The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Mexico

Abstract

The interdependence of water, energy, and food systems is widely recognized. Recently, this interdependence has generated significant concerns around the world, as global projections indicate that the demand for water, energy, and food will significantly increase over the next few decades. Mexico will confront several challenges given the simultaneous pressures of population growth, urbanization, climate variability, and climate change. Therefore, in this work, water, energy, and food resources in Mexico are quantified in terms of their availability and demand. Also, the disparities between the northern, southern, and central regions of the country are highlighted. Specific challenges to water, energy, and food systems are described, as well as the lack of an efficient approach for establishing the nexus between these systems. Finally, one approach for effectively measuring and establishing the water–energy–food nexus through emergy is proposed and exemplified. In this respect, emergy is an expression of all the energy used in the work processes that generate a service (water, energy, or food) in units of one type of energy (emjoules).