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1.4.6 Ringler Framing
Ringler et  al. (2013) include land as a fourth component of the FEW nexus.
This study emphasizes the importance of focusing on aspects of FEW systems that
are directly helpful to addressing the U.N.  Sustainable Development Goals (see
Sect. 3.5), whose goals can be used as indices for the success of our efforts to transform the FEW system. Additionally, this study emphasizes the synergistic efficiencies that can be gained when increases in efficiency or reductions in consumption of
one of the three commodities (e.g., food) results in a reduction in consumption of
the other two (water, energy) (Fig. 1.6).
1.4.7 California Framing
The US State of California is one of the world’s largest and most advanced economies and is also a microcosm for many of the world’s FEW problems, given its
status as a major food-producing region located in a desert. The California
Department of Water Resources is responsible for managing water deliveries to
ecosystems, cities, farms, and hydropower facilities and has attempted, therefore,
Global
governance failures
Economic disparity
Geopolitical
conflict
Food security
Water security
Energy security
Energy intensity
of food production
Energy intensity
of water
production
Water intensity
of energy
production
Chronic shortages - drag on growth
Water crisis - Social unrest
Food crisis - Social unrest
Chronic shortages - drag on growth
Energy crisis, economic damage,
social unrest
Population and
economic growth
Environmental
pressures
Water intensity
of food
production
Fig. 1.5 System diagram for risks associated with the macroeconomic imbalances nexus. (Source:
World Economic Forum 2011b used by Bazilian et al. 2011)
P. Saundry and B. L. Ruddell