Resumen de The water-energy-food nexus to tackle climate change in morocco
The water, energy and food nexus is a theoretical approach to better understand and systematically examine the interactions between the natural environment and human activities, and to work towards a more organized management and use of natural resources across sectors and scales (FAO, 2014). It looks at the way a group of people -regionally, nationally, and locally- utilize resources and analyzes how they can be more efficiently managed. In implementing the WEF Nexus, there are ripple effects through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In fact, several governments have already incorporated the WEF Nexus as part of their governmental policy in order to promote a more sustainable future.
The WEF Nexus has four objectives: to help eradicate food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition; make fisheries, forestry, and agriculture more productive and sustainable; help eliminate rural poverty; and enable efficient and sustainable food systems (FAO, 2019). In order to fully understand the challenges, trends, and opportunities presented by the WEF Nexus, this research covers what it is and where it comes from by studying the interlinks and trade-offs among these three resources; and suggests best practices to relieve the pressures that threaten resource availability and better manage them.
However, problems arise in the implementation of those goals. For example, the rising number of climate migrants indicates that there are still problem areas in achieving the Nexus to its fullest potential. This Thesis also analyzes the current status of the WEF Nexus in these areas and provides policy recommendations for the particular case of Morocco.
Within the MENA region, Morocco is probably the most vulnerable country to climate change: desertification, sea-level rise, groundwater salinization, climate migration as well as sudden flooding and storms affect the life of people in all parts of the country. Such a unique and fragile situation motivated the choice of the country as the case study for this research work.
A WEF approach to managing a country’s resources is a great first step towards achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda. The WEF Nexus is a catalyzing force for development: it underpins equality and democracy whilst setting the foundation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Protecting the world’s most vital resources, without which human life is impossible, is the Nexus first priority.
