Exploring Urban Food Desert Polices in the United States Through the Water-Food-Energy Nexus

Climate change is shifting the distribution and availability of resources around the world. The impacts of climate change are felt significantly within the Water-Food-Energy Nexus, which aims to explore the interconnected impacts on both the natural and human environment. As changes to the climate affect access to resources many societies continue to face the challenge of supporting their human populations while others continue to use resources in excess. Even within industrialized countries like the United States, people face serious resource poverty, clearly seen in food insecurity. Food deserts have arisen in urban areas within the United States and are influenced by a variety of economic, environmental, and social factors. People living in these communities lack the ability to access nutritious, culturally appropriate, and sustainable food options, negatively impacting their health. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the food insecurity felt in urban environments. In this project, I examine case studies of policies that have been implemented on the local level by government and community organizations to combat the growing urban food insecurity. In looking at these local policies through the Water-Food-Energy Nexus I explore the connections between each resource type and the root causes of urban food deserts. Using the Water-Food-Energy Nexus perspective allows for more sustainable approaches to food insecurity, especially as communities begin to experience more significant impacts to natural resources due to climate change and face the unpredictability of resources in their future environment