The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the United States

Abstract

As climate change progresses, water shortages will become more commonplace and resources more valuable. This thesis examines the water-energy-food nexus in the United States by calculating the water requirements of the agricultural and energy sectors, focusing on national-scale production, imports, and exports. The process primarily consisted of the conversion of national production and trade data from units of energy or agricultural units, usually mass, into the volume of water associated with its production. The analysis relied on certain assumptions that could be examined further in order to ascertain the accuracy of the conclusions obtained. The results seemed to show that the available water resources will be sufficient to continue supporting the country’s agricultural and energy sectors, at least for the next decade.