Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis of Research on System Dynamic Modeling of the Water-Food-Energy Nexus up to 2025

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Document Type : Original Research Article

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Industrial Management and Technology Faculty, Management College, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Water, food, and energy are essential for the sustainable development of societies. However, climate change and population growth have increased pressure on the resources of these three sectors. In this context, the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus framework emphasizes the complex and interrelated interactions of these resources and seeks to develop integrated management strategies to address the associated challenges. System Dynamics Modeling (SDM), as a tool for modeling complex relationships—especially within the WEF nexus—enables the simulation of interactions and feedbacks within these systems. This study investigates the effectiveness of this method in modeling the water, energy, and food nexus. To this end, a systematic review of scientific literature up to the year 2025 was conducted using the PRISMA framework and bibliometric analysis. The Scopus database and software tools such as EndNote, VOSviewer, and Excel were selected as the main tools for data analysis. Out of 2,265 identified articles, 88 relevant articles were examined in detail. This research includes an analysis of publication trends, geographical distribution, leading journals, key countries, and identification of frequently used keywords in this field. The findings show a continuing upward trend in the number of published articles in the subject area. China leads research efforts in this field, followed by Iran. Science of the Total Environment, with 10 published articles, stands out as the most prominent journal in this area. Keywords such as "sustainable development" and "climate change" frequently appear in the reviewed articles, reflecting the primary research directions in this domain.

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Sustainable Earth Trends

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 June 2025

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