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The impact of climate change mitigation on water demand for energy and food: An integrated analysis based on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways

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  • Mouratiadou, Ioanna
  • Biewald, Anne
  • Pehl, Michaja
  • Bonsch, Markus
  • Baumstark, Lavinia
  • Klein, David
  • Popp, Alexander
  • Luderer, Gunnar
  • Kriegler, Elmar

Abstract

Climate change mitigation, in the context of growing population and ever increasing economic activity, will require a transformation of energy and agricultural systems, posing significant challenges to global water resources. We use an integrated modelling framework of the water-energy-land-climate systems to assess how changes in electricity and land use, induced by climate change mitigation, impact on water demand under alternative socioeconomic (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways) and water policy assumptions (irrigation of bioenergy crops, cooling technologies for electricity generation). The impacts of climate change mitigation on cumulated global water demand across the century are highly uncertain, and depending on socioeconomic and water policy conditions, they range from a reduction of 15,000km3 to an increase of more than 160,000km3. The impact of irrigation of bioenergy crops is the most prominent factor, leading to significantly higher water requirements under climate change mitigation if bioenergy crops are irrigated. Differences in socioeconomic drivers and fossil fuel availability result in significant differences in electricity and bioenergy demands, in the associated electricity and primary energy mixes, and consequently in water demand. Economic affluence and abundance of fossil fuels aggravate pressures on water resources due to higher energy demand and greater deployment of water intensive technologies such as bioenergy and nuclear power. The evolution of future cooling systems is also identified as an important determinant of electricity water demand. Climate policy can result in a reduction of water demand if combined with policies on irrigation of bioenergy, and the deployment of non-water-intensive electricity sources and cooling types.

Suggested Citation

  • Mouratiadou, Ioanna & Biewald, Anne & Pehl, Michaja & Bonsch, Markus & Baumstark, Lavinia & Klein, David & Popp, Alexander & Luderer, Gunnar & Kriegler, Elmar, 2016. "The impact of climate change mitigation on water demand for energy and food: An integrated analysis based on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 48-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enscpo:v:64:y:2016:i:c:p:48-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2016.06.007
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    Cited by:

    1. Domicián Máté & Mohammad Fazle Rabbi & Adam Novotny & Sándor Kovács, 2020. "Grand Challenges in Central Europe: The Relationship of Food Security, Climate Change, and Energy Use," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-16, October.
    2. Jin, Yi & Behrens, Paul & Tukker, Arnold & Scherer, Laura, 2019. "Water use of electricity technologies: A global meta-analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    3. Guillaume Rohat, 2018. "Projecting Drivers of Human Vulnerability under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-23, March.
    4. Falchetta, Giacomo & Gernaat, David E.H.J. & Hunt, Julian & Sterl, Sebastian, 2019. "Hydropower dependency and climate change in sub-Saharan Africa: A nexus framework and evidence-based review," Earth Arxiv w7rj3, Center for Open Science.
    5. Gunnar Luderer & Michaja Pehl & Anders Arvesen & Thomas Gibon & Benjamin L Bodirsky & Harmen Sytze de Boer & Oliver Fricko & Mohamad Hejazi & Florian Humpenöder & Gokul Iyer & Silvana Mima & Ioanna Mo, 2019. "Environmental co-benefits and adverse side-effects of alternative power sector decarbonization strategies," Post-Print hal-02380468, HAL.
    6. Daniel Rozell, 2017. "Using population projections in climate change analysis," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 521-529, June.
    7. Zhou, Yuanchun & Ma, Mengdie & Gao, Peiqi & Xu, Qiming & Bi, Jun & Naren, Tuya, 2019. "Managing water resources from the energy - water nexus perspective under a changing climate: A case study of Jiangsu province, China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 380-390.
    8. Bastien-Olvera, Bernardo A., 2019. "Business-as-usual redefined: Energy systems under climate-damaged economies warrant review of nationally determined contributions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 862-868.
    9. He, Jianjian & Yang, Yi & Liao, Zhongju & Xu, Anqi & Fang, Kai, 2022. "Linking SDG 7 to assess the renewable energy footprint of nations by 2030," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    10. Aijun Guo & Daiwei Jiang & Fanglei Zhong & Xiaojiang Ding & Xiaoyu Song & Qingping Cheng & Yongnian Zhang & Chunlin Huang, 2019. "Prediction of Technological Change under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and Regional Differences: A Case Study of Irrigation Water Use Efficiency Changes in Chinese Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-19, December.
    11. Yizhong Chen & Hongwei Lu & Jing Li & Pengdong Yan & He Peng, 2021. "Multi-Level Decision-Making for Inter-Regional Water Resources Management with Water Footprint Analysis and Shared Socioeconomic Pathways," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(2), pages 481-503, January.
    12. Yeora Chae & Seo Hyung Choi & Yong Jee Kim, 2020. "Climate Change Policy Implications of Sustainable Development Pathways in Korea at Sub-National Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-18, May.
    13. Yolanda Lechón & Cristina De La Rúa & Helena Cabal, 2018. "Impacts of Decarbonisation on the Water-Energy-Land (WEL) Nexus: A Case Study of the Spanish Electricity Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-24, May.
    14. Shuhui Yang & Xuefeng Cui, 2019. "Building Regional Sustainable Development Scenarios with the SSP Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-13, October.
    15. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Bazilian, Morgan & Griffiths, Steve & Kim, Jinsoo & Foley, Aoife & Rooney, David, 2021. "Decarbonizing the food and beverages industry: A critical and systematic review of developments, sociotechnical systems and policy options," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    16. Agrawal, Nikhil & Ahiduzzaman, Md & Kumar, Amit, 2018. "The development of an integrated model for the assessment of water and GHG footprints for the power generation sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 558-575.
    17. Fan, Jing-Li & Kong, Ling-Si & Wang, Hang & Zhang, Xian, 2019. "A water-energy nexus review from the perspective of urban metabolism," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 392(C), pages 128-136.

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