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Systematic Review

Towards Integrated Water–Energy Systems in Mountain Environments: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review

by
Flavio De Gaetano
1,
Stefano Duglio
1,2 and
Riccardo Beltramo
1,2,*
1
Department of Management, University of Torino, 220 Corso Unione Sovietica, 10134 Torino, Italy
2
NatRisk—Interdepartmental Research Centre on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2025, 17(19), 2857; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192857
Submission received: 2 September 2025 / Revised: 25 September 2025 / Accepted: 27 September 2025 / Published: 30 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance)

Abstract

Mountain regions are increasingly affected by the interplay of climate change, infrastructure stress, and evolving socio-ecological systems, intensifying pressure on both water and energy systems. This systematic review investigates how recent scientific literature addresses the management and integration of water and energy systems in mountainous contexts. Following PRISMA guidelines, 88 peer-reviewed studies from 2022 to 2025 were selected through structured database queries and thematic screening. Two key imbalances emerge. First, a geographical imbalance is evident: while the majority of studies come from Asia, Europe shows a strong record of applied efforts, the Americas are moderately represented, and research from Africa remains scarce. Second, a thematic imbalance: water management research is conceptually and methodologically mature, while energy-focused studies remain limited in number and scope. Efforts toward integrated water–energy management are emerging but are mostly confined to pilot projects or modelling exercises, often lacking systemic framing and institutional support. From these findings, three priority directions are identified: advancing adaptive co-design approaches that link water supply, energy storage, ecological flows, and human demand; harmonizing methods, metrics and cross-regional benchmarks to enhance comparability and transferability; strengthening social and institutional pathways to foster resilient, adaptive water–energy systems in mountain environments.
Keywords: sustainable resource management; water management; energy management; water–energy nexus; integrated systems; mountain environment; mountain regions; mountain areas; systematic literature review sustainable resource management; water management; energy management; water–energy nexus; integrated systems; mountain environment; mountain regions; mountain areas; systematic literature review

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MDPI and ACS Style

De Gaetano, F.; Duglio, S.; Beltramo, R. Towards Integrated Water–Energy Systems in Mountain Environments: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review. Water 2025, 17, 2857. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192857

AMA Style

De Gaetano F, Duglio S, Beltramo R. Towards Integrated Water–Energy Systems in Mountain Environments: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review. Water. 2025; 17(19):2857. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192857

Chicago/Turabian Style

De Gaetano, Flavio, Stefano Duglio, and Riccardo Beltramo. 2025. "Towards Integrated Water–Energy Systems in Mountain Environments: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review" Water 17, no. 19: 2857. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192857

APA Style

De Gaetano, F., Duglio, S., & Beltramo, R. (2025). Towards Integrated Water–Energy Systems in Mountain Environments: Insights from a Systematic Literature Review. Water, 17(19), 2857. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192857

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