The Need for Policy Coordination in Governing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Coordination of policies in different sectors and at multiple levels is a major task for governing the water-energy-food nexus. Nexus governance has to deal with plurality of policies that are in place (e.g., interaction of policies across levels). Based on an overview of governance challenges, this report provides insights into policy instruments and experiences in their application at the global, national, regional and local levels. Institutional innovation is needed to develop democratic and participatory approaches that address the water-energy-food nexus. Another requirement is the development and implementation of binding environmental targets (e.g. water quality standards, land use distribution) which should be set at national or supranational levels. However, context-specific pathways should be established for different regions to achieve those targets. Various examples are provided to illustrate challenges and solutions to the implementation of a nexus governance approach.