Developing indicators for the monitoring of the sustainability of food, energy, and water

One of the greatest challenges currently facing the world is the ever-increasing scarcity of resources vital for sustainability. According to the United Nations, by 2030, people will require 30% more water, 45% more energy, and 50% more food. The sustainability of food, energy, and water (FEW) has become a critical area of study for environmental science. The motivation for this study is that there are currently no comprehensive indicators for monitoring the achievement of FEW sustainability worldwide. In this study, a transparent methodology that can be used to develop a set of newly linked indicators that can be used to compare FEW sustainability in different geographical areas is developed. By focusing on providing a general picture of the FEW sustainability, this study proposes an indicator on a national scale. The resulting Linked Indicators for FEW AvailabilitY (LIFEWAY) is an integrated indicator that measures the sustainability achievements for a country. This study provides an overview of the FEW sustainability for 42 developed and developing countries. The results confirm that the LIFEWAY index is significantly associated with GDP and can be used to perform an assessment regarding the FEW sustainability for a country. It can be used to analyze specific issues, and allows regional and national solutions to be developed.