Incorporating carbon sequestration toward a water-energy-food-carbon with uncertainties

Water-energy-food nexus (WEFN) is the core content in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, the value of soil and crops' carbon sink function has not yet been fully considered in the managment practices of WEFN system. Here, we developed a water-energy-food-carbon nexus (WEFCN) planning framework that incorporates carbon sequestration and multiple mathematical optimi-zation methods into the practical WEFN management for Henan Province, which is one of major grain -pro-ducing areas in China. Uncertainties from multiple objectives, scenarios, and different stakeholder inter-ests are captured. We found that wheat has the largest carbon sequestration, followed by corn and oil-bearing crops, while other crops have implicit carbon sequestration. Since chemical fertilizer produces the most carbon emissions, the usage of chemical fertilizer needs to be reasonably controlled. Overall, the proposed framework supports optimal decision-making for regional-scale WEFCN management and further unlocks the hidden value of agricultural carbon mitigation.