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Impacts of Climate Change on the Water–Food–Energy Nexus

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1678

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Water resources, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Interests: climate change impact on water resources; renewable energy and machine learning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Center of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Research for Sustainable Development, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Interests: renewable energy; floating photovoltaic systems; offshore structures; machine learning; vulnerability and risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rapid increases in population, urbanisation and industrialisation play vital roles in increasing energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. In recent years, humans have relied on fossil fuels for their daily energy demand, leading to a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the natural ecosystem. The increase in greenhouse gas emissions has substantially increased the surface temperature of Earth (global warming). This change in temperature is leading to inadequate rainfall and putting hydrological stress on water resources. Agriculture is the main source of income for many developing and developed countries, and it requires the largest quantity of freshwater resources. It also requires more than one-third of all energy used globally for food production and supply. Increasing pressure on the water–food–energy nexus has impacts on human health and other living organisms. Based on the report of UNICEF, more than 1300 children under the age of five die every day due to water-borne diseases and 892 million of people still practice open defecation. These issues result in the contamination of both surface and groundwater resources, leading to increased demand for freshwater for drinking and agriculture purpose. To reduce pressure on the three domains, scientists and researchers must focus on ecosystem protection, water resource management, and water supply and sanitation to meet the demand for energy and food. The Special Issue will focus to addressing the climate change’s negative impacts on water, energy and food in various landforms such as hyper-arid, arid, and semi-arid regions. 

Dr. Balamurugan Panneerselvam
Dr. Nagavinothini Ravichandran
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • climate change
  • water resources
  • food production
  • energy resources
  • agriculture

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 6878 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Water Resource Sustainability and Glacier Runoff Impact on the Northern and Southern Slopes of the Tianshan Mountains
by Qingshan He, Jianping Yang, Qiudong Zhao, Hongju Chen, Yanxia Wang, Hui Wang and Xin Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 4812; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17114812 - 23 May 2025
Viewed by 454
Abstract
Water resources are vital for sustainable development in arid regions, where glacial runoff plays a significant role in maintaining water supply. This study quantitatively assesses the sustainability of water resources in the Manas River Basin (MnsRB) and the Muzati River Basin (MztRB), situated [...] Read more.
Water resources are vital for sustainable development in arid regions, where glacial runoff plays a significant role in maintaining water supply. This study quantitatively assesses the sustainability of water resources in the Manas River Basin (MnsRB) and the Muzati River Basin (MztRB), situated on the northern and southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, respectively, over the period from 1991 to 2050. Freshwater availability was simulated and projected using the Variable Infiltration Capacity Chinese Academy of Sciences (VIC-CAS) hydrological model. Furthermore, three development modes—traditional development, economic growth, and water-saving—were established to estimate future water consumption. The levels of water stress were also applied to assess water resources sustainability in the MnsRB and MztRB. Results indicate that from 1991 to 2020, the average annual available freshwater resources were 13.94 × 108 m3 in the MnsRB and 14.27 × 108 m3 in the MztRB, with glacial runoff contributing 20.24% and 65.58%, respectively. Under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, available freshwater resources are projected to decline by 10.94% in the MnsRB and 4.37% in the MztRB by 2050. Total water withdrawal has increased significantly over the past 30 years, with agriculture water demand accounting for over 80%. The levels of water stress during this period were 1.14 for the MnsRB and 0.87 for the MztRB. Glacial runoff significantly mitigates water stress in both basins, with average reductions of 21.16% and 69.84% between 1991 and 2050. Consequently, clear policies, regulations, and incentives focused on water conservation are vital for effectively tackling the increasing challenge of water scarcity in glacier-covered arid regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on the Water–Food–Energy Nexus)
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26 pages, 7916 KiB  
Article
Machine Learning-Based Framework to Predict the Combined Effects of Climate Change and Floating Photovoltaic Systems Installation on Water Quality of Open-Water Lakes
by Nagavinothini Ravichandran and Balamurugan Paneerselvam
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1696; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041696 - 18 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 793
Abstract
Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems represent a promising advancement in renewable energy technology; however, a comprehensive understanding of their environmental impacts is essential. The effects of FPV installation on lake water temperature remain unclear, potentially hindering the development of the technology due to associated [...] Read more.
Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems represent a promising advancement in renewable energy technology; however, a comprehensive understanding of their environmental impacts is essential. The effects of FPV installation on lake water temperature remain unclear, potentially hindering the development of the technology due to associated negative implications for aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, the rise in water temperature associated with climate change poses additional threats to open-water bodies. In this context, the current study endeavors to develop a machine learning (ML)-based framework to assess the combined impact of climate change and the installation of FPV systems on the water quality of open-water lakes. This framework involves the creation of three predictive models and a forecasting model utilizing various ML algorithms, concentrating on temperature and water quality predictions. The framework was applied to a case study assessing the impact of installing three distinct FPV systems on the water quality of Oostvoornse Lake in the Netherlands, employing water quality data available in the literature. The findings indicate a temporal increase in both air and water temperatures at the site, underscoring the ramifications of climate change. Additionally, the results suggest that FPV installations can influence lake thermal dynamics, leading to variations in water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration, which presents both opportunities and challenges in addressing the impacts of climate change. The proposed framework will be an effective tool for evaluating the effects of FPV systems on water quality throughout their operational lifespan while addressing significant climate change issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Climate Change on the Water–Food–Energy Nexus)
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