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Project properties |
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| Title | The water-energy-food nexus (WEF nexus) |
| Group | Water Systems and Global Change |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 36 |
| Supervisor(s) | Fulco Ludwig
Inge de Graaf Raffaele Vignola (raffaele.vignola@wur.nl) Inge de Graaf (inge.degraaf@wur.nl) |
| Examiner(s) | Carolien Kroeze |
| Contact info | Maria del Pozo (maria.delpozogarcia@wur.nl) MIL
Wouter Smolenaars (wouter.smolenaars@wur.nl) MCL, MES and MUE |
| Begin date | 2024/01/01 |
| End date | |
| Description | Theme introduction
Water, energy and food security are closely linked. They work in synergy but can also be in conflict. A solar pump for irrigation can give a farmer in India access to groundwater with renewable energy. However, a regional roll-out of this invention can cause the depletion of the non-renewable groundwater stock leading to loss in biodiversity and desertification of the area. This example shows that issues in the water, food and energy sector are complexly intertwined and should be treated as such. Climate change, population growth and socioeconomic change will increase pressure on our natural resources and will influence these three sectors and their interactions. We study these dynamics with models and case studies in a variety of projects at WSG. Projects and possibilities for students The water-energy-food nexus (WEF nexus) can be studied on different scales. We work at the global scale and case study level in model development (Inge de Graaf) and multi model data analysis (Inge de Graaf) as well as in user interactions and governance (Raffaele Vignola). We are looking for students contributing to these projects by taking up sub topics within the project or by coming up with their own questions. We are looking for students interested in quantitative assessment and models as well as students with interest in case studies and a socio-technical approach. Your MSc thesis can include a sensitivity analysis or a part of a model development and model conceptualization. It can focus on applying a method for a specific regional case study or on global questions. It can either focus on integration of the sectors or improving understanding and analysis of one of the sectors. We are also interested in exploring the application of the WEF nexus concept in decision making (e.g. within governments, research organizations and multinationals) and how to link this to models and data. |
| Used skills | Possible methods used in the thesis:
- Model conceptualization and develpment - Indicator development and analysis - scenario analysis - Data processing and analysis - Case study analysis - Systematic literature review - Social network analysis - Interviews, surveys & focus groups - Mixed methods |
| Requirements | |