Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition
The need for integrated governance of water–energy–land–food (WELF) systems has become paramount in achieving sustainable low-carbon transitions, yet policy consistency across these interdependent sectors remains critically underexplored. This study presents the first systematic assessment of policy...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Xiaonan Zhu Cheng Zhou Clare Richardson-Barlow |
| author_facet | Xiaonan Zhu Cheng Zhou Clare Richardson-Barlow |
| author_sort | Xiaonan Zhu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The need for integrated governance of water–energy–land–food (WELF) systems has become paramount in achieving sustainable low-carbon transitions, yet policy consistency across these interdependent sectors remains critically underexplored. This study presents the first systematic assessment of policy consistency and synergy within China’s WELF framework, employing an innovative mixed-methods approach that combines a modified Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) Index with Content Analysis Methodology (CAM). Policy consistency follows a clear hierarchy: energy (PMC = 9.06, ‘Perfect’), water (8.26, ‘Good’), land (7.03, ‘Acceptable’), and food systems (6.91, ‘Acceptable’), with land–food policies exhibiting critical gaps in multifunctional design. Policy synergy metrics further reveal pronounced sectoral disparities: energy (PS = 0.89) and water (0.81) policies demonstrate strong alignment with central government objectives, whereas land (0.68) and food (0.64) systems exhibit constrained integration capacities due to uncoordinated policy architectures and competing sectoral priorities. Building on these findings, we propose three key interventions: (1) institutional restructuring through the establishment of an inter-ministerial coordination body with binding authority to align WELF sector priorities and enforce consistent and synergy targets, (2) the strategic rebalancing of policy instruments by reallocating fiscal incentives toward nexus-optimizing projects while developing innovative market-based mechanisms for cross-sectoral resource exchange, and (3) adaptive governance implementation through regional policy pilots, dynamic feedback systems, and capacity-building networks to enable context-sensitive WELF transitions while maintaining strategic consistency and synergy. These recommendations directly address the structural deficiencies in WELF governance fragmentation and incentive misalignment identified through our rigorous analysis, while simultaneously advancing theoretical discourse and offering implementable policy solutions for achieving integrated low-carbon transition. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-225c710150e94c559e37bdbf9cbdbf8a |
| institution | DOAJ |
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| spelling | doaj-art-225c710150e94c559e37bdbf9cbdbf8a2025-08-20T02:45:49ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-07-01147143110.3390/land14071431Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon TransitionXiaonan Zhu0Cheng Zhou1Clare Richardson-Barlow2School of Marxism, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Government, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, ChinaSchool of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UKThe need for integrated governance of water–energy–land–food (WELF) systems has become paramount in achieving sustainable low-carbon transitions, yet policy consistency across these interdependent sectors remains critically underexplored. This study presents the first systematic assessment of policy consistency and synergy within China’s WELF framework, employing an innovative mixed-methods approach that combines a modified Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) Index with Content Analysis Methodology (CAM). Policy consistency follows a clear hierarchy: energy (PMC = 9.06, ‘Perfect’), water (8.26, ‘Good’), land (7.03, ‘Acceptable’), and food systems (6.91, ‘Acceptable’), with land–food policies exhibiting critical gaps in multifunctional design. Policy synergy metrics further reveal pronounced sectoral disparities: energy (PS = 0.89) and water (0.81) policies demonstrate strong alignment with central government objectives, whereas land (0.68) and food (0.64) systems exhibit constrained integration capacities due to uncoordinated policy architectures and competing sectoral priorities. Building on these findings, we propose three key interventions: (1) institutional restructuring through the establishment of an inter-ministerial coordination body with binding authority to align WELF sector priorities and enforce consistent and synergy targets, (2) the strategic rebalancing of policy instruments by reallocating fiscal incentives toward nexus-optimizing projects while developing innovative market-based mechanisms for cross-sectoral resource exchange, and (3) adaptive governance implementation through regional policy pilots, dynamic feedback systems, and capacity-building networks to enable context-sensitive WELF transitions while maintaining strategic consistency and synergy. These recommendations directly address the structural deficiencies in WELF governance fragmentation and incentive misalignment identified through our rigorous analysis, while simultaneously advancing theoretical discourse and offering implementable policy solutions for achieving integrated low-carbon transition.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1431climate changeenvironmental governancelow-carbon transitionsustainable developmentwaterenergy |
| spellingShingle | Xiaonan Zhu Cheng Zhou Clare Richardson-Barlow Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition Land climate change environmental governance low-carbon transition sustainable development water energy |
| title | Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition |
| title_full | Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition |
| title_short | Assessing Policy Consistency and Synergy in China’s Water–Energy–Land–Food Nexus for Low-Carbon Transition |
| title_sort | assessing policy consistency and synergy in china s water energy land food nexus for low carbon transition |
| topic | climate change environmental governance low-carbon transition sustainable development water energy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/7/1431 |
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