Water is essential to the world's ability to grow food and produce energy. However, current policies and practices are based on a plentiful supply of this precious resource, a mindset that must change if the world is to meet the demands of its future population.
Nearly half of all water withdrawals in the US are used for cooling at thermoelectric power plants, a figure that illustrates the true inter connectivity between energy and water. As Professor Kevin Noone of the Stockholm Resilience Centre says in the audio clip above, it takes a significant amount of water to create energy. For example, hydroelectricity consumes vast amounts of water to cool the plant. This water then needs to be pumped and stored, processes that both use energy to complete.
Great quantities of water are also used in fuel extraction, refinement and production. How can changes in policy and planning enable more sustainable practices and what role can technology play in improving efficiency?
As explained in this Nexus animation, by 2030, some 10% of crop land may be needed for biofuel production. This has adverse effects on food prices globally and in turn, impacts food security placing biofuel production in competition with land for crops. Between 2006 and 2012, the use of biofuels almost tripled in the EU, with the target of improving energy security, however where does this leave food security? Are biofuels really a viable solution to resource scarcity or are they adding to the stress?
Whilst agriculture is still the most water-intensive sector, the energy sector comes in a close second. How can these two sectors work together to become more water efficient, linking practices and creating full-circle use? One solution is using reclaimed agricultural waste water to create renewable energy in an efficient and sustainable way but what other innovative approaches are there?
Get involved
Join us for a live discussion that will follow on from the second live broadcast in our nexus debates series.
The live discussion will take place on Wednesday 6 February from 13.45pm to 14.30pm (GMT). You can sign up for a reminder here as well as submit a question for the panel in advance.
The panel
Giulio Boccaletti is managing director for global freshwater at the Nature Conservancy.
Andreas Lindström is programme manager at Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).
Betsy Otto is director of Aqueduct at the World Resources Institute.
Kyle Rabin is director of water and energy programmes at GRACE Communications Foundation.
