About this Research Topic

Background

Focusing on how climate change is affecting energy systems and how this is impacting food security on land. A number of key policy documents highlight the need for effective adaptation and mitigation policies and strategies to safeguard livelihoods and households in Africa.

Effective climate adaptation and mitigation are urgent issues to be addressed in the 21st century, causing progressively severe risks for ecosystems, human health, and the economy. At the core of these problems is the question of energy.

The patterns of energy production and consumption have significant climatic impacts affecting the food-water-energy nexus. Moreover, climate change can modify energy capacities and energy needs. Fluctuations in precipitation patterns affect water availability, whilst hot weather exacerbates the energy demands for the food-water-energy nexus.

Energy is a core feature of the food system from production, transport to storage on land. Climatic changes also have an effect on diseases and incidences of extreme weather events which can translate into dire implications on land and energy services. Addressing the dilemma of energy and climate on the food-water-energy nexus can be complicated. Nevertheless, there are promising prospects that necessitate considering the potential of novel approaches.

This Research Topic considers how climate change is interacting with energy systems on the continent and the implications for the security of the food-water-energy nexus. Manuscripts published in this collection will shed light on pathways by which climate change and energy interactions affect the food security of people, and show the range of actions needed. Understanding these pathways and the potential responses is indispensable to measures enhancing the food-water-energy nexus. Furthermore, it feeds into debates on operationalizing adaptation of the food-water-energy nexus to climate-induced energy challenges and demonstrates that the WFE nexus as well as the sectors that support it, should be a priority area of intervention.

This Research Topic is part of a 3-part collection.
(1) Climate Change, Land, Water and Food Security: Perspectives from Sub-Saharan Africa

(2) Cross-cutting Issues in the Water, Land, Energy and Food Security Nexus: Perspectives from Sub-Saharan Africa

Keywords: energy, food security, climate change, energy systems, food-water-energy nexus, mitigation policies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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