Addressing our emerging water futures: the water-food-energy-ecosystems security nexus

The workshop, organised by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), the Joint research centre (JRC), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), will address interconnected solutions for a nexus governance of water resources. It will be organised in two steps. The first day will have a scientific focus. This scientific event will be followed by a shorter event for the general public and the press where the main outputs of the meeting will be streamlined and released to policy-makers and stakeholders.

The event will help raise awareness and increase knowledge with the aim of implementing best sustainable practices when dealing with the problem of water, food and energy. It will bring together participants from Europe and beyond, including components from science, industry, policy and the civil society.

On the second day, an event for the general public and the press will be held at the EU Pavilion on the EXPO site. Moderated by a renowned scientific communicator, key participants of the previous day event will release an overview of the problem as analysed from the Nexus viewpoint and a series of testable best practices and recommendations, to lead policies toward sustainable use of water and energy for food and energy production and for ecosystem stability. The conclusions will be debated with the public and will be collected in an opinion paper to be released to stakeholders and the scientific community.

Rationale, objectives and agenda of the event