Advancing circular economy in the water-energy-food nexus: A framework for sustainable resource use.

This study presents a transformative approach to achieving near-zero CO2 emissions in a fossil fuel-based industrial region by integrating circular economy (CE) principles with water-energy-food (WEF) nexus optimization. Utilizing a linear optimization model in the OSeMOSYS software, the study simulates the Climate-Land-Water-Energy nexus, considering population growth, rapid industrialization, and climate change. The findings indicate that achieving near-zero CO2 emissions, by reducing annual emissions from 4 million tons to 0.4 million tons, requires a combination of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) activities, renewable technologies, and production adjustments. Water consumption increases significantly across emission reduction scenarios, while electricity consumption rises from 4037.83 GWh to over 6300 GWh. Low-cap scenarios achieve a 30% emission reduction by 2050 using amine-based CCUS, while high-cap scenarios demand more resources due to extensive carbon capture. The research highlights the need for stringent measures under adverse conditions and underscores the importance of sustainable resource management to mitigate climate change impacts, demonstrating the economic feasibility of circular economy principles in reducing carbon emissions.