In high-latitude and high-altitude catchments, cryospheric processes—particularly snow accumulation and melt—are fundamental components of the hydrological cycle. Ongoing changes in climate, land use, and energy systems are altering the spatial and temporal patterns of water availability and demand, with significant implications for water resources and the ecosystem services they underpin. This presentation outlines a systems-based approach to conceptualizing and formulating supply and demand dynamics from the perspective of integrated water and energy systems. It adopts a climate–land–energy–water (CLEW) systems framework, drawing on insights from diverse case studies to examine both overarching system behavior and region-specific processes influenced by climate change, energy transitions, land use change, and ecosystem dynamics. To improve our understanding and management of these interconnected systems, observational data and modeling are essential. These tools enable exploration of future scenarios, assessment of potential co-benefits, and development of strategies for mitigation and adaptation in response to anticipated changes. The presentation discusses various modeling approaches and frameworks, highlighting key challenges related to model structure, integration and coupling, data availability, and scenario design. Recent findings from ongoing research in Norway, Finland, and Central Asia will be shared, focusing on water–energy nexus analysis and integrated modeling efforts in cryosphere-affected catchments.
The Nexus Seminar Series is coordinated by Prof. Serena Coetzee and Prof. Samanthi Dijkstra-Silva as part of the course Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Sustainability (the Nexus Approach), jointly offered by UNU-FLORES and TU Dresden.
