Local Conservation of Nature Heritage as an Important Component in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Approach. A Case Study of Srebarna Lake, Bulgaria

Conservation and sustainable use of natural resources are gaining more and more weight on the world political agenda and are attracting the attention of national governments at the highest level. The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) approach helps to understand the interrelationship between natural resources and human activities such as planning, managing, or consuming water, energy, or agricultural products. The world is currently facing the challenge of providing water, energy, and food for all. Scarce natural resources and the environment are increasingly being exploited, while at the same time the demand for fresh water, agricultural products, and energy increases. In this context, the protection of the quality of the available water resources becomes even more important. The preservation of the quality status of water resources is compromised by excessive exploitation, the introduction of polluting substances of different origins, hydromorphological changes in aquatic habitats, and climate changes. The main aim of this article is to clarify the Water-Energy-Food relationship and determine the current physico-chemical state of Lake Srebarna, which is a protected natural site in Bulgaria, a wetland of international importance, a biosphere reserve, and part of the list of world cultural heritage monuments and natural sights of UNESCO.