403
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. Saundry, B. L. Ruddell (eds.), The Food-Energy-Water Nexus, AESS
Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Sciences Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29914-9_15
Chapter 15
Modeling
Fernando R. Miralles-Wilhelm
15.1 Introduction
Managing FEW systems requires modeling tools to understand the merits of different decisions, policies, and investments given potential future constraints and the
wider social, environmental, and economic contexts in which these are made. This
chapter reviews integrated modeling tools used to support the analysis of FEW systems; especially those used for integrated planning; and the identification and evaluation of trade-offs and synergies.
Integrated FEW system models include representations of Coupled NaturalHuman Systems (e.g., the energy system, agriculture and land use, water supply
and use, the economy, and the climate). Through this integration, these models
allow for exploration of FEW system interactions, and the interactions between
these systems and other key external forces such as climate change, socioeconomic
and technological change, and policy interventions. There is a clear relationship
between FEW system modeling and the metrics reflecting interactions.
While several modeling frameworks are described in Sect. 11.3, only a small
number of models and projects have been actually implemented in practice. Ongoing
research and applications of FEW system modeling consist of development of principles, algorithms, data requirements and model formulations for understanding and
evaluating the potential of implementing FEW system nexus approaches within a
systems perspective (Chap. 2). Outputs and products of these efforts are quantitative
tools that focus on FEW system planning in order to identify primary opportunities
F. R. Miralles-Wilhelm (*)
Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and Global Water Team,
University of Maryland and The Nature Conservancy, College Park, MD, USA
e-mail: fwilhelm@umd.edu
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
P. Saundry, B. L. Ruddell (eds.), The Food-Energy-Water Nexus, AESS
Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Sciences Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29914-9_15
Chapter 15
Modeling
Fernando R. Miralles-Wilhelm
15.1 Introduction
Managing FEW systems requires modeling tools to understand the merits of different decisions, policies, and investments given potential future constraints and the
wider social, environmental, and economic contexts in which these are made. This
chapter reviews integrated modeling tools used to support the analysis of FEW systems; especially those used for integrated planning; and the identification and evaluation of trade-offs and synergies.
Integrated FEW system models include representations of Coupled NaturalHuman Systems (e.g., the energy system, agriculture and land use, water supply
and use, the economy, and the climate). Through this integration, these models
allow for exploration of FEW system interactions, and the interactions between
these systems and other key external forces such as climate change, socioeconomic
and technological change, and policy interventions. There is a clear relationship
between FEW system modeling and the metrics reflecting interactions.
While several modeling frameworks are described in Sect. 11.3, only a small
number of models and projects have been actually implemented in practice. Ongoing
research and applications of FEW system modeling consist of development of principles, algorithms, data requirements and model formulations for understanding and
evaluating the potential of implementing FEW system nexus approaches within a
systems perspective (Chap. 2). Outputs and products of these efforts are quantitative
tools that focus on FEW system planning in order to identify primary opportunities
F. R. Miralles-Wilhelm (*)
Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and Global Water Team,
University of Maryland and The Nature Conservancy, College Park, MD, USA
e-mail: fwilhelm@umd.edu