Trends in the Water–Energy–Food Nexus Research

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the scientific evolution and research trends concerning the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus, as well as its development within scientific databases. To achieve this, a bibliometric analysis has been conducted using publications sourced from Scopus and Web of science databases. This study examined key aspects such as primary journals, prominent authors, affiliated institutions, countries of origin, subject areas, and notable keywords. Furthermore, there is a dedicated section that delves into research and innovation gaps within publications related to the WEF nexus. Results reveal that research on the WEF nexus has experienced exponential growth over the past decade, with the majority of publications emerging between 2017 and 2023. The United States leads in this field, with engineering and environmental science being the predominant research categories, with Spain and Italy being the prominent countries in Europe. The WEF nexus concept in the agriculture sector is notably underdeveloped, particularly in its ties with the Sustainable Development Goals and the science–policy–society interface. The study stresses the importance of integrating health considerations into the WEF Nexus to understand the interconnections and their implications on public health, thereby enriching the Nexus approach with a critical dimension of human well-being. This situation underscores the urgent need to create a nexus community that bridges science and practice, and to incorporate this specialized discipline into university curricula.