Impacts of Deglobalization on the Sustainability of Regional Food, Energy, Water Systems

The goal of this project is to examine the potential effects of deglobalization on the sustainability of regional food-energy-water systems (FEWS) and well-being of FEW producers and consumers. We develop a new integrated modeling framework that accounts for individual land use and management decisions, regional demands for land, energy and water resources, and water quality and greenhouse gas emissions impacts. We apply the model to a five-state Great Lakes region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin and evaluate the implications of varying future deglobalization scenarios and policies for regional FEWS sustainability and societal well-being. Local and regional stakeholders are engaged throughout the research process via a participatory modeling approach to guide model specification, develop future scenarios, and identify sustainability metrics. The research results will be used to guide discussion of potential Great Lakes regional futures with policymakers and other stakeholders.