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This open access book considers that the Central and South Asian region sits at the middle of geographical, geopolitical, economic and historical cross-roads. Since the independence of the Central Asian states in the 1990s, following the demise of the Soviet Union, and emergence of regional trade and political ties means that the region's evolution has also been subject to common drivers – external and internal, opening up some new opportunities. The long-term social and economic success of the region depends on how water, energy, and food security is achieved at a regional scale that combines Central Asia and South Asia, which are typically treated separately in policy and scholarly works. This book considers how securing the "Nexus" of water, energy, and food resources serves as a starting point for utilizing emerging region-wide opportunities. It does so by identifying the present state of play, deeply analyzing cross-cutting drivers (e.g., climate change, poverty, environmentalcrises and urbanization) and offering insights into possible solutions. The book offers an in-depth rationale for why dealing with this region as a whole makes sense; it is then divided into four sections: The first section, entitled "A Regional Overview," establishes the basic facts around the state of water, energy, and food resources; this section is meant to serve as the foundation upon which further exploration and analysis is built. The second section turns its attention to "Regional Issues" and unpacks the Nexus into water–energy and water–food relationships. It also investigates how regional trade and coping mechanisms for environmental crises might inform the policies on the Nexus. The section includes a sampling of success and failure stories around implementation of the Nexus policies and strategies in the Central and South Asian region. The third section undertakes an analysis of the "Cross-Cutting Themes for Nexus Security" by investigating all the major drivers of policy and development strategies in the region: climate change, urbanization, poverty, sharing of resources across borders, and gender-based disparities. The fourth and final section uses the discussion throughout the book to formulate "An Integrated Narrative" around the Nexus. It explores how the new global development framework in the form of Sustainable Development Goals might offer a new perspective for achieving the Nexus security in the region. There is an argument that the Nexus security ties in with achievement of long-term peace and security. A final wrap-up chapter gazes into the crystal ball to test out some future scenarios – both positive and negative.

This open access book considers the water, energy, food (WEF) nexus in the Pacific region. The region comprises seventeen sovereign countries and seven territories spread across the Pacific Ocean, a blue expanse that covers a fifth of the world's surface area but contains only 0.5% of the population—or 44.5 million people. The uniqueness of the Pacific and the need for a Pasifika-led approach to sustainability across environmental, societal and economical spheres requires this blue continent to be considered in a separate volume under the 'Water Security in a New World' series. This Pacific volume is focussed on water, energy and food security in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) and the challenges produced by the impacts of anthropogenic climate change and human population pressures. The diversity of culture, traditional knowledge and ways of life across the Pacific are united by similar geographies and opportunities to apply a 'Pacific specific' WEF nexus approach; a coordinated approach to manage water, energy and food that is centred on active decision making across the three sectors to increase the security of each. Importantly, a WEF nexus approach builds on national and international efforts to date in the Pacific which include Integrated Water Resource Management, Ridge to Reef, Source to Sea, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, Integrated Coastal Zone Management and other similar approaches. In this book, contributions by authors from governments, regional bodies, multilateral agencies, and academia describe water security and its intersectionality with both the energy and food sectors, highlighting the significance of both land and marine food systems and connectivity between water and energy in a Pacific-focussed context. It is demonstrated that these systems cannot be separated from the challenges associated with healthy environments and functioning ecological services, transport, and waste that are unique to this vast archipelagic region. To achieve meaningful change, it is essential that solutions are cognizant of the world's colonial past and the global inequalities that persist today. The path forward for water and food systems is one that is Pasifika-led and builds on traditional knowledge and local capacity. National energy demands must consider the future with solutions comprising both WEF-integrated approaches and new energy technologies to hasten the transition away from fossil fuels. Globally, major greenhouse gas emitters both past and present need to step up for the environmental and economic benefit of all by rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting Pasifika leadership on highly ambitious net zero goals. This book is a highly recommended source of information and inspiration for policy makers, decision makers, research communities and practitioners dealing with any aspect of water, energy, or food security in the Pacific.

1. Halophyte Research, Conservation & Development - The role of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Asia/Pacific -- 2. Evidence for the role of salinity and alkalinity in plant diversification in Australia -- 3. Aspects of the Abu Dhabi Sabkha -- 4.Comparative seed germination ecology of sabkha and playa halophytes of Pakistan -- 5. Plants of sabkha ecosystems of the Arabian Peninsula -- 6. Desert Halophytes: Alleviating the Pressure on the Scarce Resources of Arable Soil and Fresh Water -- 7. Drone-based vegetation assessment in arid ecosystems -- 8.Salt-induced Changes in Growth and Damage-avoidance-mechanisms of Hydroponically Grown Chinese Kale (Brassica alboglabra L.) -- 9. Growth dynamic of Tamarix chinensis plantations in coastal heavy saline land and its ecological effect -- 10. Mechanisms of ion transport in halophytes, from roots to leaves -- 11. Interpretation of Holocene Carbonate-Evaporites of Coastal and Inland Sabkhas of Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) Using Landsat Satellite Images and Field Survey -- 12. Climate change impacts on salt marsh vegetation ecophysiology -- 13. Morphology and betalain characterization of 'ice plants' (Aizoaceae) from the coast of Wellington, New Zealand -- 14. Salt-tolerance and potential uses for saline agriculture of halophytes from the Poaceae -- 15. Phenotyping through Infra-Red Thermography in stress environment -- 16. The Mangroves of Myanmar -- 17. Potentially domesticable chenopodiacea halophytes of Iran -- 18. Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria associated to the halophyte Suaeda maritima (L.) in Abbas, Iran -- 19. Quinoa: A new crop for harsh environments -- 20. Difference in antioxidant defense system between the halophytes and glycophytes to overcome the salinity stress -- 21. Diversity and distribution of salt-tolerant plants of the United Arab Emirates: perspectives for sustainable utilization and future research -- 22. Framework for rapid evaluation of a mangrove restoration site: A case study from Indian Sundarban -- 23. Mangrove Biogeography of the Indo-Pacific -- 24. Short Communications – Suggestions for Improving Science Communication for Halophyte Conservation, Research and Development -- 25. Ligno-cellulosic biomass from sabkha native vegetation: a new potential source for fiber-based bioenergy production -- 26. The Floristical, Ecological and Syntaxonomical Characteristics of Salt Marshes and Salt Steppes of Turkey -- 27. Temporal variations in water and ion relations of coastal halophytes -- 28. Mangrove Cover, Biodiversity and Carbon Storage of Mangrove Forests in Thailand -- 29. Pollen morphology of the genus Tamarix in Israel -- 30. Species distribution in different ecological zones and conservation strategy of Halophytes of Sundarbans Mangrove Forest of Bangladesh -- 31. Cash Crop Holophytes of China -- 32. Sabkha Ecosystems Vol VI - Asia Pacific: Summarizing the Story

Sustainable development is the key for the survival in 21st century. The natural resources are finite and cannot be used with impunity because we are the custodian of these resources and have responsibility to pass these to the next generation. This monumental task requires several major commitments and most important of them is to arrest population explosion which has already reached seven billion. Natural resources like air to breath, food to eat, and water to drink, and fossil fuel to maintain this life style are being overexploited. Unrestrained consuming culture will accelerate undesired