Risk Inequality and the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus: A Study of 43 City Adaptation Plans

Romero-Lankao, Patricia; Gnatz, Daniel

doi:10.3389/fsoc.2019.00031

Risk Inequality and the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus: A Study of 43 City Adaptation Plans

Journal Article · Thu Apr 18 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Frontiers in Sociology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2019.00031· OSTI ID:1781643

^[1]; Gnatz, Daniel ^[2]

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Univ. of Chicago, IL (United States)
Institute for Sustainable Urban Transformation, Boulder, CO (United States)

Goals aimed at adapting to climate change in sustainable and just ways are embedded in global agreements such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. However, largely unexamined, are the ways that narrative understandings conveyed in adaptation plans consider and attempt to address inequality in climate risk to urban populations and FEW-systems. In this paper, we examine whether and how adaptation plans from C40 member cities address inequality in risk, by planning actions to reduce hazard exposure or tackling the drivers of social vulnerability. C40 is a network of 94 of the world's cities fostering policies to address climate change. We apply a mixed methods approach, including a discourse analysis and meta-analysis of adaptation plans. The discourse analysis helps to unpack framings of urban equity issues as they relate to policy actions, and the meta-analysis seeks to quantitatively investigate patterns of framing and policy across adaptation plans. Our findings suggest that FEW-nexus thinking is not yet embedded in narrative understandings of risk and planned adaptation actions, within the adaptation plans we studied. In the city adaptation plans we analyzed, we found multiple frames coexisting behind the broader adaptation visions (e.g., risk and resilience). Rather than converging, issues, and principles such as those of equality, coexist with economic issues in an imbalance of incongruent political movements and priorities. Techno-infrastructural and economic investments and concerns tend to take precedence over concerns and interests for inequality in climate risks. We discuss some of the institutional factors explaining this. Knowledge integration, for instance, is constrained by the existence of a plurality of sectors, levels of government, power, values, and ways of understanding and managing climate risk. We also suggest that the relatively low importance of equality considerations in the adaptation plans will likely limit the capacity of cities to support broader goals such as those of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Bloomberg Philanthropies; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1781643

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA--5400-79890; MainId:39108; UUID:e3607332-5de3-43d6-85cc-037439a2f3e7; MainAdminID:22365

Journal Information:: Frontiers in Sociology, Journal Name: Frontiers in Sociology Vol. 4; ISSN 2297-7775

Publisher:: Frontiers Media S.A.Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (54)

Reflections on Foucauldian discourse analysis in planning and environmental policy research Sharp, Liz; Richardson, Tim Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/jepp.88	journal	September 2001
Challenges for Community-Based Adaptation: Discovering the Potential for Transformation Dodman, David; Mitlin, Diana Journal of International Development, Vol. 25, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.1772	journal	February 2011
Energy poverty in the European Union: landscapes of vulnerability: Energy poverty in the European Union Bouzarovski, Stefan Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.89	journal	August 2013
Examining urban inequality and vulnerability to enhance resilience: insights from Mumbai, India Romero-Lankao, Patricia; Gnatz, Daniel M.; Sperling, Joshua B. Climatic Change, Vol. 139, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-016-1813-z	journal	October 2016
The Sociology of Knowledge Approach to Discourse (SKAD) Keller, Reiner Human Studies, Vol. 34, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10746-011-9175-z	journal	March 2011
Climate change and coastal vulnerability assessment: scenarios for integrated assessment Nicholls, Robert J.; Wong, Poh Poh; Burkett, Virginia Sustainability Science, Vol. 3, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-008-0050-4	journal	April 2008
The asset vulnerability framework: Reassessing urban poverty reduction strategies Moser, Caroline O. N. World Development, Vol. 26, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(97)10015-8	journal	January 1998
Equity, environmental justice and sustainability: incomplete approaches in climate change politics Ikeme, Jekwu Global Environmental Change, Vol. 13, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-3780(03)00047-5	journal	October 2003
Community-Based Adaptation to the Health Impacts of Climate Change Ebi, Kristie L.; Semenza, Jan C. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Vol. 35, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.08.018	journal	November 2008
Something borrowed, everything new: innovation and institutionalization in urban climate governance Anguelovski, Isabelle; Carmin, JoAnn Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2010.12.017	journal	May 2011
Conceptualizing urban water security in an urbanizing world Romero-Lankao, Patricia; Gnatz, Daniel M. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Vol. 21 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2016.11.002	journal	August 2016
Sustainable development and the water–energy–food nexus: A perspective on livelihoods Biggs, Eloise M.; Bruce, Eleanor; Boruff, Bryan Environmental Science & Policy, Vol. 54 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2015.08.002	journal	December 2015
Climate change adaptation planning in large cities: A systematic global assessment Araos, Malcolm; Berrang-Ford, Lea; Ford, James D. Environmental Science & Policy, Vol. 66 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2016.06.009	journal	December 2016
Splintering urbanism in Mumbai: Contrasting trends in a multilayered society Zérah, Marie-Hélène Geoforum, Vol. 39, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2008.02.001	journal	November 2008
Placing splintering urbanism: Introduction Coutard, Olivier Geoforum, Vol. 39, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2008.10.008	journal	November 2008
What drives food insecurity in southern Africa? a meta-analysis of household economy studies Misselhorn, Alison A. Global Environmental Change, Vol. 15, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2004.11.003	journal	April 2005
Uncertainty in adaptive capacity and the importance of scale Vincent, Katharine Global Environmental Change, Vol. 17, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2006.11.009	journal	February 2007
Urban vulnerability to temperature-related hazards: A meta-analysis and meta-knowledge approach Romero-Lankao, Patricia; Qin, Hua; Dickinson, Katie Global Environmental Change, Vol. 22, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.04.002	journal	August 2012
Climate justice and global cities: Mapping the emerging discourses Bulkeley, Harriet; Carmin, JoAnn; Castán Broto, Vanesa Global Environmental Change, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.05.010	journal	October 2013
Cascades of green: A review of ecosystem-based adaptation in urban areas Brink, Ebba; Aalders, Theodor; Ádám, Dóra Global Environmental Change, Vol. 36 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2015.11.003	journal	January 2016
Intra-urban societal vulnerability to extreme heat: The role of heat exposure and the built environment, socioeconomics, and neighborhood stability Uejio, Christopher K.; Wilhelmi, Olga V.; Golden, Jay S. Health & Place, Vol. 17, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2010.12.005	journal	March 2011
The new climate leaders? Acuto, Michele Review of International Studies, Vol. 39, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0260210512000502	journal	February 2013
A New Framework to Enable Equitable Outcomes: Resilience and Nexus Approaches Combined Stringer, L. C.; Quinn, C. H.; Le, H. T. V. Earth's Future, Vol. 6, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1029/2017EF000694	journal	June 2018
Interdependencies and Risk to People and Critical Food, Energy, and Water Systems: 2013 Flood, Boulder, Colorado, USA Romero‐Lankao, Patricia; Norton, Rachel Earth's Future, Vol. 6, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EF000984	journal	November 2018
Roadmap towards justice in urban climate adaptation research Shi, Linda; Chu, Eric; Anguelovski, Isabelle Nature Climate Change, Vol. 6, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2841	journal	January 2016
The food-energy-water nexus and urban complexity Romero-Lankao, Patricia; McPhearson, Timon; Davidson, Debra J. Nature Climate Change, Vol. 7, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate3260	journal	April 2017
Urban transformative potential in a changing climate Romero-Lankao, Patricia; Bulkeley, Harriet; Pelling, Mark Nature Climate Change, Vol. 8, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0264-0	journal	August 2018
discourse analysis and the study of policy making Hajer, Maarten European Political Science, Vol. 2, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1057/eps.2002.49	journal	September 2002
Understanding the Relationship between Subnational and National Climate Change Politics in the United States: Toward a Theory of Boomerang Federalism Fisher, Dana R. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, Vol. 31, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1068/c11186	journal	January 2013
Explaining Progress in Climate Adaptation Planning Across 156 U.S. Municipalities Shi, Linda; Chu, Eric; Debats, Jessica Journal of the American Planning Association, Vol. 81, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1080/01944363.2015.1074526	journal	July 2015
Environmental security and climate change: analysing the discourse Trombetta, Maria Julia Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Vol. 21, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1080/09557570802452920	journal	December 2008
Revisiting the urban politics of climate change Bulkeley, Harriet; Betsill, Michele M. Environmental Politics, Vol. 22, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2013.755797	journal	February 2013
Science and institution building in urban climate-change policymaking Hughes, Sara; Romero-Lankao, Patricia Environmental Politics, Vol. 23, Issue 6, p. 1023-1042 https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2014.921459	journal	July 2014
The orchestration of global urban climate governance: conducting power in the post-Paris climate regime Gordon, David J.; Johnson, Craig A. Environmental Politics, Vol. 26, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2017.1320829	journal	May 2017
Inequality in new global governance arrangements: the North–South divide in transnational municipal networks Bouteligier, Sofie Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, Vol. 26, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1080/13511610.2013.771890	journal	September 2013
Incremental, reformistic or transformational: what kind of change do C40 cities advocate to deal with climate change? Heikkinen, Milja; Ylä-Anttila, Tuomas; Juhola, Sirkku Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, Vol. 21, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2018.1473151	journal	August 2018
Environmental justice, sustainability and vulnerability Boone, Christopher G. International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development, Vol. 2, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1080/19463138.2010.513772	journal	November 2010
Identifying, understanding, and analyzing critical infrastructure interdependencies Rinaldi, S. M.; Peerenboom, J. P.; Kelly, T. K. IEEE Control Systems, Vol. 21, Issue 6, p. 11-25 https://doi.org/10.1109/37.969131	journal	December 2001
Tracing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Description, Theory and Practice: Tracing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Leck, Hayley; Conway, Declan; Bradshaw, Michael Geography Compass, Vol. 9, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1111/gec3.12222	journal	August 2015
Cities and the Governing of Climate Change Bulkeley, Harriet Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Vol. 35, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-072809-101747	journal	November 2010
Trends and Directions in Environmental Justice: From Inequity to Everyday Life, Community, and Just Sustainabilities Agyeman, Julian; Schlosberg, David; Craven, Luke Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Vol. 41, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-090052	journal	November 2016
Risk, Security, and Disaster Management Comfort, Louise K. Annual Review of Political Science, Vol. 8, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.8.081404.075608	journal	June 2005
Securitisation and ‘Riskification’: Second-order Security and the Politics of Climate Change Corry, Olaf Millennium: Journal of International Studies, Vol. 40, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1177/0305829811419444	journal	November 2011
Developing and testing the Urban Sustainable Development Goal’s targets and indicators – a five-city study Simon, David; Arfvidsson, Helen; Anand, Geetika Environment and Urbanization, Vol. 28, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247815619865	journal	December 2015
What Does Sustainability Mean to City Officials? Zeemering, Eric S. Urban Affairs Review, Vol. 45, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1177/1078087409337297	journal	May 2009
Population Composition, Migration and Inequality: The Influence of Demographic Changes on Disaster Risk and Vulnerability Donner, W.; Rodriguez, H. Social Forces, Vol. 87, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.0.0141	journal	December 2008
What Is Driving the Water-Energy-Food Nexus? Discourses, Knowledge, and Politics of an Emerging Resource Governance Concept Wiegleb, Viviana; Bruns, Antje Frontiers in Environmental Science, Vol. 6 https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00128	journal	October 2018
A Point Source of a Different Color: Identifying a Gap in United States Regulatory Policy for “Green” CSO Treatment Using Constructed Wetlands Levy, Zeno; Smardon, Richard; Bays, James Sustainability, Vol. 6, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.3390/su6052392	journal	April 2014
Methods of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Endo, Aiko; Burnett, Kimberly; Orencio, Pedcris Water, Vol. 7, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.3390/w7105806	journal	October 2015
Meeting at the crossroads?: Exploring the linkages between climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction Schipper, E. Lisa F. Climate and Development, Vol. 1, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.3763/cdev.2009.0004	journal	March 2009
Why different interpretations of vulnerability matter in climate change discourses O'Brien, Karen; Eriksen, Siri; Nygaard, Lynn P. Climate Policy, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.3763/cpol.2007.0706	journal	January 2007
Sustainable Development and Social Justice: Conflicting Urgencies and the Search for Common Ground in Urban and Regional Planning Campbell, Scott D. Michigan Journal of Sustainability, Vol. 1, Issue 20181221 https://doi.org/10.3998/mjs.12333712.0001.007	journal	January 2013
Justice in Urban Climate Change Adaptation: Criteria and Application to Delhi Hughes, Sara Ecology and Society, Vol. 18, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-05929-180448	journal	January 2013
Nature-based solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban areas: perspectives on indicators, knowledge gaps, barriers, and opportunities for action Kabisch, Nadja; Frantzeskaki, Niki; Pauleit, Stephan Ecology and Society, Vol. 21, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-08373-210239	journal	January 2016

Similar Records

Exploring Citizen Infrastructure and Environmental Priorities in Mumbai, India

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Environmental Science and Policy · OSTI ID:1244670

Adaptation and risk management

Journal Article · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2010 · WIREs Climate Change · OSTI ID:1018657

Is adaptation a local responsibility?

Journal Article · Thu Jan 15 23:00:00 EST 2015 · Environmental Science and Policy · OSTI ID:1265326

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
FEW nexus
discourse analysis
inequality
meta-analysis
urban adaptation
urban climate governance

Risk Inequality and the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus: A Study of 43 City Adaptation Plans

Citation Formats

References (54)

Similar Records

Related Subjects