Interrelationships between water, energy and food, and the threats posed by climate change, should be built into risk assessments in each sector. The interdependence of water, energy and food brings risks as well as opportunities. Assessing risks and building climate resilience At a policy and regulatory level, cohesive and stable governance, policy and strategies are needed to facilitate and encourage the right collaboration that brings benefits to all stakeholders. ItвЂ™s also essential that governments, regulators and communities are closely involved in all decisions and developments affecting water, energy and food resources so that different priorities and opportunities can be considered. The potential wins include better economic outcomes, improved reputation, reduced risks, avoided conflict, and opportunities for partnerships and cooperation among food-producing industries, the energy sector and other water-dependent industries, as well as local communities. Fostering collaboration among government, regulators, industry and communitiesДЄll stakeholders can benefit from collaborative and cooperative responses to the nexus and to stewardship of resources. They also need to understand what stakeholders and communities need, and explore opportunities for additional benefits to be realised. This means that decision-makers need to understand the resource availability, current demand, known impacts, development opportunities and potential climate change implications in a given situation. Responses to nexus challenges are more likely to be effective and sustainable if they are based on an informed and risk-based understanding of present conditions and possible future scenarios (taking into account interrelationships across sectors and regions).

Gathering the best information to understand nexus challenges It also involves thinking across agencies and organisations where responsibilities for water, food and energy lie. Nexus thinking looks at the big picture: considering the whole catchment or river basin rather than one river or dam in isolation, thinking about trans-boundary issues rather than a single country or area, ensuring that multiple uses (existing and future) are catered for, and bearing in mind the cumulative effects of interventions or developments rather than immediate and discrete impacts alone. It is a strategic and holistic style of thinking that considers long-term implications across the three areas, weighing up and balancing social, economic and environmental goals.

Nexus thinking means considering and understanding water, food and energy and their interrelationships, rather than viewing any in isolation. The five broad considerations below are likely to contribute to achieving the best outcomes for water, energy and food challenges. Our nexus approach is a way of thinking and approaching decisions rather than a fixed solution or response. Our experiences throughout Australia and the Asia-Pacific region demonstrate that there is no single solution to the challenges of this nexus. Climate change is likely to raise average temperatures in many locations, change the patterns of rainfall and inflows, and affect the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as drought or floods вЂ“ all of which increase vulnerabilities for water, food and energy resources already under strain. With water being so central to food security and energy security, the potential impacts of climate change on water resources are of increasing concern. To create a sustainable future, we must seek holistic and integrated solutions for water, energy and food challenges, as well as the appropriate balances among them. Water, energy and food are all fundamental to growing economies, alleviating poverty, and improving health and educational opportunities worldwide. ItвЂ™s an intricate puzzle, in which the increased demand for each limited resource can significantly affect the security of all three.ДЄccording to the International Renewable Energy Agency, global growth in population, economic development and urbanisation are expected to raise demands for water and food by 50 per cent and to double the demand for energy over the next few decades. The complex triangular relationship among the three pillars of life is known as the вЂwater-energy-food nexusвЂ™.

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