Assessment of the Food–Energy–Water Nexus Considering the Carbon Footprint and Trade-Offs in Crop Production Systems in China

Beibei Guo (), Xian Zou, Tingting Cheng, Yan Li, Jie Huang, Tingting Sun and Yi Tong
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Beibei Guo: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Xian Zou: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Tingting Cheng: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Yan Li: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Jie Huang: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Tingting Sun: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Yi Tong: School of Business, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-24

Abstract: To elucidate the food–energy–water (FEW) nexus, in this paper, a food–energy–water–carbon (FEWC) measurement method is established, and the evolutionary mechanisms within the nexus are determined to optimize crop production systems (CPSs). A quantitative assessment of the trade-offs and synergies among the constituent sub-nexuses is presented. This assessment is achieved through carbon footprint analysis of CPSs. In addition to examining FEW resource interactions, we employ the logarithmic mean divisia index methodology—a tool well-suited for practical energy decomposition—to explore the nexus interrelationships. This research further accounts for anthropogenic inputs in CPSs, specifically using blue water and energy consumption as key indicators for characterizing water and energy dynamics, respectively. Five crops are selected for CPS carbon emissions analysis to inform cropping structure optimization. The results show that during 2000–2022, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from China’s CPSs exhibited significant fluctuations characterized by a concentrated–dispersed–concentrated distribution pattern: the food system’s carbon footprint decreased notably, the food–energy (FE) system’s impact increased substantially, and the food–water (FW) system’s footprint fluctuated before decreasing. The spatial diversity in the FE system’s provincial carbon footprint increased over time, while the FW nexus exhibited fluctuating yet significant efficiency gains, indicating movement toward more balanced spatial distribution along the Hu Huanyong Line and Botai Line. The net effect of the FEW nexus interactions on GHG emissions exhibited a slight mitigating influence.

Keywords: food–energy–water nexus; crop production system; carbon footprint; trade-off; synergy; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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