Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus: Pathway to Low-Carbon Transition
A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Water, Energy, Land and Food (WELF) Nexus".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 1030
Special Issue Editor
Interests: energy transition; social impact assessment; social dimensions of climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The interconnectedness of water, energy, land, and food systems forms the foundation of sustainable development; however, these systems face growing pressures from climate change, population growth, and unsustainable resource management. To address these challenges and facilitate a low-carbon transition, the water, energy, land, and food (WELF) nexus approach aims to promote integrated, cross-sectoral strategies for resource efficiency, resilience, and environmental sustainability.
The WELF nexus framework acknowledges that decisions in one sector often impact others, such as water-intensive energy production, land use changes affecting food security, or agricultural practices driving energy demand. The initiative seeks to break down barriers by fostering collaboration across stakeholders—policymakers, industries, communities, and researchers—to balance resource demands, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance the adaptive capacity of vulnerable systems.
The goal of this Special Issue is to gather together original research articles and review papers that provide valuable insights into the water, energy, land, and food (WELF) nexus as a pathway to achieving a low-carbon transition. This Special Issue aims to address the intricate interdependencies among these critical systems and explore innovative strategies, policies, and technologies that can balance competing resource demands while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainability.
We seek contributions that focus on themes related, but not limited to, the following:
Integrated Resource Management: Studies showcasing methodologies to optimize resource allocation and reduce trade-offs within water, energy, land, and food systems.
Policy and Governance: Research highlighting policy frameworks and governance mechanisms that facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration and support low-carbon development within the WELF nexus.
Technological Innovation: Papers exploring advanced technologies, such as renewable energy solutions, water-efficient irrigation systems, or climate-smart agricultural practices, that enhance resource efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts.
Case Studies and Best Practices: Analyses of successful WELF nexus projects or initiatives that demonstrate scalable, low-carbon solutions in diverse socio-economic and geographical contexts.
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: Insights into how the WELF nexus approach can strengthen resilience against climate impacts while reducing carbon footprints.
Metrics and Indicators: The development of tools or frameworks to assess and monitor the sustainability, efficiency, and carbon reduction potential of integrated WELF systems.
This Special Issue aims to bridge the gap between theory and practice, encouraging interdisciplinary contributions that advance our understanding of the WELF nexus as a cornerstone of sustainable development and low-carbon transitions. Submissions are expected to provide novel insights, rigorous analyses, or actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working toward global climate and sustainability goals.
We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.
Dr. Ruilian Zhang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- climate change
- energy transition
- environmental, social, and governance frameworks
- sustainable development
- low-carbon transition
- social impact assessment
- environmental sustainability
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