Integrating the water-energy-food (Wef) nexus in the environmental governance of a metropolitan city in a developing economy: A case study of lima, peru

The chapter discusses opportunities and challenges related to applying the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus to the environmental governance of a large urban area in an emerging economy. Peru’s capital, Lima, was selected as a case study due to its ever-growing population necessitating a more inclusive approach to managing scarce natural resources within and outside the city. Policies have been developed to enhance water, energy and food security in Lima, but their effectiveness has never been evaluated. Using data from interviews with key stakeholders, the chapter assesses the success of the nexus integration into Lima’s environmental governance. Findings indicate limited integration, as policy implementation is not appropriately supported on the ground, that is at the level of practitioners/actors who operationalise policy decisions. The chapter shows that Peru’s environmental governance prioritises short-term economic gains over long-term environmental and social sustainability of local communities. It is therefore critical, in addition to improving the nexus integration into Lima’s and national environmental policies, to introduce a system monitoring of the effectiveness of policy implementation. To ensure transparency and trustworthiness, this system should be managed by an independent, non-governmental body.