Abstract: Water-energy-food nexus has gradually become a common concern of the international community in recent years.This paper firstly sorts out the development of the nexus, which has went through the “single center” to the “relationship between the two” and the “triadic nexus” for now.Then, we analyze the complex performance of water-energy-food nexus in resource utilization, spatial distribution and evolution, and point out the urgency of understanding and coping with challenge of nexus in the sustainable development.On the basis of analysis of the core problems and future challenges of the nexus, we systematically summarize the solutions of the earth science response to the nexus from different aspects of nexus security, quantitative study, scientific understanding and future solutions.