591
2. pollutants entering aquifers due to infiltration of produced fracking water; and
3. greenhouse gas emissions coming largely from affluent, high energy-use societies,
while the adverse externality (climate change effects) fall disproportionately on
poor, low energy-use societies (Chap. 11).
Climate change is the highly visible global externality that is driving major shifts
in the governance and practice of energy systems (primarily), but also in food and
water systems. For example, coal-fired electricity generation is water-intensive
compared to natural gas and renewables. Shifts away from coal-fired power
generation in the USA are reducing water use. In a second example, emissions of
greenhouse gases associated with food systems are leading to efforts to change agricultural practices, bolster soil carbon stocks, change food choices (especially meatintensive diets), and reduce food waste.
There are many examples of the degradation of ecosystems and ecosystem services as externalities. Soil erosion degrading soil quality, and agricultural productivity is one example. The case study of erosion control services and conservation
agriculture (Sect. 9.4) illustrates a solution with cross-cutting benefits. A shift to
conservation agriculture creates benefits for food (increased productivity), as well
as for water (e.g., less runoff means better flood regulation and more irrigation storage), and for energy (e.g., water available for hydropower production or more traditional biomass available).
Air pollution, water pollution, contamination of arable land, and biodiversity loss,
are broad classes of externalities related to FEW systems. However, externalities only
motivate action when there is a public reaction against that externality. The reaction
usually begins in communities that are adversely affected by the externality, but it
must include all parties to the problem in order to succeed in creating positive change.
Societies have considerable experience in developing governance strategies for
externalities, ranging from rules on behavior and technology (command-and- control
regulation) to market-based regulation such as pricing the pollutant or the commodity that is being used in a manner that leads to the externality (see Chap. 5). While
there is little experience in addressing the FEW nexus with these strategies, sectorspecific experiences provide enough confidence to many to view regulating externalities as a tool for addressing some challenges at the FEW nexus.
21.2.3 Potential Benefits to Many Communities
from Coordinated Actions
Throughout this book, we have explored many instances of cooperation. Cooperation
generally occurs where parties see potential benefits for themselves, even if that
benefit is just the avoidance or minimization of harm. For example, Chap. 6
(International Governance) described the extensive international system established
following World War II to facilitate international cooperation largely to avert a
repeat of the harm caused by two world wars and the Great Depression. That system
21 Opportunities at the Nexus
2. pollutants entering aquifers due to infiltration of produced fracking water; and
3. greenhouse gas emissions coming largely from affluent, high energy-use societies,
while the adverse externality (climate change effects) fall disproportionately on
poor, low energy-use societies (Chap. 11).
Climate change is the highly visible global externality that is driving major shifts
in the governance and practice of energy systems (primarily), but also in food and
water systems. For example, coal-fired electricity generation is water-intensive
compared to natural gas and renewables. Shifts away from coal-fired power
generation in the USA are reducing water use. In a second example, emissions of
greenhouse gases associated with food systems are leading to efforts to change agricultural practices, bolster soil carbon stocks, change food choices (especially meatintensive diets), and reduce food waste.
There are many examples of the degradation of ecosystems and ecosystem services as externalities. Soil erosion degrading soil quality, and agricultural productivity is one example. The case study of erosion control services and conservation
agriculture (Sect. 9.4) illustrates a solution with cross-cutting benefits. A shift to
conservation agriculture creates benefits for food (increased productivity), as well
as for water (e.g., less runoff means better flood regulation and more irrigation storage), and for energy (e.g., water available for hydropower production or more traditional biomass available).
Air pollution, water pollution, contamination of arable land, and biodiversity loss,
are broad classes of externalities related to FEW systems. However, externalities only
motivate action when there is a public reaction against that externality. The reaction
usually begins in communities that are adversely affected by the externality, but it
must include all parties to the problem in order to succeed in creating positive change.
Societies have considerable experience in developing governance strategies for
externalities, ranging from rules on behavior and technology (command-and- control
regulation) to market-based regulation such as pricing the pollutant or the commodity that is being used in a manner that leads to the externality (see Chap. 5). While
there is little experience in addressing the FEW nexus with these strategies, sectorspecific experiences provide enough confidence to many to view regulating externalities as a tool for addressing some challenges at the FEW nexus.
21.2.3 Potential Benefits to Many Communities
from Coordinated Actions
Throughout this book, we have explored many instances of cooperation. Cooperation
generally occurs where parties see potential benefits for themselves, even if that
benefit is just the avoidance or minimization of harm. For example, Chap. 6
(International Governance) described the extensive international system established
following World War II to facilitate international cooperation largely to avert a
repeat of the harm caused by two world wars and the Great Depression. That system
21 Opportunities at the Nexus