Building US food‐energy‐water security requires avoiding unintended consequences for ecosystems

Abstract

Food‐energy‐water (FEW) systems are increasingly vulnerable to shocks. Repeated floods, worsening droughts, sudden tariffs, and disease outbreaks all underscore the importance of strengthening production systems during a time of rapid global change. However, the laws, regulations, and incentive programs that govern these sectors were often developed in isolation, creating fragmented and lagged responses to previous crises, ineffective governance of FEW security, and unintended effects even when achieving policy goals. Here, we examine the Mississippi River Basin in the Midwest US to illustrate how policies designed to address one challenge had other unanticipated consequences. We argue for a long view of the future that honors the interconnectedness of FEW sectors with ecosystems (FEWE); values non‐provisioning ecosystem services; and prioritizes incentives that improve FEW production, farm profitability, and ecosystem health. Now is the time for reassessment of how well FEWE provide security to all humans and the environment, and to support integrated policies that avoid unintended future consequences.