To accomplish the 2030 sustainable development agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is essential to account for the strong interconnections between SDGs and their underlining systems. Historically, strategies and policies for water, energy and agriculture systems have been produced in silos, not accounting for interconnections between the systems. However, analytical frameworks encompassing the WEF nexus have are instrumental to achieve holistic resource management.

Researchers created a WEF nexus model that integrates three modelling frameworks: the Water Evaluation and Planning system (WEAP) model to estimate water demands, supplies and allocation; the MABIA model to estimate crop production; and a geographic information system (GIS)-based energy modelling tool to estimate energy requirements of the water system.

The outcomes of this study help decision-makers and key stakeholders who govern the three resource systems to understand the trade-offs and synergies of sustainable solutions for Jordan.