​​The unprecedented increase in global population, the growth of middle-class societies and their increased purchasing power, climate change, economic development, international trade, health and environmental concerns, all play roles in magnifying or reducing the growing stresses on the vital resources of water, energy and food (WEF). The absence of systemic management strategies threatens the ability of these resources to meet growing demand. Projections for water availability and quality, food and energy availability, soil and air quality, among others, are alarming. These alarms point to one major conclusion: ‘business as usual’ is no longer viable. Indeed, they call for a fundamental shift in the manner in which we understand and manage resources: a shift away from traditional ‘silo’ approaches toward more integrative, systems approaches. While such a shift is promoted on multiple global stages, progress remains fragmented and tends to focus on specific, singular aspects of the nexus.​​