Water, Energy and Food: The Problematic Aspects of the Transition from ‘Silo Approach’ to ‘Nexus Approach’ in the Arab Region

Abstract

There always has been debate on the significant role of natural resources for socioeconomic development (IUCN 1980; UNCED 1992; UNDP 1994; WCED 1987). Scientists argued that the carrying capacity of the earth no longer could continue supporting current and projected levels of demand from already depleted resources. For them, resource scarcity may compromise the welfare of future generations and pose a threat to sustainable development (Malthus 1970). Norgaard argued that as the extraction rates of resources increase, the horizon of scarcity shortens (Norgaard 1990). Until recently, resource scarcity was considered a local (or national) issue; however, lately, problems have scaled up (Adnan 2013).