Economic Representation in Water–Energy–Food Nexus Models: A Systematic Review of System Dynamics Approaches

Pedro Solano-Pereira (), Ana García-González () and Luis Javier Miguel González ()
Additional contact information
Pedro Solano-Pereira: Research Group on Energy, Economy and System Dynamics, University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, Spain
Ana García-González: Research Group on Energy, Economy and System Dynamics, University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, Spain
Luis Javier Miguel González: Research Group on Energy, Economy and System Dynamics, University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, Spain

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-25

Abstract: Water, food, and energy are vital for individual well-being and national development. However, population growth and economic expansion have significantly increased the demand for these resources, while climate change has put pressure on their availability. To address these challenges, the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus framework highlights their interconnected nature, promoting systemic management approaches. System dynamics, a methodology designed to analyse complex and interrelated systems, is well-suited for modelling the WEF Nexus, capturing feedback loops and dynamic interactions. This study evaluates the use of system dynamics in WEF Nexus modelling and examines how economic systems, a key driver of resource demand, are represented in these models. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA framework. Of 280 articles initially identified, 237 remained after removing duplicates, with 36 relevant studies analysed. The results show a dominance of water-focused and balanced WEF models but limited representation of economic systems. Among 20 studies with economic representation, 17 treated the economy as an exogenous input to estimate demand, while only 3 integrated endogenous feedback linking resource availability to economic growth. These findings reveal a significant gap in current research and underscore the need for further studies to explore the dynamic interdependence between the economy and WEF resources.

Keywords: water–energy–food nexus; system dynamics; economic modelling; energy–economy integration; energy transition (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/4/966/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/4/966/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:4:p:966-:d:1593253

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().