use. However, as in many developing countries, the policy process in the countries of South Asia generally follows a sectoral approach that does not take into account the interconnections and interdependence among the three sectors. In designing effective adaptation strategies, it is critical to understand the linkages between the nexus perspective and adaptation to climate change. This paper seeks to increase understanding of the interlinkages in the water, energy, and food nexus, explains why it is important to consider this nexus in the context of adaptation responses, and argues that focusing on trade-offs and synergies using a nexus approach could facilitate greater climate change adaptation and help ensure food, water, and energy security by enhancing resource use efficiency and encouraging greater policy coherence. The paper provides a conceptual framework for considering the nexus approach in relation to climate change adaptation, discusses the potential synergies, and finally offers a broader framework and reform measures for making adaptation responses more effective and sustainable.