Analysis Nexus Agua-Alimentos-Energy-Ecosystem Services in the face of climate changes, land use and population. A novel approach to local sustainable development at a scale of a hydrographic basin

The lack of integration of sustainable development objectives and the strengthening of isolated approaches, point to the need to understand the challenges of sustainability and management of ecosystems and natural resources more integrated. In addition, the growing demand for goods and services, such as water, food and energy, has increased pressure on natural resources and ecosystems, which has led to its overexploitation and degradation. To solve this need, it has been necessary to innovate approaches that highlight complex interdependencies between physical, biotic, social and economic systems, such as the Nexus approach to prevent water, food and energy safety. However, the scientific understanding of this approach is still limited. This framework motivates this proposal with the generation of scientific evidence for sustainable development at a hydrographic basin scale through the analysis of the link between water, food production, energy production and ecosystem services (especially hydrological services) provided by hydrographic basins, under different scenarios of demographic changes, land use and climate. A social, economic and environmental diagnosis of water, food, energy and ecosystem services will be made in the field of study, in addition the scenarios of changes in the climate, land use, hydrology and population, these results will be introduced in an evaluation and analysis of the connections of the link between water, food, energy and ecosystem services in the current scenario and scenarios of future changes. The sub -basin of the Machágara River located in the Austro Ecuadorian, will be taken as a case study. This sub -basin contains a multipurpose system with two chanlud and carved reservoirs, which provide water to: the generation of hydroelectricity, maintain ecological demands, for human consumption, for the agricultural sector and for several industries. It also has the peculiarity of having an interesting management model, with the Conservation Committee of the Machágara Basin, which is composed of nine institutions from its different competences, which contribute to the protection of water sources and generation of programs for the integral development of their environments. The results of the project would serve as a scientific basis where decision making of institutions, organizations and actors of the sub-basin in their areas of its competence are based, in regard to the identification and implementation of innovative solutions where the synergies and compensation are optimized between the components of the water-food-echosystem

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