80 Scientific American, June 2019Integrate
Management
Greatest positive score,
largely because it requires
few resources and provides
many benefits to people
and ecosystems.End Market
Interference
Greatest negative
score, largely because of
environmental problems
such as soil degradation
and deforestation.Maintain
Genetic Diversity
Scores high because
it is crucial to numerous
food and water targets
and presents no
complication for any
other target.Synergy does not
involve water+1FOOD (^) A
ND
(^) A
GR
IC
U
LT
U
R
E
EN
ERG
Y
W
AT
ER
(^2). 1
(^2). 2
32.
a^2
b^2
c 2
6.^1
6.^6
7.^1
7.^27.^3
7 b
6 a
6 b
Water–Water
Water–Energy
Water–Food
A
B C D
E
G
H
O
L
+3 (strong)
+2
+1 (mild)
Synergy with Other Targets
7.1 Make access affordable
- 2 Expand renewable sources
- 3 Improve efficiency
7a Transfer technology
7b Modernize infrastructure
6 .1 Make drinking water safe
6.2 Provide adequate sanitation
6.3 Improve quality
6.4 Increase efficiency
6.5 Integrate management
6.6 Restore ecosystem
6a Cooperate internationally
6b Involve local communities2 .1 End hunger
2.2 End malnutrition
2.3 Double productivity
2.4 Produce sustainably
2.5 Maintain genetic diversity
2a Invest in rural agriculture
2b End market interference
2c Improve commodity marketsENERGY GOALSFOOD AND
AGRICULTURE GOALSWATER GOALS6.2Negative Relationship with Other Targets: –1 (mild)WATERGOALS FO
O
D(^) A
N
D
(^) A
G
RI
C
U
LT
U
RE
(^) G
O
A
SL
EN
ER
GY
GO
AL
S
7.^1
7.^2
7. 3
(^7) b
(^2). 1
(^2). 2
(^2).
3
. 52
a^26 b6 a. 6
6
(^5). 6
3. (^62). 6 1.^6
(^4). 6
c^2
(^7) a
2.4
2b
SOURCE: “TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF SYNERGIES AND TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN WATER, ENERGY, AND FOOD SDG TARGETS,” BY MARIANELA FADER ET AL., IN
FRONTIERS IN
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE,
VOL. 6, ARTICLE 112; NOVEMBER 18, 2018
GRAPHIC SCIENCE
Text by Mark Fischetti | Graphic by Lisa Mahapatra
Follow the Water
Solving global water issues will greatly
benefit food and energy, too
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are intended to
create a world that is socially, economically and environmentally fair
and resilient. But there are 17 goals and 169 actions (“targets”) within
them. Where should a country begin, especially if it has limited resourc-
es? Sustainability experts say that the goals of water, food and energy are
crucial to the wider set and that they are tightly intertwined. A new anal-
ysis by four international researchers indicates water solutions provide
the greatest synergistic advantages for all three ( large graphic ) and have
only a few minor problematic trade-offs ( small graphic ). “We want policy
makers to see that these goals have to be achieved together,” says Mari-
anela Fader, deputy director of the International Center for Water Re -
sourc es and Global Change in Germany. “And that water pays off best.”
Positive Synergies
Pursuing certain targets within the U.N. Sustainable
Development Goals for water, food and energy
(numbered with their official designations) reinforces
progress in others. Overall, water targets have the
greatest benefits.
Criteria Assessed
The eight criteria were: water needs;
land and soil needs; electricity and
fuel needs; need for roads, pipes
and other gray infrastructure; need
for education and technology infra -
structure; need for health care; and
benefits and risks for ecosystem
services to people and to the planet.
Negative Trade-offs
Pursuing one target can undermine another. Several water, food and energy
targets had one counterproductive trade-off. Yet most of them had more
than one positive synergy ( larger graphic ), offsetting the complication.
( Circle enlarged for legibility. )
Synergy Strength Calculated
Pairs of targets were evaluated against eight
criteria. For each criterion, a mutual benefit
between the pair scored +1, and a negative trade-
off scored –1. The sum of the eight scores gave a
total, shown in the circles as the width of the line
connecting the pair. For example, targets 2.1 and
6.3 had three synergies (+3), one trade-off (–1)
and four neutral interactions ( 0 ), totaling +2.