Critically analysing methodologies and objectives of capacity building and the practical linkages required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, this book looks at whether nexus thinking offers a systematic approach to combat global environmental problems and facilitate enhanced sustainable development. Building effective and sustainable mechanisms to tackle environmental problems requires in-depth understanding of relationships between natural resources, going beyond conventional policy and siloed decision making. The water energy food nexus has been promoted as a conceptual framework and management tool to facilitate integrated planning and practical linkages to support sustainable development. The author opens this book with an overview of capacity building and reviews the significance of the water energy food nexus, bringing in links to the 2030 Agenda. Climate change is highlighted as a key consideration in any conversation about natural resource use and case studies from Japan, India and China are utilised to show that whist long-term sustainable development practices are being implemented the environmental challenges across the region raise concerns about institutional capacity, economic sustainability and future of the region. Finally, through the lens of capacity building, the book suggests that whilst the water energy food nexus may provide a new approach to sustainable development, it will not be enough to achieve long-term sustainability or extend to the lives of those most affected. The book will be interest to scholars and students within the water, energy and agriculture sectors, sustainability governance and sustainable development. It will also be a valuable resource to those working in governmental organisations and NGOs involved in capacity building and development.

This open access book considers that the Central and South Asian region sits at the middle of geographical, geopolitical, economic and historical cross-roads. Since the independence of the Central Asian states in the 1990s, following the demise of the Soviet Union, and emergence of regional trade and political ties means that the region's evolution has also been subject to common drivers - external and internal, opening up some new opportunities. The long-term social and economic success of the region depends on how water, energy, and food security is achieved at a regional scale that combines Central Asia and South Asia, which are typically treated separately in policy and scholarly works. This book considers how securing the "Nexus" of water, energy, and food resources serves as a starting point for utilizing emerging region-wide opportunities. It does so by identifying the present state of play, deeply analyzing cross-cutting drivers (e.g., climate change, poverty, environmentalcrises and urbanization) and offering insights into possible solutions. The book offers an in-depth rationale for why dealing with this region as a whole makes sense; it is then divided into four sections: The first section, entitled "A Regional Overview," establishes the basic facts around the state of water, energy, and food resources; this section is meant to serve as the foundation upon which further exploration and analysis is built. The second section turns its attention to "Regional Issues" and unpacks the Nexus into water-energy and water-food relationships. It also investigates how regional trade and coping mechanisms for environmental crises might inform the policies on the Nexus. The section includes a sampling of success and failure stories around implementation of the Nexus policies and strategies in the Central and South Asian region. The third section undertakes an analysis of the "Cross-Cutting Themes for Nexus Security" by investigating all the major drivers of policy and development strategies in the region: climate change, urbanization, poverty, sharing of resources across borders, and gender-based disparities. The fourth and final section uses the discussion throughout the book to formulate "An Integrated Narrative" around the Nexus. It explores how the new global development framework in the form of Sustainable Development Goals might offer a new perspective for achieving the Nexus security in the region. There is an argument that the Nexus security ties in with achievement of long-term peace and security. A final wrap-up chapter gazes into the crystal ball to test out some future scenarios - both positive and negative.

This Open Access book undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the water, energy, and food (WEF) security nexus with a regional focus on East and Southeast Asia. Individual chapters of this book provide interesting nexus dimensions of the region and explore socioeconomic implications of the nexus approach with a special focus on the cross-cutting issues, including climate change, gender, and trans-boundary cooperation. It also discusses innovative approaches, advanced nexus solutions, and various future scenarios. Finally, it suggests that an improved nexus understanding based on scientific evidence is a key element to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With explosive population growth and economic development, countries in East and Southeast Asia are witnessing competitive consumption of WEF resources across various sectors and across borders. The diverse range of geographical, political, and economic conditions combined with climate change and urbanization is posing a new set of challenges in the region. The long-term security of WEF, therefore, would need an integrated nexus approach through an enhanced understanding how the interactions between WEF resources are shaped by environmental, economic, social, and political changes in the region. This book is a highly recommended source of information and inspiration for policy makers, research communities and practitioners dealing with any aspect of water, energy, and food security in East and Southeast Asia.