Update from the University of Exeter

Published: 20 October 2016

Update from the University of Exeter, October 2016

Specific outcomes

  1. A theoretical mapping for the identification of existing relationships between and within the water-energy-food systems assuming a geographical area.
  2. Estimated agricultural production and livestock production for UK, England and Tamar basin.
  3. Average diet for a person in South West region and related resource demand (i.e., water, energy and minerals) using LCA. LCA databases (e.g., ecoinvent, GaBi) as well as other data sources (e.g., WaterStat, FAOstat).

Work in progress

  1. Literature review about existing methods and tools for natural resource accounting within the WEF nexus.
  2. Link of top down data and approaches for food production and consumption assessments versus bottom up one.
  3. Calculation of the existing national stocks and flows of water, energy and food based on the specific outcome 1).

Impact activities

Presentation of the WEFWEBs project by Gloria as well as some studies in relation to integrated land and water management and under changing climatic conditions in the workshop ‘Economic development and social welfare under pressure: Climate change impacts on water resources’ in Puebla (Mexico) during 7-9 September 2016.

Presentation of the WEFWEBs project by Xiaoyu at 3 Newton Fund workshops:

  1. UK-Malaysia Workshop on “Bioenergy, Biorefinery and Bioeconomy: Promoting innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration and sustainability”, Kuala Lumpur, 30 May – 3rd June 2016
  2. UK-Kazakhstan Workshop on “Energy - Food - Water Nexus in Kazakhstan and UK: Integrated Approach to Green Economy Transition”, Astana, 21 – 23 August 2016
  3. UK-China Workshop on “Shaping low carbon energy future”, Belfast, 29 – 31 August 2016

Successful application for an internal call of Global Challenges Research Fund at the University of Exeter. The funding will be used to organize the “Unpacking China’s Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) nexus” workshop during 21-23 November 2016. We believe the outcomes from this workshop will generate a positive impact into the WEFWEBs project due to the application of our methodologies as well as for the creation of further institutional relationships within the UK as well internationally.

Application to the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account to deliver impact from the WEFWEBs project through the application of resource nexus analysis for the Eden Project in Cornwall. The application was not successful, but good feedback was received to apply for the next round.

First published: 20 October 2016

<< News Archive