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International Governance

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The Food-Energy-Water Nexus

Abstract

This chapter focuses on a key formal institution, that is, international law and some key actors related to international governance of food, energy, and water sectors. It discusses the interlinkages between food, energy, and water security in international treaties and customary international law particularly. While the nexus still lacks the internationally recognized status, international water law provides a practical point of entry for the nexus approach. International water law requires the allocation of water resources between different interests in a transboundary setting, whereas international energy and food law are much more fragmented areas of law and do not have a similar emphasis on transboundary management of resources. To achieve the objectives of the nexus and to advance the cross-sectoral role of law, the integration of food, energy, and water should be more clearly implemented in international treaty regimes, agreements, and processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Sciences and Business Studies, Law School, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland

    Antti Belinskij, Kaisa Huhta & Outi Ratamäki

  2. Water & Development Research Group, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland

    Marko Keskinen

  3. Energy Policy and Climate, Advanced Academic Programs, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA

    Peter Saundry

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Correspondence to Antti Belinskij .

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  1. Energy Policy and Climate, Advanced Academic Programs, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC, USA

    Peter Saundry

  2. Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

    Benjamin L. Ruddell

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Belinskij, A., Huhta, K., Keskinen, M., Ratamäki, O., Saundry, P. (2020). International Governance. In: Saundry, P., Ruddell, B. (eds) The Food-Energy-Water Nexus. AESS Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29914-9_6

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