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    System complexity and policy integration challenges: the Brazilian Energy- Water-Food Nexus

    Mercure, J.-F. and Paim, M.A. and Bocquillon, P. and Lindner, S. and Salas, P. and Martinelli, P. and Berchin, I.I. and de Andrade Guerra, J.B.S.O and Derani, C. and de Albuquerque Junior, C.L. and Ribeiro, J.M.P. and Knobloch, F. and Pollitt, H. and Edwards, N.R. and Holden, P.B. and Foley, Aideen and Schaphoff, S. and Faraco, R.A. and Vinuales, J.E. (2019) System complexity and policy integration challenges: the Brazilian Energy- Water-Food Nexus. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 105 , pp. 230-243. ISSN 1364-0321.

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    Abstract

    The Energy-Water-Food Nexus is one of the most complex sustainability challenges faced by the world. This is particularly true in Brazil, where insufficiently understood interactions within the Nexus are contributing to large-scale deforestation and land-use change, water and energy scarcity, and increased vulnerability to climate change. The reason is a combination of global environmental change and global economic change, putting unprecedented pressures on the Brazilian environment and ecosystems. In this paper, we identify and discuss the main Nexus challenges faced by Brazil across sectors (e.g. energy, agriculture, water) and scales (e.g. federal, state, municipal). We use four case studies to explore all nodes of the Nexus. For each, we analyse data from economic and biophysical modelling sources in combination with an overview of the legislative and policy landscape, in order to identify governance shortcomings in the context of growing challenges. We analyse the complex interdependence of developments at the global and local (Brazilian) levels, highlighting the impact of global environmental and economic change on Brazil and, conversely, that of developments in Brazil for other countries and the world. We conclude that there is a need to adjust the scientific approach to these challenges as an enabling condition for stronger science-policy bridges for sustainability policy-making.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): Science-based policy, Energy-water-food nexus, Water scarcity, Climate change, Land-use change, Biofuels, Food security
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences
    Depositing User: Aideen Foley
    Date Deposited: 02 Oct 2019 13:09
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:48
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/26213

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