LAND-WATER-ENERGY NEXUS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN EMERGING HIGH WATER STRESS ECONOMIES: EVIDENCE FROM INDIA, PAKISTAN, EGYPT, SOUTH AFRICA, AND TURKEY

Addressing water scarcity while managing land and energy resources is a growing sustainability challenge for emerging economies.This study investigates the dynamics of the Land-Water-Energy (LWE) nexus from 2000 to 2021 in Emerging High Water Stress Economies (EHWSE), focusing on India, Pakistan, Egypt, South Africa, and Turkey.Using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), the analysis captures the heterogeneous effects of agricultural land expansion, renewable energy adoption, forest conservation, and carbon emissions on freshwater resource stress across varying intensity levels.The results reveal that agricultural land expansion and carbon emissions significantly increase water stress across all quantiles, whereas renewable energy adoption and forest area help mitigate this pressure, particularly in high-stress contexts.Robustness checks using Driscoll-Kraay standard errors confirm the consistency of these findings.To enhance national-level insights, the study also conducts country-specific Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions, which further validate the direction and significance of the panel-level relationships.These findings underscore the urgent need for integrated resource management policies that promote renewable energy, protect forest ecosystems, and regulate agricultural expansion to ensure water security.Policymakers in EHWSE countries must prioritize cross-sectoral strategies to balance environmental sustainability with economic development amid escalating climate and resource challenges.