ERIA Advances Regional Dialogue on Sustainable Biomass through the WEF Nexus

Tokyo, 26 - 27 November 2025: ERIA convened the 5th Working Group Meeting under the project 'Analysis of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus for Sustainable Biomass Utilisation for Fuel, Fibre, and Food in selected East Asia Summit (EAS) countries (CY 2023-2026)' at the Global Zero Emission Research Centre (GZR) in Tokyo.

As interest in biomass production grows, pressures across interconnected water, energy, food, land, and climate (WEFLC) systems are intensifying. Policymakers face increasingly complex trade-offs between resource security, environmental protection, and economic development. Yet comparative, cross-country evidence on how these trade-offs are perceived and prioritised across the region remains limited.

During the meeting, ERIA Working Group members shared preliminary findings on the synergies and trade-offs of biomass utilisation, using WEFLC nexus indicators to assess environmental, economic, and resource impacts. These insights support the development of policy strategies that promote more efficient and sustainable biomass planning across sectors.

To deepen the analysis, the Working Group introduced a quantitative expert survey using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The survey examines differences in expert perceptions across countries, sectors, and institutional roles, while also identifying data and governance barriers that may constrain effective policy implementation.

Through continued collaboration and country-level policy reviews, this initiative aims to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and advance sustainable biomass development across the EAS region.