The Interrelation Between Food, Water and Energy in the Island of Crete, Greece

Water, energy and food are important resources for human well-being while their demand is expected to increase in the future. These resources are interrelated and interdependent while they are threatened from climate crisis and their unsustainable management. Climate change is expected to increase the water shortage in the island while climate change mitigation requires the extensive use of renewable energy sources, which are abundant in Crete, instead of fossil fuels. The study of their nexus and their synergies is neccessary for improving the sustainability in the island of Crete which hosts more than 6 million tourists annually. The nexus between water and energy, water and food and energy and food in Crete has been consecutively studied. The findings indicate a strong relationship between water to food, energy to food and energy to water. However the relationship between water to energy and food to water is weak in Crete. Our results could improve the management of these resources in Crete avoiding their undesired shortage in the future. The findings could be usefull to public and municipal authorities, to policy makers and to several stakeholders in the island who are related with these basic resources.