ABSTRACT BOOK FOR NEXUS 2018

April 16th, 2018 11:40AM – 1:00PM Oral Presentations: Migration and Mobility Dynamically Modeling the Interconnections Between Demographics and The Water-Energy-Food-Climate Nexus David Zelinka, Mortenson Center in Engineering for Developing Communities This paper presents a simple, yet informative system dynamics tool that can be used by decision-makers to model and analyze the interconnections that exist among the four sectors of the Water-Energy-Food-Climate nexus represented as a complex and coupled system. This hard-systems approach complements a soft-systems (cross-impact analysis) approach, also discussed in this paper. The model presented herein is based on the logistic innovation-diffusion archetype from the management sciences. It was modified to create a goal-seeking dynamic to model the progress of each sector of the nexus from an insecure state to a secure state. We discuss how the dynamic between states depends on certain characteristics exogenous and endogenous to a population. Most crucially, the model accounts for the nexus integrated nature by calculating the interconnections at play across all four sectors of the nexus, which are directly or indirectly governed by population dynamics. The model heavily emphasizes demographic (gender, age, etc.), especially migration (internal rural-urban and international,) since an anthropogenic focus is crucial for addressing any social issue. At several locations within the model structure, entry points have been created to allow other researchers to add their own modules or components to tailor the model to meet their needs. These caps are designed to allow modular customizability, lacking in many existing complex decision-making tools. The tool presented herein can be used to analyze several scenarios, which model possible policy choices. By utilizing built-in analytical tools to identify system leverage points, areas to apply policy interventions will be found. The model will function as a laboratory for testing policy prior to a full-scale implementation, or at the very least it can provide a quick assessment to understand the possible effects of a decision. A tool with any of these parts is rare, one with all of them even more so. Understanding Consumption in Melbourne’s Multicultural Society Christina Ting, Swinburne University of Technology Globalisation and international migration have changed Australia’s population structure. In the 2011 Census, one in four Australians were overseas-born (Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS). Increasing population associated with increasing consumption have implications on Australia’s

challenges of climate change and resource depletion. For Melbourne, these issues are pertinent as it had the largest and fastest population increase of all Australian capital cities in 2014-15 (ABS 2016). The heterogeneity both enriches the society and poses challenges to its social and physical environments. As migrant’s country of birth is different from the host society, there is a need to understand the change in their consumption levels. This study focused on the migrants from China as the largest non-English speaking group since 2006. The aims were to investigate the change in consumption levels, that is, the migrant’s pre- and post-migration footprints (measured by an ecological footprint calculator); and the cultural influence, that is acculturation and connectedness with ethnic culture (measured by the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Index) on individual consumption. It was found that the migrant’s post-migration consumption level was larger than their pre-migration and that of the Australia-born group, and the migrant’s had little environmental awareness compared to the host group. Besides income and other factors, ethnic culture and acculturation were found to make significant contributions to the migrants large Carbon, Housing, and Goods and Services footprints. This shows that the China-born group’s consumption behaviours were due to retaining aspects of Chinese culture and adopting Australia’s affluent and high consumption levels. Implication on the Sustainability Development Goal of Sustainable Cities and Communities include sustainability education for newly arrived migrants so as to reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities' by 2030. Retention of Cameroonians Return Migrants and Development: Between Difficulties of Reintegration and Re-emigration Frank Aurelien Tchokouagueu, Green Horizon, University de Lige Based on a case study of Cameroonian returnees, this panel: 1) researches the determinants of return migration; 2) analyzes the level of access of returning migrants to paid activities; 3) shows their contribution to local development; and 4) research the determinants of returnee returnee retention in Cameroon. A qualitative survey "EMIRR_CAM 2017" among Cameroonian migrants was conducted to complete the quantitative data of the "Impact of migration on human development in Cameroon" survey conducted in 2012 by IFORD with the financial support of the European Union. It appears that sex, age of the individual and main activity before leaving Cameroon are the main determinants of return migration. Regarding the level of access of returnees to non-migrants, it appears that returnees are more likely than non-migrants to gain access to paid employment. However, in some subpopulations, such as women, we note that return migrants and non-migrants have the same opportunities to gain access to paid work. Regarding the contribution of migrants returning to development, the construction of housing for rental purposes, the establishment of socio-economic projects, the acquisition of agricultural land, and the construction of public works (boreholes, roads, bridges, schools, etc.) are the main investment earmark for returnees to Cameroon. Concerning the factors that positively influence retention, we note above all: financial support for return and throughout the reintegration process; the short time spent abroad; and the effectiveness of structural conditions conducive to investment.

Role of Heat Stress in Migration Decision: A Case Study of Faisalabad, Pakistan Muhammad Awais Umar, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan Heat affects individual’s attitude, health and performance. If heat exposure exceeds certain threshold levels, this may result in discomfort, heat stress and other heat-related illnesses or even death. Migration could be an adaptation strategy to reduce the impact of climate change, including heat stress. It provides the opportunity to reduce risk and diversify livelihoods. Extreme heat stress is found to be more associated with migration because it affects the livelihood by reducing the farm and non-farm income and then may drive out-migration. However, a direct link between heat stress and migration decisions has not been established so far. This study is an attempt to understand the relation between migration decisions and heat stress, not only its impact on livelihoods but also on thermal comfort level at home as well as at workplace. It takes into consideration how does heat stress affect the workability of the workers, what type of work is more exposed to heat stress, how is the level of income associated with discomfort at work and at home and to what extent these stressors play a role in decision of migration and the choice of new destination. Our findings show that people usually migrate to improve their level of income, reduce their vulnerabilities and improve their overall standard of living, but due to low level of education and skills, they have only been able to improve their livelihoods to a limited extent. The study concludes that migration is reducing livelihood vulnerabilities by providing more economic opportunities to the migrants, but its relation with the improvement of thermal comfort and heat exposure is very weak. Improvement in thermal comfort level is associated with the availability of heat resistant equipment, which highly depends on the level of income, and type of work. Illegal Migration and Climate Change in Senegal Arsne Feutoho, Ministry of Economy (Cameroon) Senegal is one of West Africa regions doubly affected by environmental changes and illegal immigration. Environmental changes relate to both human actions such as deforestation and natural actions such as floods and coastal erosion. About clandestine emigration in Senegal, it is summed up phenomenon "Barca or Barsakh" (to see Barcelona or to die). Several studies have shown that international migration, particularly illegal in Senegal have for main factor the socioeconomic conditions of households. But environmental changes due to climate change occurred in recent years in the country have significantly affected the living conditions of the Senegalese people. Habitat loss due to flooding; the loss of arable land due to coastal erosion; the decline of fishing activities caused by the depletion of fish products, are few direct consequences of climate change in Senegal. Therefore, it appears a link between illegal migration and climate change in Senegal. This study aims to identify the

interaction between climate change and illegal migration in Senegal. Specifically, its about: to identify the consequences of illegal migration and climate change in Senegal; analyze the links between global warming and illegal immigration; and identify actions to be taken by the Senegalese policies. It appears mainly in this study that climate change increases the risks of illegal migration in Senegal, especially for young farmers and fishermen. The main climate change planning actions that could mitigate the clandestine departures in Senegal would be: subsidizing field studies of population struggling to cope with climate change, and the forecast studies on its effects; support farmers and fishermen cope with the effects of global warming. Food Security and Production The Nexus of Water, Food, Security, and Nutrition Sabrina Haque, World Bank Good nutrition in the early years is a child’s head start for breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty and succeeding later in life. Today, nearly a quarter of children under five are stunted or suffer from chronic undernutrition, down from 40 percent since 1990 (WDI 2017). However, changing climate and demographics are predicted to present major barriers for further progress. “The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change” recently identified undernutrition as the largest health impact of changing climate in the 21st century. The review also stresses that impacts will be disproportionately felt by poor and vulnerable populations, especially those residing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Watts et al. 2017). Many of climate’s effects on nutrition are mediated through water-related factors, such as water scarcity, degrading quality of water resources, and access to drinking water supply and sanitation. For instance, disease outbreaks, water transboundary conflicts, inequities, drought, famine, and floods can be viewed as symptoms of the mismanagement of water-related risks, which have implications on population development, health, and well-being. In this paper, we examine the “nexus” of water, food security, and nutrition in the context of changing climate. “Nexus” frameworks are used for examining resource allocation and security and are central to policy discussions on sustainable development. We review the evidence on the linkages of water to food security and nutrition, ranging from water's influence on disease environments to food supply. We identify policy levers within the water, agriculture, and nutrition sectors that can help maximize benefits and minimize tradeoffs for meeting shared objectives in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) agenda such as protecting ecosystems, mitigating climate change impacts, ensuring universal access to basic services, promoting health, ending all forms of malnutrition, and eradicating poverty. Innovating the Future of Food: A Global Scan for the Innovations Needed to Transform Food Systems in Emerging Markets by 2035 Chase Keenan, The Global Knowledge Initiative

The future of global food systems hinge on how we respond to the challenges of today and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. In its 2017 Scenarios Analysis on Shaping the Future of Global Food Systems, the World Economic Forum foreshadowed global food systems in 2030 teetering between unsustainable production and consumption and torn between isolationism and collaboration. Called to action by these scenarios, the Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI) and The Rockefeller Foundation endeavored to identify the top immediately investible and emerging innovations that will be catalytic in reducing post-harvest food loss (PHL) and transforming food systems in emerging markets within the next 20 years. Thus, GKI conducted an Innovation Scan from April to October 2017 in its role as the Innovation Partner grantee for The Rockefeller Foundations YieldWise Initiative, a $130 million initiative to demonstrate 50% reduction in PHL in key value chains by 2030. This report is the culmination of this effort. The goal of this effort was to deepen our collective understanding of those truly transformational innovations that will reshape food systems in emerging markets from now to 2035. Through this Innovation Scan, we engaged global experts in the fields of agribusiness, academia, investment, innovation, international development, and Futures Foresight to examine the above challenge from two angles: 1) What are the most promising innovations that exist today, or are just over the horizon, that merit investment? and 2) How can next-generation innovations bridge the gap between the present state of the food system and the future system to which we aspire? Impacts of Climate Change and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentrations on Nutrient Availability Beach Robert, RTI International Climate change will affect global crop productivity, with impacts that vary by crop, region, and production practice. In addition, several recent studies have assessed the potential impacts of changing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations on the nutrient content of crops, finding that increased concentrations of CO2 may result in reduced nutrient levels per unit of agricultural commodity. While there is literature on the impacts of CO2 on the content of individual or multiple nutrients as well as literature examining the effects of climate change on agricultural yields, markets, and trade, previous studies have not examined the combined impacts of both effects on nutrient availability. In this study, we use the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT) economic model of the global agricultural sector to capture changes in production, consumption, prices, and international trade under climate scenarios consistent with the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report representative concentration pathways (RCPs) as implemented in multiple global circulation models (GCMs). We selected a set of RCP-GCM combinations that present a range of possible future climate scenario outcomes (relatively hotter or colder and wetter or drier in major production regions). Global agricultural production and markets are simulated from 2010 through 2050, with the world broken into 159 production regions. We then multiply production of major agricultural commodities by the nutrient content for a given level of atmospheric CO2 to calculate changes in the availability of iron, zinc, vitamin A, and protein from major crops. We find substantial

changes in the distribution of crop production and nutrient availability across regions of the world under different climate scenarios, which may have important health implications. International trade in agricultural commodities can help buffer impacts on individual countries or regions. The Quantification of the Food Energy and Water Nexus and Cost Analysis Associated with Resource Consumption and Reduction within a Milk Processing Facility Carly Rain Adams, University of Nebraska-Lincoln The Food, Energy, and Water Nexus (FEW) is the inseparable connection that links these three commodities. We are faced with a unique opportunity to co-manage these resources, as conservation of one is directly linked to the conservation of its counterpart. This project focuses on uncovering points in fluid milk processing where tangible conservation steps can be taken to reduce water and energy consumption. Baseline information allowed for determining alternative actions that would lead to energy and water reductions. Collaboration with a Midwest dairy plant allowed for exploration of FEW within a processing facility. Every gallon of pasteurized milk produced, within the partnering facility, energy demands of 0.13 kWh, 0.02 Therms, and freshwater requirements of 0.87 gallons. For every gallon of milk produced 0.59 gallons of wastewater was created. The partnering facility consumed 53% of water and 22% of electricity during the cleaning operations. Therefore, this research focuses on the cleaning operations as an area with great potential for resource reduction. This consumption of resources places a large financial strain on producers. Annually the production of pasteurized milk cost the partnering research plant, more than $47,000 in energy and water utilities. In addition, the treatment of wastewater places heavy strains on producers. The economical demand and outcome of resource reduction determines the plausibly of recovery methods. Therefore, this research immediately addresses both resource reduction and the economic factors tied with it. This research will lead to tangible impacts on the water and energy crisis our food system is faced with. Microalgae Acclimation and Selection for Treatment of Food Processing Wastewater Xinjuan Hu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Microalgae are promising source for biodiesel production and wastewater treatment. The purpose of this study was to select microalgae species that can efficiently treat food processing wastewater and accumulate biomass. Seven microalga species were screened and finally three species and combination of two of them were cultivated in nutrient rich food processing wastewater to compare their performance. Results showed that combination of Chlorella prothecoides and Scenedesmus obliquus removed 89.5% chemical oxygen demand (COD), 86.2% total phosphorus and 48.5% total nitrogen. Scendesmus obliquus and the combination of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Scenedesmus obliquus achieved the highest biomass accumulation (1.91 g/L and 1.82 g/L respectively). The strains evaluated in this study were able to stand high levels of COD (>5,000 mg/L) and coexist with bacteria naturally present in

wastewater. The algae/bacteria synergy improved the removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus and accelerate the rate of COD removal. Fostering a Collaborative Stakeholder Platform to Evaluate the Safety and Sustainability of Using Oilfield Produced Water for Crop Irrigation Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, RTI International Irrigation water is becoming scarce in many regions of the U.S. and the world. Oilfield produced water (OPW) originates as a byproduct from oil extraction operations and has been used as an alternative irrigation water source in some regions of the U.S. for decades. There is potential for a safe and sustainable food-energy-water (FEW) synergy if the safety of using OPW for irrigation is evaluated sufficiently to ensure food quality. Our three-year integrated project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) includes research, extension, and education activities. In year one of our study, extension activities are underway to foster a regional stakeholder engagement platform (including farmers, state agencies, water boards/ districts, oil companies, and local organizations) in California to address concerns and enroll farmers for study participation. Our multi-pronged approach to fostering a collaborative stakeholder platform will be highlighted. Our research plan includes a farmer use survey and multimedia sample collection of soils, water, and food crops for laboratory analysis of heavy metals and radionuclides as tracers. Data will be incorporated into a probabilistic multi-pathway risk assessment to quantify potential human health risks to consumers eating foods irrigated with OPW compared to foods with traditional irrigation water sources. Study outputs aim to enable growers and policy makers to tailor OPW use to the right application, and mitigate potential risk factors so that beneficial OPW use may be expanded in drought-stricken areas in an environmentally safe manner, ensuring continued agricultural productivity. Expected Outcomes include changes in knowledge about OPW quality and crop safety, changes in actions that optimize safe OPW use, and changes in conditions that promote risk-based decision making and policies associated with non-traditional agricultural water quality management. Reconciling Irrigated Food Production with Environmental Flows for Sustainable Development Goals implementation

Jonas J’germeyr, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Safeguarding river ecosystems is a precondition for attaining the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to water and the environment, while rigid implementation of such policies may hamper achievement of food security. River ecosystems provide life-supporting functions that depend on maintaining environmental flow requirements (EFRs). Here we establish gridded process-based estimates of EFRs and their violation through human water withdrawals. Results indicate that 41% of current global irrigation water use (997 km3 per year) occurs at the expense of EFRs. If these volumes were to be reallocated to the ecosystems, half of globally

irrigated cropland would face production losses of >10%, with losses of ~20-30% of total country production especially in Central and South Asia. However, we explicitly show that improvement of irrigation practices can widely compensate for such losses on a sustainable basis. Integration with rainwater management can even achieve a 10% global net gain. Such management interventions are highlighted to act as a pivotal target in supporting the implementation of the ambitious and seemingly conflicting SDG agenda. Sustainable Models Decision-Making and the Food-Energy-Water Nexus in Phoenix, Arizona Jaime Leah Jones, Arizona State University In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the interactions between food, energy, and water systems, or the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus, and the resulting implications for sustainability and security. Despite known interrelationships among the elements of the FEW systems, policy and management decisions for food, energy, and water are typically made in isolation from one another without full consideration of tradeoffs and interactions between sectors. Knowledge of the linkages and conflicts in the FEW nexus is needed to provide evidence-based decision-making for integrated cross-sector policies. To achieve this goal, we begin by understanding the interactions, associated stakeholders, and the policies within our study area: the Phoenix metropolitan area. We employ a non-probability sampling approach, combining elements of stratified-purposive and snowball sampling strategies (Bernard and Ryan, 2009). Participants represent a broad range of FEW stakeholders including representatives of local governments, water and power utilities, agricultural interests and environmental advocacy groups. We generated qualitative data through 5 focus groups and 14 semi-structured interviews and continued sampling until we reached theoretical saturation (Sandelowski, 2008) for key constructs. The results are organized into three sections. First, we present stakeholders’ perceptions of the principal interactions among food, energy, and water. Second, we present a stakeholder analysis, combining element of both analytical (top-down) and reconstructive (bottom-up) categorizations (Reed et al., 2009). Finally, we discuss stakeholders’ perspectives on the major policies affecting the FEW nexus in central Arizona and recommendations for policy reforms necessary to infuse a nexus approach into policy and decision making. We intend to use stakeholders’ understanding of regional food, energy, and water systems to inform the development of model-based FEW decision support systems. The Role of Vertical Hydroponic Wastewater Treatment System as a Part Sustaining the Food Energy and Water Nexus of Small Island States Dominic Clyde-Smith, UCL For the Small Island States (SIS) the water energy and food nexus (the Nexus) is vital. Currently, these countries import most of what they consume and will continue to do so since locally producing the majority commodities needed is not a viable option.

With limited land resources, inadequate energy supply and growing water stress, SIS face the challenge of either providing enough water and energy to grow sufficient food or importing the rest for the burgeoning population. The Nexus approach provides a framework for addressing competition for resources and enhancing resource use efficiency with a cross-sectoral focus. However, the nexus discourse has yet to appreciate the value of ecosystems, their functions and their services in water, energy, and food production. Food and freshwater services critically depend on the flow and services from ecosystems. Hydroponic method of agriculture has traditionally been used to maximise crop yield by optimising the nutrient solution. Utilising this technology, sewage/compost can be treated and produce biomass as well as other additional benefits for SIS. This paper argues that the (waste)water and agriculture industries need to be engineered to be symbiotic. This papers argues that hydroponic systems can be utilise to develop vertical farming that treats wastewater. A Hydro-Economic Modeling Approach to Quantify FEW Nexus Trade-Offs of Alternative Water Infrastructure Development and Management Pathways in Pernambuco, Brazil Justin Baker, RTI International Changing socio-hydrological regimes, characterized by demographic shifts and climate change, are making water management more challenging in Brazil. Population growth and urbanization are restructuring water demand, while climate change makes water supplies more unpredictable and extreme weather events such as droughts and floods more frequent. Brazil’s semi-arid northeast region is experiencing reduced water availability due to changes in climate as well as increases in human water demand for urban supply and for rural irrigation to grow crops for food and energy (ethanol) supplies. The state of Pernambuco, lying in the eastern

portion of the Sao Francisco River basin, is broadly representative of the FEW nexus issues

facing the northeast region in Brazil and other semi-arid regions of the world where spatial and temporal dependencies exist between food, energy, and water management systems. This study develops a hydro-economic modeling framework to assess key linkages within the FEW nexus for the study region and quantifies socioeconomic trade-offs of alternative infrastructure development and water management pathways. Specifically, we evaluate alternative inter-basin water transfers, with and without water allocation flexibility, to assess net economic benefits of infrastructure and efficient allocation of surface water supplies. Infrastructure scenarios are incorporated into a factorial experimental design that also varies other physical and policy-related inputs, including inflows, assumed population growth, and policy-mandated production of biofuels in the study region. We distinguish between the additional benefits of infrastructure investments and more efficient allocation/management and to disaggregate benefit metrics across FEW systems. Results from this analysis can help inform nexus development strategies in the region by recognizing trade-offs and by capturing the importance of improved water management strategies in addition to infrastructure.

Galvanizing Renewable Energy, Nutrition, Environment, Water, and Waste (RENEWW) Innovation Zones in Peri-Urban Communities Laura Barron, Penn Institute for Urban Research By 2030, impoverished peri-urban areas are expected to double in size to almost two billion people. Rapid urbanization and population growth is already outpacing many city government’s ability to extend basic services to slums and informal settlements, while centralized legacy water and sewer infrastructure systems are breaking down. How will cities that cannot meet their populations needs for sustainable water, food, energy and sanitation now be able to meet them in future? In response to this challenge, the United States is catalyzing a partnership of civil society, businesses, academia, and grassroots organizations to build capacity and harness innovations at the nexus of food, energy, water, and other systems that support and foster inclusive, sustainable, healthy and resilient communities in poor peri-urban areas. To stimulate the development of game-changing solutions, we are launching a highly leveraged, incentivized urban prosperity prize competition that pushes the limits of what’s possible, captures the world’s imagination, spurs new thinking, and accelerates change through the creation of RENEWW Zones. RENEWW Zones are decentralized, closed-loop models of spatial planning and peri-urban service provision that replace fossil energy with renewables; derive new water, biogas, and fertilizer from wastewater; and produce food and biofuel with the recycled inputs, all co-generated at near net-zero waste. Each RENEWW Zone would offer a green space for community recreation; recycling and sanitation services; as well as a place to purchase fresh food, recycled goods, biofuels and safe drinking water, all within walking or cycling distance. Ideally, well-planned, RENEWW Zones placed at the outer edge of existing informal settlements would provide a basis for adjacent planned urban extensions. RENEWW Zone business models would create local employment, reinvest profits to support operational costs, and engender. 6:00PM – 7:00PM Poster Presentations: Gender Vulnerability and Resilience to Climatic Variability Impacts Among Water-Stressed Smallholder Agro-Pastoralists in Nakasongola district, Uganda GERALD ZIHEMBIRE AHABWE, MAKERERE UNIVERSITY Agricultural production is a critical component of livelihood strategies, supporting household food security through subsistence production and cash incomes through surplus sold at market and seasonable labour provision (DFID, 2002). Despite the central role of crop farming and animal husbandry to household survival in Africa, the sector is highly exposed to climate changes that lead to low yields and threaten household food security. Climate variability has had and continues to pose gendered impact on men and women, more so, on the various gender groups’ livelihood activities, their adaptive capabilities to the shocks occasioned by climate variability as well as gender-differential post-shock resilience. Climate

shocks are worse for the poorest. Socio-economic and gender analysis is an important step for gender-appropriate targeting of interventions among water-stressed communities (Sheierling et al. 2014). The overall objective of this research project is to assess the gender vulnerability in adaptation and resilience building responses among the water stressed agro-pastoralists in Nakasongola District, Uganda. Specifically, the study seeks: 1. To assess the local governments preparedness and capacity to respond to climate variability. 2. To examine how gender differentiated relationships create the risk of or exacerbate vulnerability to climate variability among the water stressed agro-pastoralists. 3. To assess the effects of gender based vulnerabilities in the face of climate variability on crop production and pastoralism system. The Water, Food, Energy Nexus: An Appraisal of Private Investments in Resilience Paolo Davide Farah, West Virginia University, John D. Rockefeller IV School of Policy and Politics, USA & gLAWcal UK The Water, Food, Energy Nexus has become increasingly important in the Sustainable Development agenda. It has been acknowledged that focusing holistically on systems resilience will create more room for strategic partnership and cross-sector co-operation. The benefits of multi-level, multi-scalar approaches have been recognized internationally, and have prompted crucial international dialogues, such as the COP21, the Doha Rounds. The Paris Agreement was critical in setting the course for a green transition. In response, Governments worldwide increased their commitment towards climate action, set ambitious and courageous targets for reducing greenhouse gas emission and strengthened their adaptation and mitigation measures. the private sector must step in and contribute to the cause, both in terms of corporations, non-profit foundations and NGOs. The Water, Food, Energy and Climate Change Nexus offers the perfect framework for bringing together stakeholders and work toward effective and beneficial solutions. In particular, private companies, which rely local available resources, can increase their efficiency and growth by taking on a more holistic approach to resource management - effectively setting up long-term strategies to sustainable economic growth. In turn, this will increase the resilience and adaptation capabilities of the ecosystem they operate in. Several multinational corporations have set the example: SABMiller, Pepsi, Coke, Bloomberg. Their efforts to be more environmentally transparent will hopefully encourage other businesses to follow, and take on Nexus-based strategies. Global and National policies are essential in mainstreaming the Sustainable Development agenda and the Water, Food, Energy Nexus framework. The Water, Food, and Climate Change Nexus framework has the potential to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development goals, but only if it is supported a by strong public-private partnerships and public-private funds. Green Bricks to Address Food Security and Environmental Concern

Ritu Bharadwaj, Institute for Industrial Productivity India Brick making is a significant economic activity in Bangladesh. There are about 8,000 operating kilns, contributing about 1 percent to the country’s GDP and employing 1 million people. The sector is, however, characterized by outdated technologies with low energy efficiency, high emissions and dominance of single raw material (clay) and product (solid clay brick). Bangladesh currently produces around 17 billion bricks per year, consuming around 45 million tonnes of soil, which is equivalent to 2,600 hectares of agricultural land. At this rate, the country, which is already most densely populated, is glaring at severe food security issues in the foreseeable future. Apart from using clay, brick kilns burn nearly 3.5 million tons of coal and 1.9 million tons of wood annually causing severe air pollution and forest degradation. Almost 38 percent of particulate matter pollution around Dhaka, is caused due to brick kilns, which is a matter of grave health concerns. A new climate-friendly non-fired brick making technology (Flyash Lime Gypsum (FaL-G) technology) invented in India can help address most of these issues being faced by brick sector. It is proving to be a revolutionary invention as it produces bricks without sintering process and consequently no GHG emissions. It completely eliminates the use of top soil and energy, protecting agricultural land from getting converted to barren un-fertile land, and instead uses fly ash, a by-product from thermal power plants as raw material. In India more than 18,000 FaL-G plants are operation and its now being scaled up in Bangladesh, where polluting FCK technology has recently been banned and FaL-G offers a cleaner alternative. Learnings from successful technology transfer from India to Bangladesh will open up opportunities for other countries of Asia and Africa dominated by clay brick technology to adopt low cost, resource efficient and environment friendly option. Effects of Flooding due to Climate Change on the Spread of Cholera in India Divya Sridhar, George Washington University Climate change is expected to hasten global hydrological cycles. Floods projected for the 21st century shows significantly more extreme changes from those from the 20th century. In fact, there will be a global increase in the frequency of floods, namely in central to western Australia, South America, central and southern Africa, Indochina to southern China, and the Middle East. Heavy rainfall is an important factor in the contamination of water and this leads to the emergence of water-borne diseases such as cholera. Cholera, caused by Vibrio cholerae is a natural inhabitant of the aquatic environment. According to the WHO, in 2015, over 170,000 cases were reported from 42 countries, including approximately 1,300 deaths. is the most prevalent water-borne disease in the developing world – namely, South America, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa. In countries such as India, cholera outbreaks occur annually. Cholera is prominent in developing countries where there are poor sanitary and hygiene conditions, and unsafe drinking water. In developing countries, where sanitary infrastructure is

weak, heavy rainfall which causes flooding, accelerates interaction between food and water contamination and human activities. Flooding patterns due to climate change exacerbates the spread of cholera. In order to better understand the impacts of flooding due to climate change of cholera, urban and rural regions in India, will be discussed. In terms of social dimensions, equity and vulnerability will be summarized as it relates to food and water supplies due to flooding, and its relationship with the spread of cholera in these regions. This issue is of great public health importance because climate change is a man-made problem - human beings have caused climate change and the spread of infectious diseases due to it. Therefore, human beings need to work together on a global scale to reduce the impacts of climate change and the spread of infectious diseases like cholera. The Contribution of Improved Irrigation Efficiency to the Implementation of Climate-smart Agriculture in Semi-Arid Landscapes Michael Davidson, Davidson Consultants Climate-smart Agriculture (CSA) has been defined as the nexus of three principles: mitigation of the damages that traditional agricultural practices caused to the environment, particularly during the Green Revolution in the 1970’s and 80’s; adaptation of innovative, cost-effective methods, practices and products for resilient and sustainable agricultural growth in light of impending social and environmental change; and increased production and profitability for growers’ for food security and improved livelihoods, at all scales and scopes. Evidence shows that implementing these principles results in a “triple win” for all farmers and, in particular, for the small and medium-size holders. A critically important research topic is why CSA has not been widely replicated and generalized throughout the Least Developed countries. This paper contributes to that body of research and explains how improved irrigation efficiency can serve as an important adaptation tool for the implementation of CSA in semi-arid landscapes where water scarcity, due to climate change, is projected to increase significantly. This paper examines how water availability, over the next five decades in northwestern Jujuy province of Argentina, is projected to change and the impact of different irrigation efficiency scenarios. This paper uses eight Global Circulation Models and three degrees of irrigation efficiency to project the extent to which irrigation efficiency can serve to mitigate projected climate change impacts on temperature and precipitation. This paper contributes two important results: first, this paper finds that cost-effective improvements in irrigation regimes and schedules can mitigate projected water scarcity in semi-arid landscapes; and that “piecemeal” adoption of irrigation schedules alone, can significantly and positively reduce the impacts of climate change in semi-arid agricultural landscapes. The Power of Systems: A Collective Approach to Creating Value at the Nexus Kevin Meredith, The WESEE Collective Are you working on solving the biggest challenges facing the planet and its inhabitants? If you are a start-up launching a social venture, an established company with a mature corporate

citizenship program, an NGO with global influence or a government official driving crucial policies, the answer is likely “yes”. If you are not actively engaged in this space, your opportunity to shape your future seems to be running out. Because whether you recognize it or not, the severity and likelihood of realizing significant risks affiliated with present and ever-growing demands on water, food, energy and the climate are trending in a direction of dire consequences. If you are not explicitly working to actively engage these issues as they pertain to your customers, the communities you are located in and your own internal operations, you are on a path that minimizes your potential to sustain growth over time. In either scenario, there is a lot of work yet to be done and we would like to share with conference attendees a holistic systems model that provides a compelling and accessible methodology for value realization and sustainment; The WESEE Collective. WESEE is an acronym that stands for wellness, education, society, ethics and the environment. By combining our proven approach to innovation with an encompassing framework we are able to help attendees a better way to achieve a more prosperous future. We have developed a comprehensive system to help people and the organizations they support demand and obtain more value out of their efforts. The WESEE framework and methodology are most likely to resonate and yield the greatest results in the shortest amount of time in organizations that are facing head first into the significant challenges that lie at the nexus of food, water, and energy assurance. Our session provides key insights, detailed analysis of each WESEE element, a self-assessment and practical tools for attendees to immediately start driving value. An Ecosystemic Approach for Planning and Evaluation of Public Policies, Research and Teaching Programmes Andre Francisco Pilon, University of San Paulo; International Academy of Science, Health & Ecology The world is increasingly shaped by powerful forces, by the hegemonic assemblage of political, financial and technological interests and strategies, with severe impacts on culture, education, ethics, environment (natural and man-made), physical, social and mental well-being. Definition of problems is reduced and fragmented by academic formats, mass-media headlines, market-place’s interests and prejudices. Instead of taking current prospects for granted and “repairing” situations to make them “straight", a multidimensional theoretical and practical ecosystemic approach is posited to develop culture, education, communication, ethics, environment, health and quality of life, considering the dynamic and complex configurations intertwining four dimensions of being-in-the-world: intimate, interactive, social and biophysical (subjects cognitive and affective processes; groups’ mutual support and values; political, economic and cultural systems; natural and man-made environments and contexts). Diagnosis and prognosis take into account the configurations formed by the four dimensions as donors and recipients, unveiling the connections and ruptures between them, as they induce the events (deficits and assets); cope with consequences (desired or undesired); and contribute for change. Instead of an exploratory forecasting (projection into the future of the trends of today); a normative forecasting is posited (previous definition of desirable goals and exploration of new paths to reach them). The methodology is participatory, experiential and reflexive, heuristic-

hermeneutic processes in the socio-cultural learning niches unveil cultural and epistemic paradigms that orient subject-object relationships, people reflecting on realities, engaging in new experiences and finding new ways to live better in a better world, in view of new paradigms of development, knowledge, wealth, power, growth, work and freedom and new responsibilities to each other, nature and the life community. An Assessment Towards Building Resilience Through Ecosystem Based Approaches Yitbarek Tibebe Weldesemaet, Environmental Society of Ethiopia The North-Eastern Ethiopia is a disaster prone area where droughts occur every decade jeopardising lives and livelihoods. The impact of these low rainfall droughts has increased, while the buffering capacity of the landscape has been lost to degradation. Prolongation of the dry season resulted in water shortages, while the short heavy rains caused catastrophic floods. The areas land degradation exacerbated by anthropogenic activity and failed management practices are dwindling food natural resources of the landscape. In addition, several ecosystems are losing their services at an alarming rate; directly threatening the landscape and livelihood resilience. In addressing such multifaceted problems, selecting appropriate integrated ecosystem restoration based conservation schemes, through a good understanding of the landscape is imperative. Accordingly, the major challenges and opportunities provided by the landscape were mapped based on biophysical and socio-economic, ecosystem service assessments. These assessments incorporated data from the literature, satellite imagery and GIS analyses, field investigation, and socio-economic surveys. The findings indicated that a holistic view of the links between ecosystem services delivery and human needs because natural ecosystems can provide a wider range of services. Ecosystem restoration efforts, therefore, require greater integration of policies and planning for conservation areas. However, instead of initiating small-scale protected area limited restoration schemes, viable large-scale landscape restoration initiatives mobilised by governments are superior. In order to make these large-scale efforts successful, the engagement of all stakeholders through collaborative planning for sustainable management of restoration schemes is imperative. Furthermore, implementing successful restoration requires thorough prior research on the legal, political, institutional, socio-economic and cultural landscape. Financing High Performance Climate Adaptation in Agriculture: Climate Bonds for Multi-Functional Water Harvesting Infrastructure on the Canadian Prairies Anita Lazurko, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University Green bonds earmarked for decarbonization and climate resilience can play an important role in financing climate adaptation. This paper explores the potential for major food-producing regions to benefit from access to green bond markets using the context of the Canadian Prairies. The region produces 20% of internationally traded grains and oilseeds, and the expected increase in hydrologic variability and weather extremes will threaten the current rain

fed agricultural system. One solution to these challenges is a multi-functional, distributed water harvesting system, comprised of several small, earthen dams that are located and sequenced to allow for flood mitigation and drought resilience. In addition to the direct benefits of protecting or enhancing agricultural water management, such a system produces a range of co-benefits including nutrient retention and biomass generation that can be harvested for energy production. The methodology of this paper includes articulating the direct benefits and enhanced ecosystem services of distributed water harvesting, presenting a general framework for aggregating benefits and assessing their future value using downscaled climate data, and applying the Phase 1 Water Criteria of the Climate Bond Standard to a generic distributed water harvesting infrastructure project to assess applicability. The results show that 1) distributed water harvesting could be suitable for certification under the Climate Bond Standard water criteria, 2) using ecosystem service co-benefits as part of the investment criteria is important for improving the value proposition, 3) accessing large pools of capital for climate de-risking requires aggregation of small projects and other institutional adjustments, and 4) by working at the nexus of water, food, and energy and stacking the benefits from each of these perspectives the investment case for climate adaptation in agriculture becomes clear. (Lazurko and Venema, 2017, doi:10.3390/su9071237) Building Climate Resilience Through a Nexus Approach in Ethiopia's Drylands Eliot Levine The international development community has increasingly placed value on approaches which break down sectoral boundaries, and emphasize overlaps, in order to achieve more efficient, effective and sustainable outcomes. Yet, practical examples of this approach remain limited, as do guidance and lessons on what it takes to operationalize these approaches on-the-ground. Finally, there is a lack of evidence which seeks to demonstrate the impact of such programming. To address these gaps, Mercy Corps has undertaken a series of evaluations of a program which takes a highly integrated approach to climate change adaptation, food and income generation, and land and water management - the Pastoralist Areas Resilience Improvement through Market Expansion (PRIME) program. PRIME is a six-year USAID funded program implemented across three of Ethiopia’s pastoral dry land areas. Afar, Oromia, and Somali regions that aim to increase the incomes of 250,000 households while also enhancing resilience to climate change through market incentives and opportunities. This session will explore the challenges, opportunities and lessons from taking a nexus approach to programming. This session will dive deep into learnings from the PRIME program in order to: Explore the integrated structure and reinforcing connections across multiple streams of work including alternative livelihoods, nutrition, and natural resource management

Illustrate the role of climate adaptation specifically, as a cross-cutting theme, which integrated across program activities. Provide practical approaches and examples of mechanisms and processes the PRIME team used to facilitate this level of integration across sectors. Explore findings from impact evaluations of PRIME in order to better understand the value of programs which take a nexus approach. Identify approaches Mercy Corps are utilizing to more effectively design and implement highly integrated programs addressing food, water and energy. Rice farmers’ Perception of Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies in the Ketu North District, Volta Region of Ghana Jacob Kolleh, Cuttington University This study assessed rice farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation strategies in the Ketu North District, Volta Region of Ghana. Climate variables particularly precipitation and temperature were taken in the climate change perception study. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 340 rice farmers from six (6) farming sections and a structured questionnaire were used to elicit data from the respondents. Data collected from the rice farmers were analyzed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Results of the study showed that majority of the rice farmers’ perceived decreasing precipitation and increasing temperature as a major climate variables affecting their agricultural practices. Farmers’ level of adaptation was found with majority of them using irrigation, changing crops, changing planting dates and planting short season varieties. Findings of the study also indicate that the major barriers to climate change adaptation by rice farmers are lack of information about climate change, lack of credits and poor soil fertility. Binary logistic regression analysis found household size, education level, farming experience and financial support as significant predictors. The study concludes that rice farmers in the district perceived changes in climate and employ adaptation strategies to mitigate its effects. Depolymerization Process of Waste Plastics Ash Domah, Tradom Global Consulting Limited We seek to bring the World, a new advanced technology that seeks to achieve the depolymerization process of waste plastics. The process of using polymers in the soil is deemed as one of the most modern researches in the world and it is important in combating desertification and soil stabilization as well as rationalizing water consumption by increasing the ability of soil to conserve water for a longer period. The idea of the research is to dismantle plastic waste and return it to the polymer's

construction unit by the depolymerization process. The polymer's construction unit is known for its high ability to conserve water which has been demonstrated by the initial results of locally performed scientific research and testing, and also has a strong cohesion and adhesion, which helps more soil cohesion and combating desertification. This scientific research project targets the (1) chemical depolymerization of polyethylene terephthalate (PET, water bottle plastic) to useful monomers and (2) the subsequent use of these post-consumer, recycled monomers for creating novel polymers, usually with other applications. To improve one or all of the following materials by Additive from Chemical Depolymerized of Waste Water Bottles - Coating and Painting - The Concrete - Asphalt (Bitumen) - Fuel creating - creating novel polymers for adhesions Do you know the depolymerization process can be benefited for many applications, such as -To improve Asphalt mixture for pavement -To improve concrete in the building, providing more heat and sound insulation and low density and - Also we utilise waste polymers to get new polymers have high value and high price for medical application, for instance - Also we can reverse the waste polymers to original petroleum to liquid fuel We seek funding from major Climate Change and Green funds to help save our World from Plastic Wastes that's polluting our land, ocean and forests. Not much is being done to curtail damage to Earth Planning for a Carbon Neutral Community, Wayanad, Kerala, India Nidhin Davis K, Thanal The purpose of this study is to propose sector-wise adaptation strategies to develop Meenangadi panchayat of Wayanad district in Kerala as a “Carbon Neutral Panchayat” by carrying out a carbon footprint analysis in the sectors of Transportation, Domestic Energy, Electricity, Waste, Livestock and Agriculture, Forests and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sectors. The concept of “Carbon Neutral Community” puts forth the notions of zero carbon development, food and energy self-sufficiency at local government level. The Main objective of this research is to provide an evidence-based explanation how the climate change impacts Agro-Biodiversity. Kerala State Action Plan on Climate Change identifies Wayanad as one of the climate change hotspots in the state. The district has 97% rural population and most of them are directly dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. A GHG emission profile was prepared for the Local self-government considering afore-mentioned sectors for the baseline year 2016. Forest Biomass, Forest soil and Agricultural soil were considered for calculating the amount of

sequestered carbon in the district for the same time periods. Methodology used for calculating GHG emissions as well as sequestration is based on a linear equation

Total emissions/sequestration= �Activity Data �Emission Factor. Emission factors for various

sectors were considered according to IPCC 2006 guidelines with TIER 1 precision level. Activity data pertaining to various sectors was collected through primary data collection with the help of student volunteers and secondary data from respective Government departments. The estimate shows that there was a balance (the difference between total emissions and total sequestration) of 14739 tonnes of CO2eq in 2016. A comprehensive action plan with institutional mechanism will be prepared at local self-government level with short term and long term strategies for achieving 'carbon neutrality' by 2020. Climate Variability and Change in East Africa: The Role of the Nexus Approach

Solomon Gebrechorkos, United Nations University (UNU-FLORES) & Technische Universite

Dresden Facing difficulties in meeting the growing demands for food, water and energy, many developing countries are additionally challenged by climate variability, extreme events as well climate change and monitoring of water resources. Adopting a Nexus Approach has been proposed as means to increase resources efficiency and mitigate climate impacts. However, data scarcity often does not allow to study linkages between resources and the climate at the required high spatial resolution. Here, using multiple climate data sources and models we analyse climate variability and trends and condition of droughts in East Africa and identified tools to help track and monitor drought. In this region, significant changes in maximum (up to 1.9 C) and minimum (up to 1.2 C) temperature and higher seasonal rainfall variability during the short-rain season (October-December, OND) are observed. Rainfall variability during OND showed a strong and significant correlation (> 63%) with the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. In Ethiopia, the period June-September (JJAS), the most important rain season for rain-fed agriculture, showed a negative significant correlation (56%) with El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Drought indices also showed higher swings and mild, moderate and severe droughts of more than 70%, 30%, 8%, and 3% of the study period (1979-2016), respectively, are observed. In addition, based on the results obtained by the employment of geospatial techniques the land use and land cover experienced considerable changes and showed higher impacts on the water resource. Overall, the results show that achieving the SDGs in this region requires sustainable management of environmental resources by using such as water point mapping and using the nexus approach. Deciding in the Dark: Public Information Gaps and their Impact on the Application of the Nexus Approach in Climate Change Decision-Making at the Regional level in Semiarid Brazil Gabriela Litre, Center for Sustainable Development - University of Brasilia (CDS-UnB)

In spite of being an inspiring compass guiding policy integration in the quick sand of climate change (CC), the application of the mainstream definition of the Nexus approach - which seems to assume the existence of a transparent information platform available to all - looks like a utopia in many developing countries. CC adaptation data is frequently fragmented and insufficient in Southern countries, making integrated management very difficult. Our research focused on two municipalities from one of the most climate and socially vulnerable regions of Brazil: the Semiarid. The municipalities of Juazeiro (Bahia) and Petrolina (Pernambuco) are facing a 7-year drought - the worst in 50 years. The drought has exhausted the Sao Francisco river, the essential source of water, food and energy security for the urban and rural areas settled along its basin. An initial mapping of all the CC adaption-related policies operating in the region, including national, state and municipal level actions revealed that, in spite of the national law from 2011 that mandates the transparency of all public information, CC related information remains sectorial, cryptic and outdated, especially financial and territorial security data. The subsequent fieldwork - interviewing an intentional sample of indigenous, maroon and rural women and municipal decision-makers - confirmed the difficulty of applying the mainstream definition of the Nexus approach in a context of scarce human and financial resources. Social media (i.e. Whatsapp) and radios reaching remote locations, are used to fill some gaps. A context-based, "good enough" Nexus approach taking into account the fragility of institutions, the endemic lack of information and the frequent political manipulation of public data in many developing countries is proposed, including the co-creation of alternative information platforms, i.e. local socio-environmental observatories sharing user-friendly data and co-production of locally-built CC solutions. Climate-Crop Departure: Defining the Concept to Better Understand the Timing of Future Changes in Crop Suitability over West Africa Temitope Egbebiyi, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, South Africa Future climate is projected to be unprecedented in comparison to the present-day climate; climate departure, with direct consequences on food security. Hence, there is a need to develop a crop realisation of climate departure hereafter called climate-crop departure. The aim of this study is to propose a comprehensive definition of climate-crop departure from recent historical climate variability to better understand the timing of future changes in crop suitability. from historical climate variability over West Africa. Climate data from station observation and simulations from 4 statistically downscaled CMIP5 GCMs, CCMA, CNRM5, GFDL and MIROC for three stations in the three Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZs) of West Africa from 1960-2100 were used as input data into crop suitability model, EcoCrop. The result showed good agreement between Both observation and the models agrees in their simulation total monthly precipitation, minimum and mean monthly temperature across the three zones with correlation value, r e 0.5 except over Guinea zone with low value (r=0.3) for total monthly rainfall. Our findings projects future warming will lead to shift in crop suitability to non-suitability (e.g. Cassava, Plantain and Pineapple) in the Guinea and Savanna zones and non-suitable to suitable in the Sahel zone (e.g. Maize) by the end of century. Mango is projected will

remain suitable across the three agro-ecological zones of West Africa. Thus, we define climate-crop departure at a specific location as a shift in crop suitability, ranging from highly suitable, sub-suitable and unsuitable, characteristics (variability and/or mean) resulting from a climate departure, whether of radical climatic nature or not. This study will improve our understanding on how the timing of climate departure can influence climate-crop departure as crop growth and yield are strongly related to climate-crop suitability thresholds over West Africa in the future. Energy Portfolio Assessment Tool (EPAT): Sustainable Energy Planning Using the WEF Nexus Approach - Texas Case Study Ahmed Mroue, Texas A&M University The future energy portfolio at the national and subnational levels should consider its impact on water resources and environment. Although energy resources are the main contributors to the national economic growth, these resources must not exploit other primary natural resources. A study of the connections between energy and natural systems, such as water, environment and land is required prior to proceeding to energy development. Policy makers are in need of a tool quantifying the interlinkages across energy, water and the environment, while demonstrating the consequent trade-offs across the nexus systems. The Energy Portfolio Assessment Tool (EPAT) is a tool that enables the policy maker to create different energy portfolio scenarios with various energy and electricity sources, and evaluate the scenario environmentally and economically to ensure sustainable energy development. The tool quantifies the links between energy portfolios with water, emissions, land and economics. The Water-Energy-Food nexus systematic approach is the foundation of the EPAT framework. The research studies the current and projected Texas energy portfolios, taking into consideration energy production, electricity generation and policy change. Every scenario is accompanied by tradeoffs across water, land, emissions, energy revenue and electricity cost. Therefore, conservation policies should move from the silo to the nexus mentality to avoid unintended consequences as improving one part of the nexus could end up worsening the other parts. The Justice Dimension of Water-Energy Nexus at Multiple Scales in Brazil Priscila Carvalho The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a globally endorsed normative framework to guide both national and international policymaking. It contains elements of integration of economic, social and environmental dimensions, but the goals were addressed without reference to possible links between different aspects of 2030 Agenda. The lack of recognising the interrelationships between SDGs has arguably reinforced certain environmental injustices. The “justice” dimension of water-energy nexus issues hasn’t been paid sufficient attention until

now. Our paper aims to help fill this gap. Brazil has been chosen a case study, because its electricity production is highly dependent on water. In addition, its integration of renewable energy, without considerations of water needs and regional differentiation, compromises sub-national policy objectives regarding multiple uses of water. Equally, the water sector’s reliance on centralised water-dependent electricity increases its service’s vulnerability to rising energy costs. Therefore, a lack of integration between water and energy governance undermines efforts to create a sustainable energy system, but also underpins environmental injustices relating to access to water and sanitation services. In this study we argue that one way in which greater integration can be introduced into water-energy nexus is to consider how environmental justice can be advanced. The methodological approach consists in collecting evidence from current literature. It was concluded that the examination of the drivers behind certain environmental injustices can highlight areas in which greater integration is needed between different policy areas. Developing this integration can in turn help to remediate the environmental injustices. Our research reveals the extent to which connections need to be forged between SDGs in relation particularly to water and energy Brazil, but also to other relevant goals interacting positively or negatively them.

The Energy-Water-Food Nexus in the Manioc Production in the Sao Francisco Basin (Brazil):

The Analysis of Energy Security, Efficiency and the Region’s Alternatives Isabel Ferreira, International Virtual Institute of Global Change - IVIG/COPPE/UFRJ Energy, water and food systems are closely associated due to the many synergies and interactions between water and energy use for food production. In general terms, water is a fundamental resource for food production, as well as for energy generation. Likewise, energy is an input for water access, as much as it is for the entire food production chain. Finally, food production increases the pressure effect on water and energy demands. The recognition of these synergies and the balance of these exchanges is critical to providing water, energy and food security in the future. Thus, the Nexus approach emerges as an alternative to help

transition toward sustainable use of these resources. In Brazil, the Sao Francisco Basin has

several regions where peoples well-being can be improved by a holistic approach involving the Nexus methodology. The connection between water and energy for food production aimed at the population of this region is instrumental and a planning has to be designed in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. This study aims to focus on a subsistence product that affects family maintenance. In order to estimate the energy expenditure involved in the

irrigation of the manioc crop in the Sao Francisco River Basin, all the production was identified

through the Water National Agency report, hereinafter called ANA report, and the respective water usage grant. Water licenses overview facilitated the establishment of some premises to perform an estimated calculation of the electrical power consumed by water pumps used in manioc culture. This work aimed to estimate the energy consumption in the main manioc crops

of the Sao Francisco region and to propose the replacement of electric energy used in the

pumping of water for irrigation with a renewable energy source through the use of photovoltaic

plates, thus identifying the main benefits of the use of solar energy, time of return on investment and savings generated by this intervention. Trans-Boundary Water and Energy Nexus in the Middle East: The New Road to Peace Noam Segal, Israel Energy Forum The converging effects of depleting water and energy resources, climate change, immigration and population growth, pose a serious threat to the stability of the Middle East. Securing a sustainable supply of essential resources to the fast-growing populations of countries like Jordan, Israel and Palestine, is therefore critical not only for improving human welfare, but also for maintaining the very existence of governance, law and order in these countries. Furthermore, solving the water and energy challenge is a pre-requisite for any future peace arrangement in the region. Regional, transboundary cooperation in water and energy can significantly contribute to promoting a vision of peace and sustainability (environmental peace-making). The nexus approach has very high significance in the case of Jordan, Israel and Palestine, some of the most water-scarce nations in the world. While water supply in these countries is extremely limited, it is also very energy intensive: the water sector in Jordan consumes about 25% of the country’s electricity generation; water supply in Israel consumes about 10% of power generation. Energy resources in the region are also limited: Jordan has no domestic energy sources, while Palestine only has a small offshore natural gas deposit. A truly sustainable long-term solution to the region’s water and energy challenge will require a regional, multidisciplinary approach, which considers the technical, economic, social, environmental and political dimension across all CLWEF sectors. The study explored the potential application of the nexus approach in the region, in the form of a future, trans-boundary arrangement for water and energy supply. Using a regional model for water (based on the WAS/MyWAS model), energy and geopolitics, we demonstrate the benefits of utilising vast areas of desert lands in southern Jordan, to supply energy to the whole region, while providing freshwater from Israel to Jordan and Palestine. Assessment of a Legislature-driven Intervention on Household Energy Access for Cooking in Kwara State of Nigeria Innocent Onah, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria It has been estimated that seven in ten households in Nigeria use firewood for cooking. Smoke from the traditional use of firewood is estimated to cause 95,000 deaths annually. After malaria and HIV/Aids, this would be Nigeria's third highest killer mostly of who are women and children. Urban households spend an average of N4, 500 monthly to buy firewood, while rural households particularly women and children walk long distances and spend hours a week into community forests in search for biomass/fuelwood. Poor households may inevitably end up paying more for having energy access for cooking when you factor in externalities. This may also contribute to increased deforestation and further expose households to the effect climate

change. Yet, Nigeria is one of the world's largest exporter of cooking gas or LPG. The energy poverty issue in Nigeria has been well documented but government interventions have not yielded much result. While energy access policies existed since 2005, legal instruments for prevention of uncontrolled logging and export of timber have been absent. Some argue that any ban on the use of firewood will have to be followed by a strategy to ensure regular and affordable access to and provision of sustainable alternatives for cooking. In response to the coking energy crisis, a Legislature-driven pilot intervention by budgetary appropriation was launched in year 2013 by the Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki-led Committee on Environment and Ecology tagged the National Assembly Intervention on Clean Cooking (NAICCI) expected to run till November 2017. This research is an attempt to evaluate NAICCI after 4 years of implementation at one beneficiary pilot location - Kwara Central Senatorial district of Kwara state in Nigeria. Within the context of assessing the impact of NAICCI on beneficial households and their ecosystem assets, a randomized assessment of the project impact will be carried out across socio-economic and environmental considerations. Sustainable Development of Rural Settlements; A Holistic Approach Towards Revitalisation of Oliena's Historic Center in Sardinia, Italy Negar Aliakbarshirazi, Politecnico di Milano With linkage to SDGs, particularly no.12 (Responsible consumption and production), the project aims at promoting sustainable consumption models based on ideas of circular metabolism within rural areas to take advantages from locally- available resources and focus on the city's outputs to recover materials and turn waste (organic waste) into an opportunity (organic fertiliser). Therefore, it spurs dialogue between producers (farmers) and entrepreneurs and consumers (inhabitants) and local communities. Such dialogue is mediated by local actors through two platforms assessing the economic and environmental demands and needs with the aim of promoting and supporting the organic farming and short-food supply (economic platform) and increase the competition between farmers and quality of the local organic products through an integration at local level to the existing energy management system (Environmental platform). These two platforms have been designed with a strong consideration of social inclusion to empower poor and marginalised inhabitants to take advantage of growing local opportunities and so to ensure equal opportunities for every member of the society. Optimizing Land and Water Allocation for Agricultural Production Anjuli Jain Figueroa To meet the demands of the 2050 global population, research has focused on two main areas: cropland expansion and yield improvements. Some researchers, however, suggest that these may be insufficient and that they would surmise more environmental damage (van Ittersum et. al, 2016). The work presented here focuses on a regional management of cropland that allocates limited land and water resources to the most optimal cropping pattern in order to use the resource most efficiently.

By combining optimization methods, global data sources, and hydrologic modeling, we identify opportunities for increasing food-crop production and cash-crop revenue, with the available land and water resources. We focus our case study in India’s Krishna river basin, a semi-arid region facing river basin closure. The work encourages a discussion on different objectives for a regions food production (cash crops, staple crops, diversity etc.) and identifies opportunities that are robust across several objectives. Gastrointestinal Pathogen Contamination of Infant Weaning Foods Investigation in Low-Income Neighborhoods of Kisumu, Kenya Kevin Tsai, University of Iowa Diarrheal diseases remain the second most common cause of preventable illness and death among children under age of five in low and middle-income countries (LIMCs). One primary pathway for gastrointestinal infection in infants in LIMCs is through consuming weaning food that has been contaminated by the feces of other persons or animals during food preparation and feeding processes. However, infant food safety is often overlooked in the global push to improve water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in LIMCs. This study characterized the detection frequency of twenty-nine different gastrointestinal pathogens in common infant foods in low-income, urban neighborhoods of Kisumu, Kenya, and examined which factors were associated with contamination. We used the ZymoBIOMICS" DNA/RNA extraction mini-kit to perform nucleic acid extraction for ambient-temperature storage and transport for molecular analysis. A pre-amplification step was used to lower the methodological limit of detection, followed by gastrointestinal pathogen detection using a custom designed Taqman array card. At least one gastrointestinal pathogen was detected in 50% of infant food samples collected from caregivers of infants aged 3-9 months living in Kisumu, with 13 of 80 samples containing more than one pathogen. The most common pathogens were Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Aeromonas, non-parvum or hominus Cryptosporidium spp., and Clostridium difficile. The detection of zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. suggests animal feces contributes to infant food contamination. Chi-square analysis showed that there was a difference in the frequency of pathogen contamination by type of food sampled (p= 0.04), but not by neighborhood (p= 0.82). Milk samples had the highest number of detected gastrointestinal pathogens per sample out of all food types. Fifty more samples are still being processed and will inform conclusions about the relative importance of food as an exposure pathway. The Urban Food-Water-Energy Nexus as an Ecology of Practices Ralitsa Hiteva, SPRU, University of Sussex This paper introduces an innovative approach to understanding the relational connections and disconnections within the urban food-water-energy nexus, by examining the concept of ecology

of practices, as applied to practices of sustenance in Sofia, Bulgaria: food conservation for the winter and urban gardening. Building on Stengers’ work, the paper proposes an alternative approach to nexus-thinking allowing for a more distributed understanding of agency; more agency to the environment; an innovative approach to examine relational proximity and the relational interactions between heterogeneous elements, and between practices. Social practices of sustenance are discussed as made up of heterogeneous collectives (consisting human and inanimate elements), assembled into practices and ecologies, through a set of obligations and requirements. Using case studies of ecology of practices of sustenance, the paper outlines the potential for influencing the provisioning of food, water and energy within urban environments towards more resilient assemblages within ecologies of practices through interventions such as hybrid forums, which create new interfaces between nexus thinking, nexus policy and nexus practices. Finally, the paper discusses the potential for resilience “unlocked” by thinking of the urban nexus in terms of an ecology of practices. Climate Change and Food Insecurity: A Case Study from Thal Desert, Punjab, Pakistan Rahmatullah Qureshi, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi The hunger and food insecurity badly affect human being across the world in terms of their health and productivity. Deserts, being hostile landscapes are endowed with native species enriched with nutritionally importance. These plants can play a pivotal role in combating food insecurity and allied health apprehension. The local communities of these remote areas are utilizing them to meet their dietary needs. From ethnobotanical survey, 21 species are used as wild fruit, 30 species consumed as vegetable cooking and eight species are sold in the local market. This endeavor/ presentation will highlight the importance and traditional use of wild vegetables/fruits which may be used by commercially utilized to combat food insecurity. Policy Fit for a Complex World: Complexity and the Nexus Adam Hejnowicz, University of York Today we face a litany of global sustainability challenges across the “nexus” of food-water-energy-environment. In such a domain the practice of public policy is complex, often messy and fuzzy. Achieving a sustainable future will require robust and flexible policies and policymaking based-upon joined-up thinking and approaches, broad spectrum collaboration and cooperation, networks of knowledge exchange and co-learning, an acknowledgement that uncertainty and change is an inherent property of our globalised world and a holistic vision. Understanding what works in this context is particularly important. However, interventions intended to deliver public policies, instruments implemented by people on the ground, are often highly diverse, frequently delivered by multiple institutions and liable to recurrent change and adaptation. The consequence of this complexity is that evaluating policy programmes, assessing their effectiveness both in terms of process and outcome is very difficult. Without advancing a deliberate complexity perspective it is extremely challenging to

investigate and discern the multiple causal pathways for why a policy (or set of policies) did or did not work and therefore how this or that policy can be improved moving forwards. The Centre for the Evaluation of Complexity Across the Nexus (CECAN) offers an innovative approach to address nexus policy issues. A collaboration between academia, praxis and policymakers, CECAN works alongside Government Departments and Agencies to build capacity and innovation in complexity methods applied to complex areas of policy such as food regulation, energy security, flood resilience, rural development and agriculture. The purpose of this talk will be to highlight this body of work and demonstrate how adopting such an approach has important policy implications for achieving global sustainability through the SDGs. Measuring the Environmental Impacts of Food Waste & Loss to Provide Guidance for Public & Private Action Sarah Zoubek, Duke University World Food Policy Center According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one-third of the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted at some point in the food supply chain during production, processing, distribution, preparation, and consumption. Amounts of food loss and waste vary depending on the type of food system, the type of food, the type of processing and packaging, and the population consuming the food. Concerns regarding food loss and waste are typically motivated by two themes - food security and the environment -both relating to the sustainability of the food system. When food is wasted, the land, water, energy, and other resources used in the production and distribution of the food impacts the environment. Furthermore, greenhouse gas emissions occur from the food production and distribution process, transporting food waste, and decomposition of food waste in landfills. As the global population increases, pressure to reduce food waste will increase to ensure adequate food supplies given available resources without further impacting the environment. Several U.S. and international efforts by governments, corporations, and multi-lateral/multi-sector entities are underway to reduce food waste and increase the sustainability of the food system. For our project, a group convened with support from SESYNC (the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center) sought to define and measure the ecological and environmental impacts of food loss and waste across regions within the U.S. food system, taking into consideration all sources of impacts from input sourcing in agricultural production through landfill disposal of waste across types of foods (defining types of impacts, assessing methods, and identifying data sources). The intent is to provide actionable results that can help target cost-effective food waste reduction efforts under public and private initiatives. Food-Energy Synergies: Co-Location of Solar and Agriculture Jordan Macknick, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

There are growing conflicts between solar energy developments and agricultural landowners, especially in land-constrained regions. As solar energy technologies continue to be deployed throughout the world, these food versus energy conflicts are likely to increase. However, there are many opportunities for agriculture and solar development to be co-located, providing benefits for both food production and solar output. Many agricultural crops and pollinator habitat species can be grown underneath and in between solar panel arrays in ways that can improve crop performance under high heat conditions and reduce water requirements for crops, while also creating a cooler microclimate underneath the solar arrays that can improve PV system efficiencies. This concept, known as solar-agricultural co-location or agrivoltaics, is being studied by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as part of a multiple year study. NREL has partnered with industry, universities, and agricultural landowners to evaluate agricultural crop and pollinator habitat performance underneath solar arrays on 14 sites across 8 states to evaluate key cost and performance tradeoffs over multiple years. This research effort is the most comprehensive of its kind and will result in a series of guidebooks and educational materials for landowners, solar developers, and policymakers. Preliminary insights include greater detail on the different configurations that could support solar-agricultural co-location as well as how different crop types perform in different regions. Detailed measurements are being collected to better understand microclimate and soil moisture changes as well as how water requirements for agricultural operations can be reduced. These innovative designs could contribute to greater food, energy, and water security in many areas and can help reduce conflicts over valuable land resources. A Conceptual Framework to Link Drivers Food Choice to Sustainable Diets in the Rural-Urban Interface Gisella S. Cruz Garcia, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Sustainable diets are defined as “diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutritional security and to a healthy life for present and future generations”. Sustainable diets are of high priority in the research, policy and development agenda of many developing countries, given the increasing triple burden of malnutrition - the combination of undernourishment, micronutrient deficiency and obesity. Food choice is a major determinant of sustainable diets. In order to make sustainable food choices, these should account not only for the impacts they have on ecosystem goods and services, but also on their value for different groups in the society. Despite several frameworks exist in the literature on food systems, very few conceptual frameworks exist that links food choice to diets. In addition, looking at the rural-urban interface is particularly important in the context of low and middle income countries, given that they are characterized by alarming rates of food insecurity and mal-nutrition, alongside environmental degradation and inequality in the access to food. This presentation will introduce the Food Choice for Diets Sustainability Framework, aimed at characterizing the drivers of food choice and highlighting the synergies and trade-offs among the outcomes of diets in the rural-urban interface. The framework contributes to the understanding of what drivers influence food

choices, how these choices affect diets, and what are the associated food and nutritional security, environmental and socio-economic outcomes of diets. This framework, which adopts a transdisciplinary approach combining nutritional, environmental, economic and socio-cultural perspectives, alongside a science-policy interface, has been developed in the context of low and middle income countries. As such it could be applied by policy and decision makers in those countries and contributes towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Irrigation Management and Its Effects on Crop Production in Uganda. A Comparative Study Paul Ayella, University of Tsukuba The Ugandan government is developing and promoting irrigation throughout the country in a bid to respond to droughts that have dented the country's food security priotising irrigation in the National Development Plan 2 and has invested huge sums of money for irrigation infrastructures but management of the infrastructures remains to be weak. Doho & Lwoba Rice Irrigation Schemes are located in Butaleja District, eastern Uganda. Both schemes have similar Characteristics like. Doho Rice Irrigation Schemes is a government owned scheme with modern irrigation infrastructures, financially and technically supported by government for management while Lwoba Rice Irrigation Schemes is a privately owned scheme with most of the land owned by one individual and land is hired to peasant farmers per-growing season. The rice yield in Kg/hectare in Doho is lower than Lwoba and the irrigation fees in Lwoba is 3 times higher than that in Doho; mainly attributed to the differences in water management The study analysed the underlying causes of the difference in rice yield and irrigations fees. Methodology employed included a field survey conducted in Uganda in July 2017 using a structured questionnaire to 90 farmers in study area. The questionnaire survey was complemented with focused group discussion and field observations. The dependent variable is crop yield (tons/hectare) and Independent variables are Socio-Economic, Farming Practices and Water Management. The study revealed positive correlation between water management and yields. There was positive correlation between fertilizer use and water availability, water governance structure in Doho was participatory and that in Lwoba was a dictatorial one with strict rules and procedures for doing business. In conclusion, it was seen that strengthening Management of irrigation system promotes equity in water use and equitable water use improves agriculture productivity and farmers Using Renewable Energy to Power Greenhouse Operations for Growing Produce to Improve Resilience in Remote Communities Gail Mosey, National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) Remote communities are often challenged with ready access to food, particularly fresh produce, which can impact resilience. This is especially important in colder climates where the availability of fresh produce can be scarce during the winter months and, when produce does make it to local markets, can be expensive. Availability of fresh produce is often limited due to

a short growing season and transportation constraints which means remote communities must rely on food they preserve or processed foods. The availability of a community greenhouse can be a worthwhile infrastructure improvement for security in food supply. Greenhouses can be used for growing produce locally and have a long list of benefits including higher food production, less water use, less need for pesticides, a longer growing season and better working conditions. However, greenhouses can be expensive to operate due to high electricity rates for heating and lighting and must cope with the uncertain availability of fossil fuels in remote communities. Renewable energy can be used in greenhouse operations to decrease operating costs and create opportunities for growing produce in remote areas where the cost of electricity is high. This can be done by using renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass to limit excess electricity use. Access to year-round fresh produce has the ability to improve a community’s resilience, sustainability, and improve overall health and well-being of residents and renewable energy may be the solution to alleviate the cost burden of operating a greenhouse. Agroecology in the Cerrado: Food and Nutrition Security and Governance Zar Augusto Brum Soares, Embrapa This work is part of the Project Agroecology in the Cerrado: governance, integrated management and innovations in water, food and energy security, supported by Brazilian Research Council in the NEXUS research notice. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the challenges of water, food and energy security in rural communities of the Federal District, Brazil. It aims to promote technological innovation strategies, through social design methodologies, for the development of integrated NEXUS approach on production management systems, which contribute to the increase of sustainability and efficiency in the use of resources, in order to guarantee the water, food and energy security. Specifically, this part of the project will investigate agricultural production for own consumption and commercialization, and to construct strategies for improving income and food security, based on the principles of agroecology and in a participatory way. This project is being developed with the partnership of community associations and research institutions of rural families in two

river basins: Rio Sao Bartolomeu and Rio Preto. Initially, we are collecting information about the

experiences through updating and expansion of existing socioeconomic and environmental diagnoses in the three communities. It includes the analysis of the perception of the local actors regarding the forms of water appropriation, state of food security, of the instances of governance, and related conflicts, as well as strategies of market access, income generation and energy security already under way. A four-step methodology will also be used. Each step is regarded to one of the dimensions of food and nutrition security: accessibility, quality, stability, and own consumption. Then, we integrate the matrices by developing functional technology prototypes that contribute to the solution of local problems through Community Capacity Building framework (IDIN). Assessing the Impact of 1.5 & 2oC Warming on Crop Suitability over West Africa

Temitope Egbebiyi, Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, South Africa West Africa, whose mainstay economy is rain fed agriculture and one of the most vulnerable regions owing to its low adaptive capacity, has suffered significantly from climate change impacts. This study examines the impact of 1.5 and 2oC warming on crop suitability over West Africa using SMHI-RCA4 regional model. Outputs of 10 CMIP5 GCMs downscaled with RCA4 were used as inputs into the crop suitability model, EcoCrop. The simulated impact of 1.5 and 2oC warming on crop suitability over West Africa sub-region was calculated using a reference period of 1971-2000 and future climate under RCP8.5 emission scenario. Six crops namely, Millet, Cassava, Groundnut, Cowpea, Maize and Plantain were used in the study to investigate the impact of 1.5 & 2oC warmer world will affect their suitability over West Africa. Our findings show that 1.5oC warming will lead to an increase about 0.05 in suitability for Groundnut and Cowpea across the region and north of 14oN for Millet. EcoCrop projects an increase about 0.08 north of 10oN in Maize; up to 0.1 for Plantain in the Savanna extending to the Guinea zones from Eastern part of Ivory coast to Nigeria. However, EcoCrop projects a decrease in suitability for Cassava over West Africa except in the North central Nigeria with a projected suitability increase up to 0.1 and above 0.05 over south east Ivory Coast compared to the past climate. Similar trend, only of a higher magnitude in suitability is projected with a 2oC warming over the region. Our evaluation of the benefit of limiting global temperature below 2oC warming above pre-industrial level showed that an 0.5oC to the impact of 1.5oC results in further increase in suitability and cultivated areas and growing season of the six crops considered. This study has application in developing timely adaptation for improving food security over West Africa. The Contribution of Community Health Club Approach on Reduction of Hygiene Related Disease and Malnutrition: Case of Rusizi District – Rwanda Amans Ntakarutimana, University of Rwanda A case - control study was conducted in Rusizi-Rwanda and assessed the contribution of the Community Health Club (CHC) approach in reducing hygiene related disease and malnutrition. We selected two villages from a rural setting (Rusizi) where one intervention village (case) with CHC approach as exposure was compared to one control village with no CHC approach exposure. We conducted data collection through desk review from Rusizi district health unit office, Nyabitimbo Health Center, National Institute of statistics of Rwanda and household surveys in 225 households (95%) coupled with spot observations. The focus was put on households’ sanitation and hygiene practices as well as the prevalence of hygiene related disease and malnutrition. The study covered a period of 3 years where CHC implementation started in 2013. The collected data on the status of household sanitation and hygiene and records from Nyabitimbo Health Center of 2012 (baseline data) and the data collected in 2015 (end line data) helped to assess the contribution of the CHC approach. The results show that CHC approach implementation is associated with households’ sanitation and hygiene practices

improvement 3 years after the intervention in Rusizi district coupled with a remarkable reduction of hygiene related disease and malnutrition. The Need to Fill the Gap Between “Best Practices” and Evaluative Strategies: Case of RCT and Process Evaluation in Rusizi District-Rwanda Amans Ntakarutimana, University of Rwanda The gap between health intervention and “best practices” in program implementation exists also in program evaluation between “best practices” and the evaluative strategies actually being used. In 2015, two types of evaluation of the environmental health promotion program, the RCT and the Process evaluation revealed different results in terms of sanitation and hygiene conditions among villages in 2015 and 2016 respectively and villages were classified in high, medium, and low performing according to their sanitation and hygiene conditions observed. Based on that classification, we conducted a qualitative research through focus group discussions with village members and interviews with local leaders from 3 purposively selected villages with different sanitation and hygiene performance (high, medium and low) in 2015 to assess the reasons of the noticed difference in 2017. The results showed that Kamina and Gataramo villages which performed differently by 2015 as high and low performing villages respectively had equally highly improved the behavior, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition practices by 2017 with ensured sustainability. Only for Gataramo village, it took longer than Kamina because of the specific social issues and historical background of the village prior the intervention. Kibare village (medium performing village), did not perform well neither by 2015 neither by 2017 and this was due to the lack of cohesion among village members and the program implementation which did not follow the principles in terms of common unity and collective action which influenced negatively the behavior change and practices of village members. The present case revealed the need of improved evaluation methodologies with consideration of more aspects and factors that support behavior change, practices, time needed for effective change (due to different barriers and historical back ground) and later the intervention outputs in terms of socio-economic and health. Dynamically Modeling the Interconnections Between Demographics and The Water-Energy-Food-Climate Nexus David Zelinka, Mortenson Center in Engineering for Developing Communities This paper presents a simple, yet informative system dynamics tool that can be used by decision-makers to model and analyze the interconnections that exist among the four sectors of the Water-Energy-Food-Climate nexus represented as a complex and coupled system. This hard-systems approach complements a soft-systems (cross-impact analysis) approach, also discussed in this paper. The model presented herein is based on the logistic innovation-diffusion archetype from the management sciences. It was modified to create a goal-seeking dynamic to model the progress of each sector of the nexus from an insecure state to a secure state. We discuss how the dynamic between states depends on certain characteristics

exogenous and endogenous to a population. Most crucially, the model accounts for the nexus’ integrated nature by calculating the interconnections at play across all four sectors of the nexus, which are directly or indirectly governed by population dynamics. The model heavily emphasizes demographic (gender, age, etc.), especially migration (internal rural-urban and international,) since an anthropogenic focus is crucial for addressing any social issue. At several locations within the model structure, entry points have been created to allow other researchers to add their own modules or components to tailor the model to meet their needs. These caps are designed to allow modular customizability, lacking in many existing complex decision-making tools. The tool presented herein can be used to analyze several scenarios, which model possible policy choices. By utilizing built-in analytical tools to identify system leverage points, areas to apply policy interventions will be found. The model will function as a laboratory for testing policy prior to a full-scale implementation, or at the very least it can provide a quick assessment to understand the possible effects of a decision. A tool with any of these parts is rare, one with all of them even more so. April 17th, 2018 11:40AM – 1:00PM Oral Presentations: Policy Interface and Frameworks Food, Energy and Water Nexus under Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation Policy: the Case of Brazil Yongxia Cai, RTI International Climate change depends not only on responses from the global climate system, but also on human system development trajectories. Actions to mitigate climate change will shape the human system, which will be exposed to the very impacts mitigation seeks to reduce. This is particularly relevant for food, energy and water given their vulnerability to climate change, important role for human systems, and interactions between them. Facing impacts on agriculture productivity and increased risk of deforestation as well as heavy dependence on hydro power energy generation, Brazil’s agriculture, food, and energy are particularly vulnerable to climate change impact and mitigation/adaptation. This study uses Brazil as a case study to assess impacts across the food, energy, and water nexus under future climate change and mitigation scenarios. Effects on crop yields from a linear regression model with country fixed effects and hydropower availability from the Global Water Availability Model (GWAM) are fed into the Applied Dynamic Analysis of Global Economy (ADAGE), a recursive-dynamic multi-region multi-sector Computable General Equilibrium Model (CGE) that simulates the global and regional economy, food, energy, land use change and GHG emissions from 2010 to 2050. The scenario design considers with/without climate impact, with/without carbon price related mitigation policy, under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 8.5 and 4.5. Results

show that climate change impacts can induce higher food prices and heavier land competition from biofuel production. The substitution of fossil fuel for loss of hydropower forces more biofuel production and land competition. The mitigation policy leads to afforestation, higher land productivity but less land for food production. This integrated assessment can provide implications on interaction of food, energy under climate impact and mitigation and insights into possible adaptation strategies under different mitigation constraints. Intergenerational Dialogue: Enhancing the Science Policy Interface for Our Shared Future Kimmy Pugel, UN Major Group for Children and Youth The role of youth in enhancing and enacting the science-policy interface is increasingly important. Discussions on partnerships for achieving SDGs are shifting from talking "about" our generation to talking "with" our generation. This requires stakeholders to work more purposefully and systematically to coordinate science and technology activities with youth - so as to leverage existing work, build connections, and fuel momentum. The UN MGCY, as the formal General Assembly mandated space for youth participation in intergovernmental processes at the UN, is coordinating inputs on interlinkages, tradeoffs, and solutions related to the SDGs under review at the 2018 HLPF, with particular focus on different cross-cutting themes elaborated by other agendas - Paris Climate Agreement, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Global Compact on Migration, & New Urban Agenda. After a presentation of the science-policy architecture in the UN, an intergenerational consultation in the form of a mini-policy hackathon with the Nexus community will serve to explore emerging and intractable issues related to the topics of the conference. Participants will be challenged to design socially-inclusive, environmentally friendly, and economically viable science, technology, and innovation policies as means for overcoming challenges identified. After sharing perspectives, the group will look at these issues in the context of implementing and monitoring the 2030 Agenda in practice, while considering diverse sources of knowledge (formal, informal, etc.) and importance of technology foresight. Facilitated by the UN MGCY Science-Policy Interface Platform, in collaboration with other youth and non-youth led entities, this collaborative think and do sessions aims to produce concrete recommendations that will inform discussions at the 2018 UN Multi stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology & Innovation for the SDGs and be presented at a side event to be hosted by the UNMGY. The Nexus as Development Practice Mathew Kurian, United Nations University (UNU-FLORES), Germany The Water-Energy- Food (WEF) nexus debate was meant to breathe life into the limits to growth thesis by emphasizing the importance of a circular economy that closes loops in resource use through promotion of reuse and recycle of environmental resources. But recently

there have been voices that have questioned the usefulness of the nexus approach in understanding the global environmental discourse. This cynicism arises from a blinkered view of the nexus concept that is borne by a linear, economic rationality oriented and stationary view of development underpinned by models of technology transfer and knee jerk policy reform. This paper argues that integrative nexus analysis can support the characterization of bio-physical systems as being embedded within socio-ecological systems that are heterogeneous in terms of economic interests and edaphic features respectively and liable to non-linear trajectories of change. For this purpose, rigorous analysis of feedback loops between developmental programs and projects and their outcomes in terms of poverty and environmental sustainability would necessitate going beyond a mere description of laws and policies. Further, analysis of centrality and density of social networks involving organizations in a multi-level governance structure and individuals drawn from both within and outside the public-sector; private sector and community organizations which is necessary would require sophisticated modelling of agency and individual behaviour. A monitoring framework that draws upon the insights that such analysis has to offer can go a long way in making trade-offs explicit and mitigating the rebound effects of developmental action A General Analytical Framework to Address Food-Energy-Water Nexus Challenges in the Developing World Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, RTI International Globally, especially in low to middle income countries with rapid urban development, there is a need for more sophisticated decision support tools to address food-energy-water (FEW) nexus challenges that integrate physical information on water, land use, and energy generation systems with representations of markets and socio-economic systems. Such tools can help users assess how resources are currently consumed and to address potential trade-offs across the FEW nexus associated with changes in infrastructure design, resource consumption patterns, policy, or changing market conditions. This study presents a general analytical framework for decision support systems capable of addressing FEW nexus challenges in the developing world where data are often limited. The decision support framework, based on concepts of hydro-economic modeling and multi-criteria decision analysis, captures interdependencies and feedback loops between water resource systems, property right institutions, food production, energy generation, and household demand systems, and allows for direct stakeholder input to facilitate model parameterization. We identify key data needs and empirical approaches to fill likely data gaps in developing world settings for key hydrologic and economic information (including benefit transfer approaches). Furthermore, we discuss how such information can be crowd-sourced or at least strengthened through direct stakeholder feedback in the absence of observational data, offering insight from similar analytical frameworks in the international development arena. Finally, a multi-criteria decision analysis framework is developed that allows for stakeholders to assign preference weights to different FEW nexus metrics for more robust trade-off analysis that captures local challenges and policy priorities. Our research team aims to elicit feedback and discuss collaborative opportunities to pilot this framework in the developing world.

Climate Change Trading Carbon for Water through GHG Mitigation in the Land Use Sectors? Projecting Unintended Consequences of Asymmetric Mitigation Price Incentives in Agriculture and Forestry Justin Baker, RTI International To meet long-term goals established under the Paris Agreement of maintaining temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius, the global land use sectors could play a significant role in reducing GHG emissions through increased terrestrial carbon uptake, reduced non-CO2 emissions, and through the supply of biomass energy feedstocks to displace fossil fuel emissions in the energy and industrial sectors. Parties have pledged a variety of land use activities in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). However, while the Paris Agreement is a near-global accord, there is no international carbon market that incentivizes emissions reductions from various sectors and across regions with a consistent price signal. Instead, Parties have pledged a variety of climate action strategies to be incentivized or financed through different means. Thus, mitigation action across different sectors (e.g., forestry and agriculture) could face different mitigation policy incentives (e.g., carbon prices). This asymmetry could result in distributional impacts, such as indirect land use change at the intensive and extensive margins, which could include increased agricultural water use in regions with existing water scarcity concerns. This study applies a detailed economic model of the global land use system to explore regional GHG mitigation potential with symmetric and asymmetric mitigation price incentives for agriculture and forestry. Results show how the optimal mitigation portfolio might vary under asymmetric price incentives, and how differentiated prices could result in clear carbon for water trade-offs. With strong price incentives for global forest sector GHG mitigation but no equivalent incentive for agricultural mitigation, U.S. agriculture expands and intensifies irrigation to compensate for reduced production in other regions. Understanding indirect consequences of mitigation price instruments can help inform climate policy design and reduce unintended consequences. Climate Variability, Forecasts and Financial Management of Flood Risk Gonzalo Pizarro, UNDP Additional Authors: Dr. Upmanu Lall, Alan and Carol Silberstein

Given diminishing opportunities for structural flood control and the associated environmental impacts, there is renewed interest on financial approaches to flood risk management. Historically, relative to other natural hazards, the insurance industry has had a limited involvement in flood exposure mitigation. The ability to forecast flood risk in the upcoming season or year presents new opportunities for financial management of flood risk using

insurance and related instruments. Similarly, the observation that large areas may have elevated flood risk, while others have reduced flood risk during the same phases of the El Nino Southern Oscillation, provides an opportunity for financial risk management through the reduction of the variance of losses to the insurance industry. Examples of how both types of these climate related products can be used for re-insurance and catastrophe bond issuance and investment strategies are developed and presented here. Implementation of Integrated Resource Assessments in Transboundary Contexts: the of Syr Darya and Sava River Basins Eunice Ramos, KTH – Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden A frequent motivation for the implementation of integrated resource assessments are the side-implications of sectoral policies, commonly developed in silos, and the conflicting use of the same resource by different sectors. The present work provides an overview of results from the development of two transboundary nexus assessments. The impact of climate change on hydropower generation was explored at in the Sava River basin case study, with cumulative implications from water use by agriculture. The use of water and dependency from the basin varies across countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia were the countries identified to be more dependent on water from the basin. An indication that changing dependency from water resources for hydropower generation could be achieved, both via energy efficiency measures and increased deployment of non-hydro renewables, was verified for the case of the Syr Darya River basin. Water resources are still a key resource in the region: they are the backbone of the electricity generation systems of the upstream nations; downstream, the water is essential for irrigation. The methodological approach followed in the assessments had similarities that are summarized here. An overall assessment of the nexus systems of climate, land use, energy and water was performed to identify most relevant interactions and pressures between systems. Stakeholders were involved in different stages of the assessment and their experience and context-based knowledge used to refine the investigation. Additionally, it provided an opportunity to adjust the study to the needs of the country and/or region; while enabling project acceptance between national institutions and local authorities. Stakeholders were involved in consultation of modelling results and key insights retrieved from the studies. The main tool used for the modelling of the energy systems of the multi-country regions in the assessments was the Open Source Energy Modelling System. From One Meal to the Next: A Study of Household Practices in the Daily Navigation of Vulnerability and Resilience at the Urban Nexus of Water, Energy, Food and the Environment in Kampala’s informal settlements. Patience Mguni, Wageningen University Research Sub-Saharan cities like Kampala currently face numerous challenges related to rapid population growth and urbanization as well as climate change impacts. These challenges have exacerbated

the struggle to provide adequate infrastructural and socio-ecological services to Kampalas rapidly growing poor. Based on a conceptualisation of the urban Nexus of water, energy, food and the Environment as an “ecology of practices”, this paper presents a qualitative case study of the informal settlements of Bwaise and Kanyogoga in Kampala. For the study, key informant interviews, focus group discussions as well as water quality tests were conducted. Furthermore, “shadowing” was employed as an observational methodology to investigate and map the growing vulnerability of nine poor households in the informal settlements as they navigate between deteriorating water quality, rising energy prices and food insecurity on a daily basis as well as addressing the rising flood-risk in their settlements. Results indicate that currently most household-level trade-offs (and therefore vulnerabilities) at the urban Nexus are based on decisions related to energy poverty. Households scale back on water treatment practices such as boiling and the cooking of nutritious but energy-consuming foods such as beans because of rising charcoal prices. Despite these vulnerabilities there are emergent practices of resilience-building. They include the use of briquettes as an alternative to charcoal; a strong social capital base upon which households can borrow food from each other and from local traders to cope with food insecurity; as well as engagement in urban agriculture to increase food security. The paper also highlights land as an important yet often-neglected aspect of the urban Nexus from a developing city perspective. We find that the disqualification of settlements as informal, predicates the vulnerabilities of the poor to associated problems found at the urban Nexus. Water Indicators for Good Solutions to Wicked Resource Nexus Problems Sabrina Kirschke, UNU-Flores The international community faces immense challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. One particular problem regards the achievement of water, food and energy security, in the light of dynamic developments such as climate change and migration. Literature provides here a set of important explanations for the failure in addressing such nexus problems. This paper provides an additional argument to explain persistent problems, namely the appropriateness of environmental policies to address a wicked problem area. Our main argument is that current resource policies may not be responsive to the proven “wickedness” of the problems. In order to develop our argument, we start by conceptualizing indicators for good policy responses to wicked nexus problems. We then apply the framework to three cases of wicked resource nexus problems in China, Germany, and Latin America. We briefly describe the wickedness of the cases and check if existing policies fulfil the indicators of ‘good’ policy responses to wicked nexus problems. Information on the degree of nexus solutions are based on an analysis of relevant policy documents and a number of expert interviews in the respective cases. First results show: The three core dimensions of wickedness (goal diversity, system complexity and informational uncertainty) can be drawn on in order to define indicators for small wins when addressing these problems (e.g., mentioning soil issues in water policies in order to

address goal conflicts, developing interlinkages between sector-specific models, gathering information on impacts of policies on other sectors). Our empirical analysis shows that only some indicators for good solutions to wicked problems are fulfilled in the different cases. In particular, respective policies that intend to address the wicked nexus problems consider to varying degrees’ goal conflicts and system complexity related to our nexus problems. Development of a Resource Allocation Management System for the Water-Energy Nexus in Brazil Theodoros Semertzidis, University College London Brazil’s electricity sector is highly dependent on hydroelectricity, which historically represents between 65 and 80+% of total annual generation. The 2014-2015 drought in the Southeast, and the prolonged drought since 2010 in the Northeast, have had significant impacts on electricity production. In this paper, a detailed evaporation, water budget analysis model (EVAWAT) is integrated within the water-energy-land model (IDA3) to determine a water allocation management system under different climate and electricity generation scenarios. The water model was constructed in order to accommodate the considerable differences of water consumption of hydroelectricity per area, and the lack of a whole electricity sector water management system. The novelty of our approach lies in the detailed spatial water availability calculations for the Brazilian electricity system of the water model. The water allocation is based on biophysical, social, and economic conditions, underlying vulnerabilities, and the capacity for managing water efficiently for each of the five main regions of the country. The goal is to maintain security of supply of both electricity and water, and maintain resilience within the five regions under extreme weather conditions, by retaining certain minimum standards and aiming at critical interlinkages between water and energy. Data-Driven Quantification of the Global Water-Energy-Food System Janez Susnik, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education There is increasing interest in the global water-energy-food (WEF) system and the future direction of this system. This is particularly pertinent regarding concerns over resource exploitation, sustainability, and equitable access for a growing population. Many studies investigate different aspects of this system, however there remain a number of shortcomings in modelling efforts. Such shortcomings include only representing one or two system sectors, or focussing on very specific case studies that are not generally applicable. This work presents a global analysis of the WEF-GDP (Gross Domestic Product) system, integrating these four sectors into a single, coherent analysis and modelling approach, offering consistency where it has been previously lacking. A Monte-Carlo sampling approach is adopted to characterise global variability. A system dynamics modelling approach quantifies a previously qualitative description of the global WEF-GDP system. Correlative and causal analysis shows links of varying strength between the WEF-GDP sectors. For example, the GDP-electricity consumption sectors are very strongly correlated while food and electricity consumption are more weakly

correlated. Causal analysis reveals that “correlation does not imply causation”, often the case in complex systems. There are noticeable asymmetries in causal relationships between sectors. Historical values of WEF and GDP are well recreated. Future scenarios were assessed using seven GDP growth scenarios to 2100. Water withdrawals are close to other values estimated using very different approaches, and results suggest that humanity is at risk of exceeding the “safe operating space” for water withdrawal. Food production estimates are also close to other studies by 2050, while electricity consumption is overestimated. This work is a valuable early step in providing a quantitative modelling framework to the previously qualitative descriptions of the water-food-energy-economic system. 5:00PM – 6:00PM Poster Presentations: Building Resilient Cities Cities Leading through Energy Analysis and Planning Hoi-Fei Mok, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability Since the mid-1990s, local governments have engaged in periodic inventories of municipal and community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the ultimate goal of achieving emission reductions. The field has matured with documented protocols for performing and reporting inventories, and many communities are now conducting inventory updates to establish trends. ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability and the City of Bellevue Washington, with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Cities Leading through Energy Analysis and Planning (Cities-LEAP) Program, are creating methods and tools to attribute changes between two inventories to the impacts of policies and programs along with other external drivers, such as economic activity and weather. Specifically, ICLEI has developed a “contribution analysis” that is now in testing by a set of participating communities. By eliminating as much uncertainty as possible through normalizing for factors like weather and economic activity that isolate out the “noise” of external factors, the impact of actions or programs can be reasonably inferred. This framework will support policy-makers in using data to better communicate about their progress and refine their climate policy approaches. ICLEI and project partners will present their contribution analysis toolkit in a technical interactive workshop on how to utilize the tool, crafting effective narratives to different stakeholders and developing effective climate policies. Audience members will get an opportunity to practice the tool with demonstration data. Participants should leave with concrete understanding of potential inventory drivers and improvements to climate planning. Land, Water, Food and Energy Sectors in Singapore: A Balancing Act Cecilia Tortajada, Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore

Singapore has to be considered within its own context: a small island, and thus area-constrained, that has grown continuously only through land reclamation. It has no natural resources and no hinterland to provide them, and a historical dependence on outside sources of water, energy and food. The constraints of land area and competing land uses have added complexity to water resources planning and implementation. The constant need to increase provision of water due to population growth and economic and social development have forced numerous trade-offs between land use (housing, commerce, industry, defense, farming, fisheries, leisure activities, etc.), water resources, food and energy development. In fact, land availability has been the main consideration when deciding on the amount of land that can be converted into watersheds to collect water, and thus on the size of the watersheds; the places where water and wastewater treatment plants, as well as desalination plants, are built; which ones have to be built either underground or on top of existing facilities in the most innovative ways, etc. The interlinkages and interdependences among the several sectors in land-constrained Singapore are not intuitive. While in general water is needed for energy and food production, this is not the case in the city-state, which imports nearly 100% of its energy, 90% of its food and 50% of its water resources. This means that water resources are not necessary to produce energy and that only a small percentage is used for local agriculture. On the other hand, energy is needed to pump, treat, recycle, desalinate and distribute clean water, especially for production of NEWater and desalinated water. The presentation makes a historical review of the decision-making, policies and practices that have contributed to Singapore’s development considering its nexus in different times in history. A Nexus Approach to Managing Rising Flood Risk Jeff Opperman, WWF In the past decade, flooding has been the costliest type of natural disaster with annual damages ranging between 30 and 60 billion USD with more than 100 million people displaced. Climate change will result in more frequent and intense floods in many regions. Due to a combination of these changing precipitation patterns and expansion into flood-prone areas, nearly half of all new urban development between today and 2030 will occur on land at risk of damaging floods an area of 500,000 km2. Confronted with these rising risks, governments must decide how to invest in measures to improve safety for people and reduce damages. Addressing this rising flood risk will require solutions that cut across water management and land management, including urban design. A growing consensus suggests that resilient and sustainable flood systems will move beyond a primary focus on the structural measures dams and levees that strive to contain floods, and toward a “diversified portfolio” approach that intertwines land and water management. Nonstructural measures that influence land use such as zoning, building codes and insurance are key to keeping people out of harm’s way. Another critical strategy is to integrate green infrastructure natural features such as wetlands and floodplains into flood-management systems. Green infrastructure can range from urban design features components such as green roofs and impervious pavement that create “sponge cities” to large-scale projects that reconnect rivers to historic floodplains to store and convey floodwaters. Sustainable flood management thus requires a nexus approach that interweaves urban design, land-use

management within a river basin, and water management. This integrated approach can increase urban resilience to floods and also deliver multiple other benefits, including freshwater ecosystem services. Health Multisolving at the Intersection of Health and Climate: Lessons from Case Studies Grace Mwaura, Climate Interactive An increasing number of investments and policies are being identified that have the potential to contribute to a stronger Culture of Health while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping communities adapt to climate impacts. Such “multisolving” policies have the potential to produce win-wins that improve health and climate with a single budget and align constituencies that might not otherwise see their common interests. However, our social, economic, and political systems have not often been able to seize opportunities for these co-benefits because of barriers including disciplinary boundaries that limit communication and creativity, budgetary silos that limit the ability to invest health dollars in ways that are informed by potential climate outcomes, and fears that progress on already complicated and urgent topics will be slowed down if advocates open up their processes and conversations to a wider group of stakeholders,. This paper will share the results of an international scan of “bright spots” where leaders were able to align investments in climate and health with particular focus on the policy instruments and leadership styles that contributed to the ability to maximize these win-win opportunities. By reporting on both individual examples and the themes that emerge from a comparison of those examples, our goal is to encourage and support more leaders in the US to approach policy in ways that provide benefits for both the climate and health and well-being. We will also share findings from interviews with US health system leaders which defined the most important questions, opportunities, and barriers facing the implementation of multisolving policies in the US. We will share what we learned about the tools, materials, and support that would help leaders in the health sector be better represented in climate change and energy policy making and investment decisions. The Path of Most Resistance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Dispersion from Hog Operations Alexandra George, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill Excessive antibiotic use in hog production can lead to resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus colonizing pigs and, eventually, humans, which poses an increased risk for subsequent infection. There are various reservoirs and transmission pathways along this route. This review seeks to quantify the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MDRSA) colonization in these reservoirs related to hog production, and to identify factors contributing to a positive colonization status. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted according to PRISMA protocol. In total,

166 relevant articles published in English before June 2017 were identified from PubMed and selected for review. Pooled effect size was calculated for each reservoir. A “vote counting” technique was used to tabulate the number of times a certain factor was either positively or negatively associated with colonization and the statistical significance of the association. Environmental samples had the highest prevalence of MRSA and MDRSA, followed by pigs, humans, and post-slaughter products (meat). Livestock-associated MRSA accounted for approximately 40% of MRSA-colonized hospital patients. Factors such as having direct contact with hogs, frequency of hog contact, size of the farm or operation, and age of the pigs were the most commonly studied. Resistant Staphylococcus aureus can colonize reservoirs even distantly linked to hog farming, suggesting that preventive action may be the best option to reduce its impact. This study underscores the need for a streamlined reporting system to better track livestock-associated resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, as hospital patients are among the most vulnerable population for infection by resistant Staphylococcus aureus, screening patients in areas of dense intensive hog operations upon admission could help prevent subsequent infections. Effect of Climatic Variability on Childhood Diarrhea and its High Risk Periods in Northwestern Parts of Ethiopia Muluken Azage, Bahir Dar University Background: Increasing climate variability as a result of climate change will be one of the public health challenges to control infectious diseases in the future, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia. Objective: to investigate the effect of climate variability on childhood diarrhea (CDD) and identify high risk periods of diarrheal diseases. Methods: The study was conducted in all districts located in three Zones (Awi, West and East Gojjam) of Amhara Region in northwestern parts of Ethiopia. Monthly CDD cases for 24 months (from July 2013 to June 2015) reported to each district health office from the routine surveillance system were used for the study. Temperature, rainfall and humidity data for each district were extracted from satellite precipitation estimates and global atmospheric reanalysis. The space-time permutation scan statistic was used to identify high risk periods of CDD. A negative binomial regression was used to investigate the relationship between cases of CDD and climate variables. Statistical analyses were conducted using SaTScan program and StataSE v. 12. Results: The monthly average incidence rate of CDD was 11.4 per 1000 (95%CI 10.8-12.0) with significant variation between males [12.5 per 1000 (95%CI 11.9 to 13.2)] and females [10.2 per 1000 (95%CI 9.6 to 10.8)]. The space-time permutation scan statistic identified the most likely high risk period of CDD between March and June 2014 located in Huletej Enese district of East Gojjam Zone. Monthly average temperature and monthly average rainfall were positively associated with the rate of CDD, whereas the relative humidity was negatively associated with the rate of CDD.

Conclusions: This study found that the most likely high risk period is in the beginning of the dry season. Climatic factors have an association with the occurrence of CDD. Therefore, CDD prevention and control strategy should consider local weather variations to improve programs on CDD. Sociodemographic and Environmental Factors Related to Diarrheal Diseases in Children Under Five in Niger Franck Tchokouagueu, Green Horizon Diarrhea kills 525,000 children under the age of five every year worldwide, in particular because of lack of drinking water and adequate sanitation (WHO, 2017). In Niger, respectively 58.2% and 10.9% of the total population have access to a source of uncontaminated water and improved sanitation (WHO, 2015). In addition, the prevalence of diarrhea, the second leading cause of death among children 0 to 5 years after malaria, is 14%. Despite the resurgence of environmental health problems, few scientific studies are devoted to it. Moreover, the existing ones do not sufficiently take into account the interaction of socio-demographic characteristics of children and the household where they live, in the process of reducing the risk of diarrheal diseases in vulnerable households. To this end, an interdisciplinary approach would allow the acquisition of new knowledge on the environment-health issue, and consequently, contribute to the development of better health and environmental management policies. Thus, this work analyzes the interaction between environmental and social factors that influence the risk of diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years of age. It is mainly a question of evaluating the impact of certain sociodemographic factors on the reduction of the risks of diarrheal diseases in households vulnerable to environmental contaminations, with regard to diarrheal diseases. More specifically, it is a question of: 1) constructing an indicator of vulnerability, to diarrheal diseases, using PCA (principal component analysis) and highlighting the sociodemographic profile of vulnerable children; 2) to identify, in children living in a vulnerable environment using binomial logistic regression, socio-demographic determinants that reduce their exposure and susceptibility to diarrheal diseases. The main data used for this study are those of the Demographic and Health Survey of Niger collected in 2012 by INS_Niger. Time Series Study of Weather, Water Quality, and Acute Gastroenteritis at Water Safety Plan Implementation Sites in France and Spain Karen Setty, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Water Safety Plans (WSPs), recommended by the World Health Organization since 2004, seek to proactively identify potential risks to drinking water supplies and implement preventive barriers that improve safety. To further evaluate the relationships between WSP implementation status and health outcomes, we undertook time series studies at sites in France and Spain using generalized additive modeling of risky events (e.g., heavy rainfall), raw

water quality, finished water production, finished water quality (e.g., turbidity, free chlorine) and daily or monthly reports of acute gastroenteritis. In France, higher resolution daily data based on prescription reimbursements was available; Spanish data consisted of monthly aggregates of acute hospital visits. Models identified a significant relationship between hydrological indicators and health, suggesting drinking water does play a role in health outcomes in these locations. Lag times of 5-9 days were found for hydrological indicators at the two French sites. Heavy rainfall events after an antecedent dry period (likely followed by nonpoint source pollution inputs into the surface water supply) and daily peaks in turbidity of finished groundwater posed the greatest risk, while free chlorine was shown to be protective. These results agree with other studies that have demonstrated a portion of gastrointestinal illness attributable to drinking water exposure in developed settings. The attributable risk may become more severe in the future with increased immigration to cities, more intensive agriculture, water supply scarcity, extreme precipitation patterns, and urban heat island effects. Water Infrastructure Integrating Spatial Variability of Water Resources in Long-term Power Infrastructure Planning: An Illustration from Ganga River Basin Bijon Kumer Mitra, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies The Ganga River Basin plays a vital role in both water supply and power supply to meet the increasing demand, consequently economic growth of South Asian economies. Nearly 40% of regional power plants are located in this basin, which are high water consuming, and most of these capacities are located in either water-scarce or water-stressed areas. It is envisaged that development of power infrastructures will be challenged by growing water stress situation in this river basin. Spatial and temporal trends of future water availability need to be integrated into the planning of sustainable power infrastructure, which yet to be well understood. We developed a unique integrated assessment framework to link water crisis to climate change and power infrastructure planning. We employed the assessment framework in four sub-basins of Ganga River located within Indias territories, namely Yamuna, Chambal, Gandak and Damudar. It aimed to analyse location specific water supply-demand situation and integrate it to the location specific future power infrastructure planning. Our analysis reveals that water availability will decrease in Yamuna and Damodar sub-basins by 23% and 6%, respectively in 2040. Climate change will greatly increase water availability in Gandak sub-basin by 153% in 2040 compared with that in the base year (2010). During the same period of time, Yamuna sub-basin water demand will exceed water supply. This implies that water may become a constraint for the development of new thermal power infrastructure in this sub-basin. For Yamuna, power supply may need to be provided from neighbouring sub-basins such as Chambal, where a large amount of water surplus would be available for cooling new thermal power plants. Similarly, large amount of water surplus in Gandak could make it a suitable place for locating new thermal infrastructures and help to alleviate water-stress pressure in Damodar where a numbers of thermal power plants are located.

Water Management in Architecture: A Biomimetic Approach Towards Sustainability Natasha Chayaamor-Heil Recently, water management and regulation in buildings have been playing an important role in architectural design sector by cause of the increasing environmental awareness. Current concerns of shortage water resources increase the demands to enhance strategies approach to water management in buildings. As a result, we lead to a new approach Biomimicry, which contributes to a more sustainable development in architecture and building. Although, biomimetic approach commits to a sustainable development in many disciplines, but its framework bases on biological domain involved, where information from biology is transferred to design discipline. Thus biomimetic design process requires a unique framework to allow convergence between domains. In this work, we propose the development of methods and tools to facilitate the use of biomimetic design approach to fit in to architectural design context in order to meet the current challenges of sustainable water management in buildings. By analyzing nature’s strategies to fit into the biological and design framework, two levels can be abstracted and transferred; organism and ecosystem level. Nature’s strategies at the organism level are studies to understand how an organism adapts to its local environmental factors by optimizing the functioning of its internal mechanism. Nature’s strategies at the ecosystem level are studied for the types of interactions between several physical entities, such as an interaction between two organisms, or an interaction between the built environments to the existing ecosystem. Following the realization of the need to analyze strategies at organism level in relation to their environmental factors, we have chosen the tool BioTRIZ: System Operator hierarchy for biological systems. At the ecosystem levels, we envisage some existing tools such as ESA (ecosystem analysis) to support the design of water management in buildings to fit in its ecosystem towards a sustainable built environment. The Contribution of a Major Urban Infrastructure Improvement Project to Reducing Water Deficits in Jordan Michelle Moffa, Duke University Jordan is one of the most water scarce countries in the world, with a widening gap between supply and demand due to its semi-arid climate, large irrigated agriculture sector, and recent population and economic growth. Water resources therefore must be managed extremely carefully, which requires both strategic planning of supply enhancement and water management, and analysis of the effects of specific improvements. Previous literature has considered the growing supply-demand imbalance and the need for strategies to enhance water reuse at a national scale, and the government has responded by making the latter a priority of the National Water Strategy. We are however the first to consider the effects on water availability of a specific investment that was largely motivated by this logic of increased water reuse efficiency: a set of water sector investments known as the Jordan Compact (JC), sponsored by the Millennium Challenge Corporation. We develop a Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model to carry out this analysis, and project that the JC will allow a savings of

8-16 MCM/yr in urban areas, while also easing projected water shortages among irrigators in the Jordan Valley, especially if these farmers transition to more salinity-tolerant crops, as is expected. Policy-makers should consider additional similar efficiency improvements among the options available to ease constraints in Jordan, rather than focusing solely on development of new water supplies. Revisiting Watershed Management: A Water-Energy-Food Nexus Perspective on the Challenge of Eutrophication Ratna Reddy Vippala, Livelihoods and Natural Resource Management Institute This paper attempts to understand and manage the problem of eutrophication in the context of agriculture with the help of nexus perspective. Eutrophication is very much linked to water and energy resources and with theoretically well-defined trade-offs and threshold levels. While looking at the linkages between water and land resources comprehensively the note questions the present approach to design and implementation of watershed management as well as promotion of agriculture intensification, especially in the dry regions. Eutrophication is the process by which excessive nutrient loads into water bodies lead to undesirable water quality problems and overall aquatic ecosystems’ degradation. Due to limited information and knowledge on water or soil quality in most countries, farmers continue to use fertilizers at an increasing rate and agricultural runoff has been carrying more and more nitrogen and phosphorus to the water bodies. This is likely to become a vicious cycle of eutrophication affecting food and water security. Of late, soil and water conservation interventions like watershed development are further reducing the run-off. It is argued that there is a need for a rethink on the assumptions under which the watershed interventions are designed and implemented. The Impact of Climate Change on the Transmission of Cholera through Water and Sanitation Jonathan Farr, WaterAid Cholera is a growing public health concern around the world. Cases are increasing at an alarming rate and outbreaks re-emerging in many countries in epidemic proportions. With estimates ranging between 1.3 and 4 million cases every year, and between 21,000 and 143,000 annual deaths globally. Frequent and protracted outbreaks, emerging drug-resistant strains, climate change and insufficient progress in improving access to water and sanitation all add to the cholera threat. Growing evidence suggests that climate change is playing an ever-increasing role in the global resurgence and spread of cholera. In particular, rising seawater temperatures have been linked to increasing cases of cholera. National disease response is also threatened by climate change due to water scarcity caused by droughts, and flood damage hindering access to safe water and sanitation, and the ability to practise good hygiene, essential to preventing the spread of disease.

Cholera outbreaks do not affect all people within a given setting equally. Some communities are more vulnerable to cholera outbreaks because of factors such as household location, access to drinking water, environmental exposure and individual and social behaviours. Climate change stands to exacerbate many of the existing risks faced by such communities, and could thereby compound their vulnerability to cholera outbreaks. Outbreaks may be experienced most acutely by low-income households, who may be less resilient to climate-related effects. However, there is a lack of information on (a) why and how certain groups tend to be worst affected by cholera outbreaks and (b) what this means for predicting and managing cholera outbreak risks on a larger scale in the face of increasingly severe climate change impacts. WaterAid has been working with University of East Anglia to understand the extent to which cholera outbreaks can be linked to climate change vulnerability at local level as temperatures rise over time. Community Outreach A Long Slog: What a Ten Year Hydroelectric Relicensing Process Demonstrates About Public Participation Heather Payne, UNC School of Law There aren’t many ways for the average citizen to become involved in energy regulation. Citizens have little input into any utility docket process; moreover, because the process is so difficult for the average citizen to understand, there is little oversight provided by the public in regular, everyday utility matters. However, one place where citizens have become more involved in regulatory matters is in dockets before the federal government, specifically nuclear and hydroelectric relicensing proceedings. Some theories of administrative regulation would find the increased participation a positive, while others discount the public interest potentially present in regulators’ actions. Finding that an empirical study of citizen input into these proceedings may enlighten whether “enhanced” public participation actually leads to a potentially better outcome for the public, this article summarizes three administrative regulation theories, provides an overview of the consultation process required for hydroelectric licensing, and analyzes the Catawba-Wateree relicensing by Duke Energy in North Carolina and South Carolina as a case study. The piece finishes with an analysis of whether the general interests of the public were served by the “enhanced” process used and what can, therefore, be gleaned from the administrative regulation theories. This case study will hopefully provide insights into how “if a company or organization really wants it” to better encourage public participation in a similar process. This potential for improvement is especially important because the problem of protecting somewhat diffuse public interests doesn’t only exist with the FERC relicensing process and hydroelectric dams owned and operated by investor-owned utilities; parallels exist between private investor-owned utility hydropower systems and reservoir and hydropower systems

managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Lessons learned can also be applied to other energy systems. Linking Social Equity into Clean Energy to Promote Innovation and Adoption in Low-Income Communities: Framing a Technology Practice' for 21st Century Social Work R. Bong Vergara, Univ of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck Sch of Social Work A 2015 report by the Global e-Sustainability Initiative shows that by 2030, information and communication technology (ICT) could cut global greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions by 20%, make over $11 trillion in revenue and cost-savings, and connect 2.5 billion people to the knowledge economy. Macro social work can play a vital role, particularly in a fertile policy context created by the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (SB 535), and the Clean Energy & Pollution Reduction Act of 2015 (SB 350) --all pioneering climate change adaptation and mitigation laws that promote clean energy, clean air, and GhG emission reduction goals for 2030 and beyond. There is an explicit need by government and industry stakeholders in California to link social equity with GhG emission reduction by 40%, achievement of at least 50% renewable energy procurement, and promotion of transportation electrification by 2030. These stakeholders understand that social equity is central to climate resilience governance; they understand that it facilitates responsive clean energy deployment, reliable local adoption, and community-defined workforce development required for technical support and innovation. We report on a two-pronged “output-outcome” social work (holistic) approach to tech-enabled clean energy promotion program developed in the social sector. It is an approach used to build (a) a unified response to key barriers to de-carbonization namely, the investment shortfall and local engagement, that have traditionally been addressed by economic and financial incentives at the policy level, (b) a social work perspective in addressing these key barriers historically treated as non-overlapping dimensions of innovation, and (c) a “competency crosswalk” to link social work with engineering, venture capital, and computing. The Relationship Between Energy Availability and Environmental Health Conditions and Impacts on Health Service Delivery in Malawian Health Care Facilities Frances Reuland, The Water Institute at UNC Chapel Hill Reliable and sufficient energy is fundamental for safe and effective patient care in health care facilities (HCFs). In low-income countries, HCFs experience intermittent electrical services which impact patient and provider safety, and health service delivery. Adequate environmental health (EH) conditions are also important for safe patient care, yet there is little evidence describing the relationship between sufficient, reliable energy and basic EH conditions and services in HCFs. Further, there has been little exploration into the causes and consequences of insufficient energy availability in HCFs. To explore this, we used a quantitative and qualitative dataset of 44 HCFs in the central, northern, and southern regions of Malawi. Survey data were collected on water, sanitation, hygiene, ventilation, infection control, energy availability, and waste

management to document the status of EH in HCFs. Interviews were conducted with administrators, EH policy officials, health care providers, cleaners, and patients. Findings suggest that an overdependence on Malawi’s national electricity supplier coupled with inadequate back-up energy sources lead to unreliable energy availability. Additional energy challenges faced vary with facility size smaller HCFs often lack a back-up source, while central hospitals and health centers are unable to provide sufficient fuel for back-up generators and must prioritize energy-dependent services such as refrigeration during energy shortages. The relationships between electricity conditions and intermittent water supply, inadequate lighting, and insufficient sterilization of critical equipment limit the functionality of HCFs. These relationships also impact patient and staff sense of security and are linked to adverse health outcomes. Further analysis will serve as a basis for formulating recommendations for structural and behavioral interventions to improve energy availability at HCFs and to inform monitoring and impact assessments. 6:00PM – 7:00PM Poster Reception: Understanding Consumption in Melbourne’s Multicultural Society Christina Ting, Swinburne University of Technology Globalisation and international migration have changed Australia’s population structure. In the 2011 Census, one in four Australians were overseas-born (Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS). Increasing population associated with increasing consumption have implications on Australia’s challenges of climate change and resource depletion. For Melbourne, these issues are pertinent as it had the largest and fastest population increase of all Australian capital cities in 2014-15 (ABS 2016). The heterogeneity both enriches the society and poses challenges to its social and physical environments. As migrants’ country of birth is different from the host society, there is a need to understand the change in their consumption levels. This study focused on the migrants from China as the largest non-English speaking group since 2006. The aims were to investigate the change in consumption levels, that is, the migrants’ pre- and post-migration footprints (measured by an ecological footprint calculator); and the cultural influence, that is acculturation and connectedness with ethnic culture (measured by the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Index) on individual consumption. It was found that the migrants’ post-migration consumption level was larger than their pre-migration and that of the Australia-born group, and the migrants’ had little environmental awareness compared to the host group. Besides income and other factors, ethnic culture and acculturation were found to make significant contributions to the migrants large Carbon, Housing, and Goods and Services footprints. This shows that the China-born group’s consumption behaviours were due to retaining aspects of Chinese culture and adopting Australia’s affluent and high consumption levels. Implication on the Sustainability Development Goal of Sustainable Cities and Communities include sustainability education for newly arrived migrants so as to reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities' by 2030.

Retention of Cameroonians Return Migrants and Development: Between Difficulties of Reintegration and Re-Emigration Frank Aurelien Tchokouagueu, Green Horizon, University de Lige Based on a case study of Cameroonian returnees, this panel: 1) researches the determinants of return migration; 2) analyzes the level of access of returning migrants to paid activities; 3) shows their contribution to local development; and 4) research the determinants of returnee returnee retention in Cameroon. A qualitative survey "EMIRR_CAM 2017" among Cameroonian migrants was conducted to complete the quantitative data of the "Impact of migration on human development in Cameroon" survey conducted in 2012 by IFORD with the financial support of the European Union. It appears that sex, age of the individual and main activity before leaving Cameroon are the main determinants of return migration. Regarding the level of access of returnees to non-migrants, it appears that returnees are more likely than non-migrants to gain access to paid employment. However, in some subpopulations, such as women, we note that return migrants and non-migrants have the same opportunities to gain access to paid work. Regarding the contribution of migrants returning to development, the construction of housing for rental purposes, the establishment of socio-economic projects, the acquisition of agricultural land, and the construction of public works (boreholes, roads, bridges, schools, etc.) are the main investment earmark for returnees to Cameroon. Concerning the factors that positively influence retention, we note above all: financial support for return and throughout the reintegration process; the short time spent abroad; and the effectiveness of structural conditions conducive to investment. Role of Heat Stress in Migration Decision: A Case Study of Faisalabad, Pakistan Muhammad Awais Umar, Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Pakistan Heat affects individuals’ attitude, health and performance. If heat exposure exceeds certain threshold levels, this may result in discomfort, heat stress and other heat-related illnesses or even death. Migration could be an adaptation strategy to reduce the impact of climate change, including heat stress. It provides the opportunity to reduce risk and diversify livelihoods. Extreme heat stress is found to be more associated with migration because it affects the livelihood by reducing the farm and non-farm income and then may drive out-migration. However, a direct link between heat stress and migration decisions has not been established so far. This study is an attempt to understand the relation between migration decisions and heat stress, not only its impact on livelihoods but also on thermal comfort level at home as well as at workplace. It takes into consideration how does heat stress affect the workability of the workers, what type of work is more exposed to heat stress, how is the level of income associated with discomfort at work and at home and to what extent these stressors play a role in decision of migration and the choice of new destination.

Our findings show that people usually migrate to improve their level of income, reduce their vulnerabilities and improve their overall standard of living, but due to low level of education and skills, they have only been able to improve their livelihoods to a limited extent. The study concludes that migration is reducing livelihood vulnerabilities by providing more economic opportunities to the migrants, but its relation with the improvement of thermal comfort and heat exposure is very weak. Improvement in thermal comfort level is associated with the availability of heat resistant equipment, which highly depends on the level of income, and type of work. Water-Food-Energy Nexus Investigation for Human Development Korinus Waimbo, Centre for Water Systems, University of Exeter Water, Food, and Energy (WFE) are basic needs crucial to human survival but also pervade many aspects of human development. Systemically, they are vastly interconnected, and hence an effort to secure one resource may destabilises others and consequently impact human’s life. It is therefore, highly important to understand the complex interactions within and among these sectors to inform better policies formation on securing these basic needs and sustainably improving human development. One way to discern these complex interactions is through integrated assessment. This paper explores how to better understand the nexus among WFE and attempts to quantify WFE nexus management impacts on human development. The study attempts to focus on four key questions: 1. How water, food, energy and human development are interconnected over spatial and temporal scale?; 2. what are the potential implications of water, food and energy insecurity on human development?; 3. What are the feasible ways to assess all possible consequences due to actions of securing one sector over the others?; and 4. What kind of policy interventions could be implemented to secure WFE and improving region-specific human development with minimum unintended consequences? Perceptions of Urban Streams as Basis for a Social and Ecological Water-Body Restoration Luisa Fernanda Roldan Rojas, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology The rapid urbanization in Latin America, as in the developing countries worldwide, has led to a strong urban area growth. This has consequences for urban streams: they have been so strongly shaped by human activities, that in many cases they have neither ecological nor social functions. As a result, there is a structural marginalization and social devaluation of urban stream sites, which continues nowadays. A restructuring of the urban development along streams, considering their ecological restoration and social revaluation, is only possible if analysis tools for planning such measures are available. Here, there is a need of investigating perception and acceptance processes of a social and ecological water-body restoration, in order to select adequate plans and measures. The present study aims to develop a new system of analysis tools for assessing water-bodies in developing countries, taking into account environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors. The development of this tool system is based on a systematic analysis of the case study

Medellin. Main used tools were qualitative and quantitative methods of the social and natural

sciences. The stream’s assessment done by residents along streams was collected through semi-structured interviews. The observation of ecological structures and the analysis of the water quality allow an ecological valuation of the streams sites. A total of 1,905 surveys were conducted in 17 streams (52 different streams sites in total). Main outcome of the present work is an analysis tool for determining a suitable procedure for social and ecological water-body restoration, which is and can be adapted to any study area. With this analysis tool is possible to select adequate measures, which ensure a high acceptance of a water-body restoration, before the associated investments are made. Additionally, results are useful for both city planners and residents along streams, as this tool is not based on specialized knowledge. A Nexus Approach to Urban Landscape Design Nastaran Tebyanian While the body of research is increasing in food, energy, water and climate nexus analysis, its applications to urban landscape design are rarely explored. Many of the existing studies are not transferable to urban design at site scale since they are focused on large-scale scenarios. In addition, the technical Nexus studies in urban infrastructure fall short in considering urban design challenges and concerns. Within this context, this paper reviews the literature in Nexus in order to identify the gaps and categorize the themes that can directly be applied to urban landscape design. As an example of these applications, it explores the potentials of Nexus approach to green infrastructure (GI) design through asking this main research question: How spatial analysis of multiple urban networks of food, energy, water (FEW) and GI can help us to enhance performance of GI design and other systems? For addressing this question the study, 1) identifies the aspects of FEW systems that can be influenced by green infrastructure design, 2) explores the machine learning methods for mapping these interactions 3) proposes a platform for urban landscape designers to understand the implications of their design decisions on the multiple urban systems. In doing so, the study also suggests the areas of future research. Reducing the Urban Metabolism of Informal Settlements. Implementing a Community-Based Waste Management in Kibera, Nairobi Carol Malone, University of Michigan By 2050, the urban population living in Kenya’s slums is expected to increase exponentially, therefore producing a huge amount of waste. Poor management of such waste is a major

challenge in Nairobi, resulting in degradation of the environment and unhealthy living conditions, and globally contributing to climate change. Since 2010, governmental and international efforts have focused on implementing waste sectors in middle- and high-income areas, falling short of providing informal settlements with efficient facilities and engaging marginal communities in decision-making processes. This paper investigates how urban growth impacts access to waste services, resource availability and flow of materials within the Kibera’s slum. It provides local-based policies to mitigate the adverse effects of human activities on the environment, and a tangible project, in collaboration with Italian and local Ngos, aimed at collecting and recycling plastic waste through the empowerment of a local women group. The results show the necessity of overcoming existing barriers between local authorities and waste generators, creating a sustainable system based on social empowerment and inclusion of women; waste management services enlarged to the low-income areas; reduced consumption of plastic; and income, job, and safer working conditions for workers in the waste sector. This suggests that waste stakeholders may encourage participative ways of reducing and preventing waste-related footprints on African cities, promoting environmental education programs and awareness campaigns on the risks posed on human health and climate change. A Tool to Map the Urban Nexus: A Participatory Geographic Information System (PGIS) Approach for a Vulnerable Community in Brazil Carolina Monteiro de Carvalho, School of Public Health/University of Sao Paulo

To map the resources flows in an urban context it’s a challenge. Because of that, tools and

specific methodologies are needed to address the urban nexus, which represents interdependence between resources in a city. PGIS is the combination of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), with local knowledge, provided by locals through participatory mapping. Local knowledge matters for the urban nexus full understanding. PGIS is also a tool that contributes to the empowerment and governance of marginalized communities for sustainable development, since it is based on the concepts of social learning and local knowledge, stimulating and transforming the governance model. We used PGIS at a poor

community, Novo Recreio, in Guarulhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, which presents a high

socioenvironmental vulnerability condition, characterized by lack of water and energy, inadequate waste disposal and several other urban peripheral problems. PGIS helped to map the main problems and resource flows that households deal in a daily basis, and to plan improvements. Main outcomes mapped were lack of water, food and energy, waste disposal and urban mobility. With PGIS, participants were able to mark in a map places where they would like to have a fresh food market, new school, health units, shelters, in case of flooding and landslides, for example. As a result, the PGIS process provided essential information to actually map the urban nexus and therefore support socioenvironmental governance changes towards a more sustainable urban development. The Nexus: Gaps and Solutions for Sustainable Development

Jennifer Daw, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) The Clean Energy Solutions Center is an initiative of the Clean Energy Ministerial focused on providing a global forum to share best practices and promote policies and programs that encourage and facilitate the transition to a global clean energy economy. With support from the Australian government, the Clean Energy Solutions Center created an Energy-Water-Food Nexus (EWFN) web portal to help educate policy makers from around the world about the importance, drivers, challenges, and opportunities associated with the EWFN. The goal of the web portal is to provide a single access point for high quality web-based information on the EWFN, including policy best practices, models, and tools that can be used to guide decisions addressing nexus issues. The EWFN portal is a catalyst in the development of a global network of EWFN practitioners, interested governments, and other stakeholders. The portal provides a platform for dialogue about EWFN challenges and solutions, and to coordinate work and strategies. It also facilities the delivery of peer-based training and learning programs for developing countries to assist with implementation of integrated EWF policies and plans. The EWFN portal has brought to light many key needs and opportunities to address EWFN challenges. While many sectors address the two-way flows of “energy for water” or “water for food”, more holistic, integrated approaches are required. With increasing pressures from climate change, population growth, and urbanization there is a greater need for cross-sectoral stakeholder engagement, policies and plans that address the EWFN, financing to implement EWFN projects, and models and tools that characterize the interdependent relationships of energy, water and food resources. This presentation will bring together key findings from the development of the EWFN portal - both successes and failures - in creating systems that adequately value EWF impacts and support sustainable development pathways. Eastern Nile Multi-Secoral Investment Opportunity Analysis Azeb Mersha The Eastern Nile Multi-Sectoral Investment Opportunities (EN-MSIOA) study draws from and/or updating earlier Eastern Nile Subsidiary Action Program (ENSAP)as needed, the EN MSIOA aims to undertake water resources analysis that would promote (a) sustainable management of common Eastern Nile water resources; (b) cooperative investment planning that takes into account the water scarcity of the basin and the social and environmental and economic implications of such investments. The EN MSIOA started by identifying key EN basin-wide water resources development and management challenges that indicates the current situation of the basin in respect of its water resource, key environmental issues and social issues. The core analysis involved the definition

and analysis of different combinations of water resources management (termed Development States) twelve of them, and the analysis of the economic, social and environmental implications of each of these Development States defined, using a three-step process: water demand satisfaction, availability of water at various location and economic assessment. The study used the Muliti-Criteria Analysis to compare the impacts of each Development State, especially in terms of how they meet the water resource and sustainable development expectations of the ENB countries. The MCA has captured the interest of the countries by selection of evaluation criteria and weighting them according to their national and regional priorities. The MSIOA yielded fundamental insights into the challenges, complexities and possibilities of water resources investment planning while adopting a regional or ENB-wide and hydrology-based perspective. The analysis pointed out that business as usual, i.e., water resources planning and investment strategies that do not consider the basin as a whole will not lead to sustainable outcomes. For one, regionally uncoordinated planning and investment lacks consideration of inevitable upstream and downstream impacts wh The Nexus of a Volcanic River Basin Management. Case: Opak Sub-Basin, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Vicky Ariyanti, LPDP Indonesia - IHS Erasmus University Rotterdam Indonesia with its 127 active volcanoes naturally has many volcanic river basins, which are those water catchments originated from volcanoes. The case study is located on the flank of Mt. Merapi, the most active volcano in the country. The implementation of the IWRM approach in the Opak Sub-Basin needs to take into account the characteristics of the volcano and its hazard threats. Thus, the nexus approach is used to understand these interrelations of water, volcano, and lahar. At the same time, the unique cultural context of Yogyakarta Special Region as the only ruling monarch in Indonesia hints the taste of traditional culture into the modern world. As these contexts collide, the research question being addressed here is: What patterns of management and governance can we harvest for the future of a volcanic river basin management? Using qualitative methods, in 2016, a fieldwork was conducted in 3 villages (up, mid and downstream), involving community members, experts, and government officers. The respondents' affiliations are at the national, regional, and local levels. This paper aims to present how the nexus works as guidance for the IWRM implementation of a volcanic river basin setting. Impacts of Anthropogenic Activities on Provision of Ecosystem Services in Kapingazi catchment, Embu County, Kenya Burnice Karimi Ireri, Egerton University Ecosystems provide a wide range of valuable ecosystem services which are the foundation of man's sustainable development such as water provision. However, when humans exploit ecosystems in providing for their own sustenance, they also affect ecosystem services intensively. Although a part of human activities is helpful to stabilize and improve ecosystem

services, some of them result in a series of environmental crises that endanger man's survival and development. Kapingazi catchment is home to a range of ecosystem services including regulatory and mainly water provision to downstream users. Kapingazi River flowing from this catchment contributes to Tana River with several national hydroelectric power stations that generate a large part of Kenya's electricity. Issues such as destruction of the catchment area, through anthropogenic activities has threatened Kapingazi River with its water levels fluctuating significantly. The aim of this research was therefore to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities on provision of ecosystem services in Kapingazi catchment in Embu County, Kenya. The study employed literature review from related studies from other catchments in Africa. Agriculture, deforestation, quarrying activities, urbanization and industries are major human activities impacting on provision of ecosystem services mainly water in Kapingazi catchment. Negative impacts weaken ecosystem services through changing habitat and ecosystem structure therefore there is need to reverse them in Kapingazi catchment. This can only be realized if stakeholders acknowledge the enormity of degradation inflicted on the catchment which not only affect the local economy but also consequently have a disastrous effect on the environment which supports human life. Therefore, the need to conserve Kapingazi catchment is incontestable in order to provide ecosystem services, and specifically improved amounts of water in river Kapingazi. Exposing SDG Interdependencies: The Application of the Nexus Approach in Development Practice Kristin Meyer, Independent Expert This paper argues that the SDGs offer an opportunity for innovation in policymaking and implementation in the development context. These innovations or new solutions can be defined both conceptually and empirically. In order to tackle the complexity related to sustainable development and the challenges of interdependent goals and targets, the paper proposes a Nexus Approach. The main argument is that we need to first understand and clarify synergies and trade-offs between different policy areas (e.g. the interdependencies between limited resources, such as water or land, and the eradication of poverty and leaving no one behind). Only then it becomes possible to design governance and policy frameworks that achieve this ambitious global agenda. The paper aims to offer an innovative proposal for an analytical framework for problem and policy analysis based on the Nexus Approach. Interdependencies, synergies and trade-offs between selected SDG goals and targets, such as poverty, inequality, food, water, energy, climate change, will be mapped and analysed, thereby, developing a method for the design and implementation of sustainable development policies. The paper will show that by applying a Nexus Approach, including by exposing intersections (critical nodes), interactions (vertical and horizontal processes) and feedback loops (connections between evidence and policy) it becomes possible to:

a) increase our understanding of complex sustainability issues and their various dimensions (economic, social and environmental) as well as interconnections between individual SDGs, b) provide an innovative method for holistic policy analysis that produces mutually beneficial responses for various SDG policy areas, c) propose forms of cooperation/partnership internationally, regionally and between sectors, and d) propose a framework for policy design and implementation. Renegotiating Reuse of Wastewater for Cultivating the Cities Alka Palrecha Rawal, Massachusetts Institute of Technology As India is urbanizing fast, more food is being grown in the vicinity of cities or within the conurbation itself. The (distress) migrant arriving in the cities often have no skills or unsuited skills for the city and are driven to agriculture due to need for income, employment and food security. It is thriving also because of constant supply of water. The irrigation supplies in the periphery of cities is completely in control of farmers and hence the agriculture is booming in these peri – urban areas. Urban agriculture is a saviour for the migrants and a source of fresh food for the residents of the cities. The data on urban agriculture is limited and available data often is a scorn due to use of untreated wastewater for the production of vegetables and food perceived as health hazard. There are no estimations of urban migrants and citizens dependent on it in India. An estimate of number of people engaged in urban agriculture by the UNDP (1996) in the early 1990s is more than 800 million. A third of all urban households, doing urban farming, produced 15% of the world’s food. Urban agriculture makes a city more resilient and safe in terms of food and economy thus is the “smart” aspect for its contribution towards food security, generating employment and dealing with waste ((like organic waste as compost and urban wastewater for irrigation) in cities. It reduces carbon and water footprint of the city. There are practices and policies by the government as well as people that have taken cognizance of importance of agriculture in peri – urban areas. Use of wastewater irrigation is major component for agriculture-livelihood generation. One such case presented is of peri-urban agriculture using wastewater irrigation “Purandhar Lift Irrigation Scheme” and “Sade Satara Nali Scheme” in the surroundings of Pune city of Maharashtra state India explored through the information in popular media. Climate-Water Nexus: Impacts of the Paris Agreement on Transboundary River Basins Konuralp Pamukcu, University of Phoenix – Chicago Climate change and global warming will have a crucial impact on the quantity and quality of fresh water resources across the globe. This impact will increase the mutual dependencies of

riparian states in 276 transboundary river basins, overlaying 148 countries, which account for nearly one-half of the earth's land surface and are home to about 1/3 of the world's population. At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s Conference of the Parties in Paris (COP21) on December 12, 2015, 195 countries and the EU reached a landmark agreement to combat climate change. This article offers a case study based on analysis of whether the Paris Agreement could offer the riparian states a road map in addressing the relationship between climate change, food security and fresh water resources, and could facilitate effective water resources management and governance within transboundary river basins. I ask whether the Paris Agreement could alleviate any of the existing water disputes in the Nile River Basin and if not, why? My analysis draws on the content analysis of the riparian states nationally determined contributions (NDCs), treaties or agreements among the riparian states, and their water management policies. This analysis offers a bottom up assessment of the effectiveness of the international conventions in addressing the successful management of transboundary river basins and implementing policies to curb the negative impacts of climate change. The Nexus for a Resource-Efficient Europe; Experience from Research and Practice Floor Brouwer, Wageningen Economic Research Increasing food, energy, water security and sustainability is essential to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. Using the “Nexus approach”- the interconnections between energy, water, food, land and climate resources enables policy-makers to identify and address trade-offs and exploit synergies, leading to more efficient resource use. The paper explores the water-energy-food-land Nexus in the context of climate change. We introduce science-policy interaction in cases in Europe, making use of transdisciplinary approaches. In doing so, knowledge partners work with end-users (policy makers and managers in charge of the Nexus components), SMEs and civil society organisations within participatory approaches. Drawing from a set of case studies, the presentation will identify trade-offs and synergies across the Nexus in Europe. The investigation will cover work across different scales: regional, national, transboundary and continental. We will identify the main Nexus challenges that are addressed in the case studies and the links with policies related to resource efficiency, circular economy, as well as mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Our science-policy participatory process will guide end-users towards Nexus-compliant practices that support a resource-efficient Europe. The paper draws from an on-going EU-funded project on the Nexus. Modelling tools are adopted to integrate the Nexus components in a Serious Game (SIM4NEXUS), addressing real-life challenges in the case studies. The Serious Game will operate as an integrating tool for testing and evaluating policy decisions. It will be operable at different scales ranging from regional to national, to continental, to global, as well as at different time horizons short-term (2020), medium (until 2030) and long-term (2050 and beyond).

Pharmaceuticals in Water Cycle as an Obstacle to Circular Economy: The Economic and Environmental Potential of Ecological Sanitation Tuula Tuhkanen, University of Jyvskyl Thousands of pharmaceuticals are consumed and excreted through urine and faeces into the environment. These residues are hence a matter of growing concern with some associated economic, social and environmental costs. Convectional wastewater treatment is not efficient in removing pharmaceuticals in wastewater and alternative approaches are required to minimize environmental contamination. The majority of studies on the occurrence and fate of APIs in the environment have been done in high income countries. The availability of centralized and functional WWTPs and drinking water treatment creates a barrier to environmental and human exposure to residual pharmaceuticals. However, there is only limited published data available for low and middle-income countries despite there being relatively higher cases of infectious diseases, self-medication, and availability cheap over the counter drugs and inadequate wastewater and drinking water treatment. More than 2.5 billion people globally lack basic sanitation living in overcrowded informal settlements leading to a widespread contamination of the environment. In view of the above concerns, there have been concerted efforts to minimize environmental contamination by creating multiple barriers at various stages of water cycle. Several end-of-pipe technologies have been proposed but they are not economically feasible due to the high cost of energy, chemicals and infrastructure in low and middle-income countries where the majority of people are not connected to sewage networks. Our studies on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in source separated urine from peri-urban areas of developing countries measured exceptionally high concentrations; signifying that source separation is potentially an appropriate barrier to environmental contamination. The economic sustainability emanating from the possibility of water reuse, the recovery of nutrients and energy saving in ecological decentralized sanitation will be presented. The Arab Water Strategy in the Light of 2030 Agenda Luay Froukh, Wastewater and Solidwaste Reuse Organization The 2030 Agenda comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets addressing social, economic and environmental aspects of development, and seeks to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. The SDGs are global targets that are intended to be universally relevant and applicable to all countries. Each government set its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition, but taking into account national circumstances. Global indicators will be tracked by mandated agencies, using consistent international definitions and methods to compare data from national sources. National targets will be tracked by national authorities, and in some cases indicators, definitions and methods may differ from those used at the global levels. The water and sanitation sectors in the Arab World face serious challenges which requires clear and integrated strategy and action plan to meet the challenges and future needs for sustainable

development that responds to future requirements. The Arab Region is facing common challenges and similar problems. According to most of the published studies the Arab States will face significant water deficit in the future. The per capita share of available water resources will decline in almost all Arab countries to less than 500 m3 /year (currently around 750 m3/year). This will have negative impact on health, food security and will endanger the countries and region stability. This requires promoting Arab integration, reduction of relative disparity between Arab States, and the activation of joint institutions. Implementation of the Strategy requires actual contributions from all parties. This will only be achieved through coordination and cooperation with national institutions and ministries concerned; and civil society organizations relevant to the water sector. This paper will highlight the strategy core elements and what has been achieved in the way to fulfill the Agenda 2030 targets. The Role of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Morocco Bassel Daher, Texas A&M University In September 2015, world leaders committed to working towards a list of seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of a 2030 sustainable development agenda. Under each of the Goals is a list of quantifiable targets to be achieved in the coming 15-year term. As the international community works toward achieving this agenda, there are risks of potential competition between specific targets which could cause unintended consequences and further challenges to the progress of the Goals. These issues become particularly complex while focusing on the three highly interconnected Water, Energy, and Food Goals (2, 6, and 7). A strategy in one, has direct effects on the others. While it is important that we work toward achieving the 17 Goals, it is as important that we understand the level of interconnectedness and potential competition between them. In this study, a quantitative methodology and tool highlighting the trade-offs among different pathways associated with achieving the set of targets under SDGs 2, 6, and 7 will be presented. The State of Morocco will be used as a pilot demonstration case study. Morocco has recently announced several national plans for better management of its water, energy, and food systems. That comes with increasing stresses of rapidly growing populations and cities, climate change, and booming industrial sector, particularly its phosphate industry. This study will specifically: 1. Demonstrate how the SDGs 2, 6, and 7 with their respective targets are interconnected; 2. Present a preliminary pilot platform to assess the impact of the water targets on the food and energy targets in Morocco; 3. Explore possible trade-offs for implementing different levels of the proposed water, energy, and food national plans; 4. Propose interventions within the three national plans (social, policy, technical), at different scales, which have the potential of reducing the existing competition and ensure a more sustainable resource allocation. Energy Supply, Water Access and Socio-Economic Profile of the Population of the Sub-Middle Sao Francisco Hydrographic Basin

Vanina Zini Antunes De Mattos, UFRJ Coppe Ivig Climate change can have serious environmental consequences, such as desertification, and social consequences. In order to prevent these social consequences, adaptation measures are necessary to improve the resilience of populations, which consist of adjustments in the socioeconomic and environmental systems in the vulnerable populations present in the Brazilian northeast, a region with areas susceptible to desertification. In this work a

socioenvironmental survey was carried out on the population of the Sub-Medium of the Sao

Francisco River Basin, by means of secondary data referring to the Municipal Human Development Index (IDHm), access to energy, access to water and the population profile. The

Sao Francisco River is used for different purposes, such as water supply for the population,

animals and irrigation in agriculture. Of the 93 municipalities in the region, 61% had low HDI and 38%, with average HDI being half the rural population. The electricity supply is well solved in the region, present in about 97% of the households. With regard to access to water, 61% of households have supplies through the general network. However, several municipalities presented high percentages of water supply from well, cistern, weir and even by car kite. The

sub-region of the Sao Francisco River Basin is a semi-arid region vulnerable to climate rigidity

and water scarcity, which tend to worsen in the face of climate change. With the crossing of

information, the most vulnerable municipalities were identified, among them: Ourolandia and

Pedro Alexandre, in Bahia and Manari, Santa Cruz, Santa Filomena, in Pernambuco. The adverse climate conditions in the hinterland and the low employment opportunities for the population in the region mean that there is still a migratory flow to the south of the country. One way of keeping the Northeasterner in his homeland would be to improve welfare conditions to increase the quality of life. Localizing and Integrating the SDGs in Water Management: Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping of Multiple Development Pathways in Lesbos, Greece Anita Lazurko, Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, Central European University The complexity surrounding the water system on the island of Lesbos, Greece, from refugee crises to olive processing, demands a systemic water management approach that considers the nexus of water, food, and energy, while also considering climate impacts and the development trajectory of the region. This paper proposes a new methodology for localization and integration of the SDGs, demonstrated through water management on Lesbos. The major steps of this methodology include 1) mapping the system with Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) using the results of previous vulnerability studies and climate change scenarios, 2) building model scenarios based on three possible pillars of future development for Greece as defined in Greece 10 Years Ahead: Defining Greece’s New Growth Model and Strategy (McKinsey & Company 2011), 3) running these scenarios in the FCM to identify critical changes to variables in the water system under future development pillars, and 4) connecting these changes to a list of

indicators for water management. The resulting FCM includes 49 variables under six different themes, modeled under three development pathways focusing on agriculture, renewable energy, and the service sector. The resulting set of indicators represents those variables that are prone to fluctuation based on pressures introduced by climate change and the three development pathways. Applying this method to Lesbos shows that: 1) FCM as a tool provides an effective qualitative measure of how nexus-type pressures affect water management, 2) including possible development scenarios allows local stakeholders to take ownership over the process as they prioritize, set targets for, and adapt the indicators over time, 3) this methodology is best conducted alongside the community and experts as a participatory exercise, and 4) iterating upon the FCM can allow local governments to adopt the adaptive and integrated perspective needed to leverage synergies and ensure longevity of management solutions. Analysis Physicochemical and Microbiological Evaluation of the Water of Human Consumption in the Municipality of Turbaco – Colombia Johon Gutirrez, Fundacion Tecnologica Antonio de Arvalo (TECNAR) The objective of this work was to evaluate the physicochemical and microbiological quality of the water consumed in the municipality of Turbaco. Samples in nine (9) points were taken and analyzed in situ parameters later laboratory phase, followed by a comparison with current regulations. Physicochemical results showed a turbidity of 1049 NTU, average 102.022 mg CaCO3/ L of total hardness, microbiological analysis revealed total coliforms ranged from 10 to 30 and more fecal coliforms point was 21. Based on the study results, it is concluded that the quality of water in physicochemical terms is above the values established in the Colombian regulations, in most sampling points chosen, with the absence of free residual chlorine greater concern and possible deficiencies in the treatment system. This bears some relation to the breach of microbiological parameter total coliforms present in some seasons. Analysis of the Quality of Waters in Beaches of the Tourist Sector of Cartagena de Indias - Colombia Johon Gutirrez, Fundacion Tecnologica Antonio de Arvalo (TECNAR) The pollution has a very important effect in protecting the environmental quality of coastal marine environments. This work evaluated the environmental quality of the waters of the beaches of Cartagena de Indias, characterizing its quality by means of measurements of physical-chemical and microbiological parameters both "in situ" (temperature, pH, salinity and dissolved oxygen) and "ex situ". (nitrites), nitrates, phosphates, total solids, BOD5, total and faecal coliforms, heavy metals and total hydrocarbons.) The marine and estuarine water indicator (ICAM) of the Institute of Coastal and Marine Research (INVEMAR) was used. The important contributions of the work were the definition of a risk map to identify critical points and areas of vulnerability on the beaches. The results of the study contributed to the evaluation

of the environmental status of the beaches of Cartagena, which provides both scientific support and recommendations for formulate an integrated management of these strategic ecosystems. Consumer Knowledge and Perceptions Regarding Recycled Irrigation Water: A Comparison Among Populations in the United States, Israel, and the West Bank. Hillary Kelbick, University of Maryland, Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health Introduction: There is a dearth of research on consumer perceptions and preferences around recycled water use for food production, and this gap widens when the acceptability of recycled irrigation water in different national contexts is considered. This research assesses and compares the knowledge and attitudes of the general public in the United States, Israel, and the Palestinian Authority, with the ultimate goal of identifying opportunities and challenges to marketing food produced with recycled irrigation water. Methods: A convenience sample of 150 people each from Eilat (Israel), Ramallah (West Bank, Palestinian Authority), and College Park (Maryland, USA) were administered a structured survey, for a total of 450 survey respondents. Data are being analyzed with SAS Studio to identify relationships among demographic characteristics, preferences about food, and knowledge and attitudes regarding recycled water. Abstract results are limited to United States findings, as surveys in Israel and the West Bank are ongoing. Results: In the United States, 69.9% of respondents were female, and the average age was 35.8. 74.7% of respondents were neutral or agreed that they would be willing to use recycled water to wash clothes, 34.6% were neutral or agreed that they would be willing to use recycled water to wash dishes, and 18.3% were neutral or agreed that they would be willing to use recycled water to cook. 74.4% were neutral or agreed that they would serve cooked produce irrigated with reclaimed wastewater, while 53.4% were neutral or agreed that they would serve raw produce irrigated with reclaimed wastewater. Discussion: Findings regarding the public’s knowledge and attitudes about recycled irrigation water can help inform the development of education initiatives for the public as well as economic and marketing strategies for the agricultural sector. A comparison of these findings among different populations allows for more tailored outreach and education. Water-Energy-Food of a Transboundary River: The Nile Basin Case Study Hamdy Elsayed, University of Exeter The Nile River is considered one of the most complex rivers in the world because of its transboundary nature. Currently, the basin is challenged by a rapid population increase and the prospect of a significant economic growth, which in turn have sparked development plans aimed at meeting the growing demand for water, energy, and food. A System Dynamics approach provides a unique framework to integrate the physical system and the socio-economic drivers with the ability to capture the interaction and feedback process between the different system components. An integrated model will be developed to capture the feedback process and the interlinkage between the water, food, and energy and socio-economic drivers

in the Nile basin. It will be used to assess the impacts of: various policy options, management scenarios in different sub-sectors, and the socio-economic developments on the water, food, energy nexus in the basin in the short and long term. A number of cooperation opportunities will also be explored, for example, a regional energy trade from the basin hydropower potential would offer an opportunity to meet the increasing energy demand in the riparian countries. Moving the intensive water use crops in arid and semi-arid areas to sub-humid areas along with achieving their potential yield is another opportunity for cooperation and for improving the socio-economic conditions in the basin. Sustainability and Risk Assessment Matrix (SRAM): Pathway to Water Security Enovwo Erere, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State Southwest Nigeria Sustainability and Risk Assessment Matrix (SRAM) is a research-driven 4 by 4 semi - quantitative matrix developed as a cost effective method of assessing the sustainability and risks associated with 194 selected water sources across three urban, one peri - urban and two rural towns in Ogun State, South West, Nigeria. The water sources include self-supply hand-dug wells and boreholes, communal boreholes and public taps. Thirty - nine percent of the water supply systems are hand-dug wells, 49% boreholes and 12% are public water taps. Sustainability of the water sources was assessed based on five sustainability factors: access, reliability, quality, cost and management. The risk assessment was achieved with the aid of sanitary survey tools. All 194 water supply sources were ranked based on SRAM assessment summary as either Secure, Moderately Secure or Insecure. Findings show that the water supply systems in the rural towns are more Secure than water supply sources in the urban and peri-urban towns, which could be attributed to increased risk sources in the urban and peri - urban towns. Selected boreholes are more Secure than hand-dug wells while no public water supply source is Secure. The absence of public water supply source in the Secure category is as a result of the exposure of the source to post treatment re - contamination through the distribution network and point of use handling. The research-driven SRAM provides a cost effective method of classification and pre - water quality and source sustainability assessment tool that could be adopted especially in low income countries as a method and one of the measures towards achieving water security. Climate Change - Water Runoff Relationship in a Tropical River Basin P.P. Nikhil Raj, Center for Sustainable Future, Dept. of CEMS, Amrita University, Coimbatore, India Tropical river basins played a vital role in shaping human evolution and are still crucial for sustenance of a large chunk of populations across the world. However, due to over population, much of the tropical river basins are currently under serious threat. Adding to this is the effect of global climate change. The present study evaluates the climate change and runoff relationship in the Bharathapuzha river basin, located in the southern India. The river originates from various parts of the Western Ghats, an important mountain range in the Indian subcontinent, and flows 209 km to debouch into the Arabian Sea on its west. We used historical

climate data and runoff data collected from various government agencies for three decades and analyzed their relationships. While the runoff showed positive and significant correlation with the rainfall in the basin, the land surface temperature is negatively correlated with the river runoff, although not significant. The first relation, positive, is suggestive of low retention of rainwater in the basin probably for the steep gradient and also land use changes that is tending towards deforestation. Whereas some of the tributaries flowing from sub-basins with lush green verdure has round-the-year flow, the others from basins with serious deforestation and increasing build-up areas dry up during non-rainy season and becomes seasonal. Thus in overall the whole Bharathapuzha, the life line water source for five districts located in two states turns in to a non-flowing river during lean months. There are various factors, influencing the river flow including external and internal factors such as excessive sand mining driven by construction sector. Technical and Institutional Options of Water Harvesting Systems for Increased Productivity and Climate Change Adaption in Agriculture Orlando Balderama, Isabela State University Water harvesting system are on-farm facilities that collects excess water run-off in rainy season and stored for agricultural purposes during dry periods. Presented technical and institutional options in the upscaling process and case studies of impact are presented as strategic information for climate change adaptation in drought prone rain fed areas. Through installation of automated weather station and simulation modeling studies of weather and run-off, information on the estimate of annual water yield for small water harvesting projects were estimated as scientific basis in designing small farm pond. Piloting and mapping was conducted in a community watershed and training for farmers on establishing water harvesting sites was undertaken. Through a formal agreement, assistance from the local government was provided in terms of provision of excavation machines. Case studies of the seven (7) small water harvesting systems in a community watershed show positive results of socio-economic impacts. Considering that the most immediate impacts of climate change is to be felt by rain fed agriculture, water harvesting for agricultural purposes is a crucial adaptive strategy to ensure food security and alleviate poverty in the rural areas Revisiting the Notion of Security and Modernization in the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the GCC countries Mohammad Al-Saidi, Qatar University The water, energy and food supply systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region are coupled through large-scale co-production plants, introduction of renewables, large footprints of resource use and mega-projects. The rapid economic and demographic growth patters represent major challenges for supply systems. Together, with climate change as an overarching external pressure, the supply infrastructure in the region is undergoing major reconstructions in an effort to expand, modernize and secure resource supplies. Investments in

renewables for desalination, energy efficient water production systems, water reuse, alternative food production systems are growing across the region. In this regard, the underlying resource security notion relates to achieving reliable (self) supply and maintaining a high level of sector performance. At the same time, modernization efforts are geared towards technology imports and promoting local technological innovations. Such (traditional) notions of security and modernization promise to promote economic growth and solve short-term shortages and challenges. They however neglect key aspects to tackle underlying resource use challenges such as increasing risks related to coupling of systems, dependency of technology and vulnerability to climatic pressures as well as non-environmental risks like state-based securities. In this contribution, alternative notions of security and modernization will be explored in terms of their suitability to enrich the sustainability and development debate in the region. There are various alternative notions such as: resilience based understanding of resource security, resource security measured in terms of trade integration, non-technological and decentralized modernization approaches etc. In this regard, using the example of Qatar and the recent crisis, regional nexus challenges will be outlined and examples from current debates on food security in Qatar and infrastructure modernization discussed. From Silos to Collaborations: Connecting the Local to the Global Tim Gieseke, Ag Resource Stategies, LLC People with common natural resource interests converge relative to political, social, and economic interests at the scale that meet their needs. In many cases, silos are created. To connect these groups, an external force or catalyst is needed to reestablish new types of bonds. The catalyst is a Community-based Aquifer Management Partnership, or CAMP. The CAMP is based on shared governance and how natural resources are managed relative to economic and ecological needs. The first step in the process was to frame the community's entire groundwater system into three "infrastructure" categories; blue, gray, and green. Blue being the aquifers, gray being the wells and pipes and green being the vegetation and soils in the recharge areas. The second step is to mentally dismantle the silo walls, by providing a new context of how each individual interacts with the groundwater resource. This new frame is called a shared governance compass with the four aspects of public, private, policy-maker and practitioner. Individuals are then able to see themselves, not within their silo, but as a public policy-maker, private policy-maker, public practitioner, or private practitioner. Often, individuals have more in common with similar governance actors from other organizations, than with individuals within their organization. This new platform changes the social dynamics are organizational and sector boundaries blur. The third step is a governance style "personality" assessment. A survey is given to the individuals to identify their preference for hierarchy, market or network governance styles. This data is compiled at the organizational level and at the collaboration scale. This new knowledge provides the means to separate policy objectives and governance strategies. It also addresses the collaborative governance paradox, which states while diverse

organizations are needed to resolve complex issues, their convergence leads to new conflicts and inefficiencies. Proposal and Analysis on Water Intensity in Asia Naoki Masuhara, The Research Institute for Humanity and Nature While capital intensity, labor intensity and energy intensity are well discussed themes, water intensity has not seemed to be analysed well. Only some articles, such as Luyanga et al (2006) were focusing on country based index number of water intensity. Based on accumulated research results of energy intensity, we propose new indicator named water intensity, which describes historical relationships between economic development and water usage at national level. As a trial stage, historical trend of water intensity in Asia, especially of the big seven countries (India, China, Pakistan, Indonesia, Viet Nam, The Philippines, Japan) in terms of water withdrawal was analysed. In this presentation, we indicate major suggestions from the trial and propose future research topics regarding water intensity and economic development paths of developing countries. Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Approach to the Water-Energy-Food and Climate Nexus Colleen Naughton, Millennium Challenge Corporation/American Association for the Advancement of Science The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has committed more than $8 billion to country-led, infrastructure projects in developing countries since its creation by Congress in 2004. Most projects have leveraged water, energy, and/or agriculture investments; and all reflect MCC’s mission to reduce poverty through economic growth. This mission aligns closely with SDG 1 (end poverty), SDG 8 (inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment), and SDG 9 (resilient infrastructure). MCC’s investment model is innovative and evidence-based; it is focused on core principles of selective partnerships, country ownership, transparency and results. Notably, MCC’s Environmental and Social Performance group ensures that investment decisions consider climate, environmental and social sustainability. A review of these investments demonstrates MCC’s approach to the water-energy-food and climate nexus and related SDGs. For example, we discuss modalities that use appropriate mixes of public and private sector capabilities and roles as well as indicators used by MCC’s Monitoring and Evaluation group. The nexus implications of one or more of the following compacts will be presented: (1) Liberia’s current rehabilitation of the Mt. Coffee Hydroelectric Plant, (2) the implementation of the Niger Compact to improve irrigation and address climate resilience, and (3) Moldova’s completed Transition to High Value Agriculture project and river basin management activity. All three included Integrated Water Resource Management as part of their planning for resource use. Climate models were used to look at long-term water availability under future climate projections. Additionally, population dynamics were

considered in the case of internal and urban migration. Lastly, we will identify current gaps in our methodologies for the nexus and highlight the development of our systems approach. WE&RF Agricultural Research Effort: Impediments and Incentives for Using Recycled Water for Agricultural Irrigation Kristan Vanden Heuvel, Water Environment & Reuse Foundation Potential for use of recycled water for agricultural irrigation is especially promising in the air and semi-arid regions of the world where groundwater depletion is an issue. This potential remains underutilized due to various challenges to agricultural reuse. To address this need, a research effort led by Dr. Bahman Sheikh aims to recommend ways to overcome the challenges facing agricultural water reuse. “State of Irrigated Agricultural Water Reuse – Impediments and Incentives (Reuse-15-08)” includes assembly of a global inventory of successes, delays, and set-backs in the process of switching from various traditional sources of irrigation water to recycled water. Impediments to the use of recycled water in agriculture vary tremendously from one location to another. Capital investments needed to upgrade treatment facilities and/or construct recycled water distribution networks to agricultural customers were the most commonly cited hurdles to utilities. This impediment is closely linked to the distance between the source of recycled water and the location of the farm fields where it would be used for irrigation. Competition from other water-demanding sectors plays an important role as an impediment, especially in major metropolitan regions where rapid population growth has strained local water supplies. This study provides examples demonstrating that challenges to recycled water can be overcome. The factors helping to overcome these impediments are diverse, ranging from local public outreach through changing societal values around water in the face of increasing scarcity and climate change. Drivers of agricultural reuse continue to evolve as more geographically diverse communities see value in this practice as a cost-effective water and/or nutrient management strategy. The findings of this research will provide guidance that facilitates removal of impediments and implementation of effective incentives for use of recycled water for agricultural irrigation. Agricultural Adaptations to Climate Change: Farmers Perceptions of Nontraditional Water Sources for Irrigation Rachel Rosenberg Goldstein, University of Maryland Climate change’s impacts on water resources necessitate identifying alternative sources of irrigation water to ensure resiliency in the agricultural sector. CONSERVE (COordinating Nontraditional Sustainable watER Use in Variable climatEs): A Center of Excellence at the Nexus of Sustainable Water Reuse, Food, and Health is an innovative USDA-funded project that aims to address climate change and conserve groundwater resources by investigating nontraditional sources of irrigation water (such as recycled water), assessing water quality of these resources, developing on-farm treatment technologies, and analyzing policy, economic and social

constraints to adoption. To facilitate the widespread adoption of recycled water in agriculture, researchers must understand the needs and concerns of farmers. No peer-reviewed studies exist regarding farmer knowledge of nontraditional water. To this end, University of Maryland and University of Arizona Extension educators distributed a survey to farmers in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions about nontraditional irrigation water. Surveys were collected with Qualtrics and analyzed with Stata. Most respondents were concerned about water availability and interested in nontraditional water, although significant regional differences were apparent. Seventy-four percent of all respondents were at least somewhat concerned about water availability, although significantly more in the Southwest (p < 0.01). Seventy-eight percent of all farmers (n=738) consider nontraditional water use in agriculture at least moderately important, with more Southwest farmers considering this water source important (p < 0.01). Respondents in both regions (80%) would use nontraditional water to supplement current water sources if given the option, and significantly more would be willing to supplement if water quality was at least as good as their current water source. Water quality and health risks were the main concerns regarding nontraditional water use. Agroecology in the Cerrado: Water Footprint and Water Balance of Different Production Systems Thomas Ludwigs, University of Brasilia This is a work in progress and is included in the Project Agroecology in the Cerrado: governance, integrated management and innovations in water, food and energy security. This is one of a group of projects that will be supported by the Brazilian Research Council under the public notice of research on NEXUS. The main goal of this research is to analyze the challenges of water, food and energy security in rural communities of the Federal District, Brazil. It aims to promote technological innovation strategies, through social design methodologies, for the development of integrated NEXUS approach on production management systems, which contribute to the increase of sustainability and efficiency in the use of resources, in order to

guarantee the water, food and energy security of rural families in two river basins: Rio Sao

Bartolomeu and Rio Preto. This project is being developed with the partnership of community associations and research institutions. One of the goals is the calculation of the water footprint and water balance of different production systems, based on field experiments, and the workshops of Creative Capacity Building (CCB1) aimed at co-creating solutions integrating the water, food and energy security via social design strategies. The distinctive feature of this methodology is the shift to a user-driven technology creation approach. Therefore, we will work in partnership with the Centro de Innovacion in Colombia that is part of International Development Innovation Network. The water footprint calculation is based on Hoekstra (2002), which facilitates the analysis of the connection between human consumption and the global appropriation of fresh water, including indirect uses. The water footprint can also inform the type of water used (blue, green, gray). Considering that the region suffers the worst water crisis in its history, this approach can bring important information for the implementation of public policies integrated with NEXUS approach.

April 18th 11:45AM – 1:00PM Oral Presentations: Governance Nexus Landscape Governance to Catalyze Implementation of the 2030 Agenda Hannah Janetschek, German Development Institute Nexus thinking aims to overcome sectoral thinking and acting by identifying synergies and trade-offs between various policy sectors. Landscape thinking puts various geographic units in the center and focuses on the interaction processes of people. Linking nexus and landscape thinking holds the potential to provide for a governance understanding that integrate cross-sectoral understandings with interaction processes. Such nexus landscape governance thinking might illustrate pathways for integrated implementation of the 2030 Agenda at sub-national, national, regional as well as global scale. Drawing on the empirical findings from analyzing 161 climate plans (NDCs) and their contribution to the 17 SDGs, this contribution emphasizes the interlinked character of the 2030 Agenda. Beyond this, the analysis reveals that policy documents usually do not include existing trade-offs and rather focus on fostering synergies. To achieve a truly integrative implementation of the social, economic and ecological dimension of the 2030 Agenda, knowledge about various types of trade-offs is important to anticipate and mediate them early on in implementation. This contribution uses a nexus landscape governance lens to understand what can be already learned from climate commitments in terms of dealing with synergies for integrated sustainable development. Deriving from this what is needed to understand trade-offs at different scales in order to learn of how to best complement the implementation of both agendas at national scale. This contribution will provide food for thought of how nexus landscape governance might serve

as governance heuristic to catalyze implementation of the 2030 Agenda (Muller/ Janetschek/

Weigelt 2015) and refers in its application to the empirical analysis of 161 climate plans and their interlinked commitments to sustainable development (Brandi/ Dzebo/ Janetschek 2017). Participatory Governance Mechanisms for the Nexus: A California Case-Study Vincent Virat, Future Earth Understanding interactions between water, energy and food (WEF) systems requires the collaboration of people and organisations to build the knowledge and tools needed for implementing WEF nexus solutions. Initiatives such as Future Earth’s WEF Nexus Knowledge-Action Network aim to address this gap by, amongst others, improving our understanding of

effective governance mechanisms. By reviewing existing literature on nexus governance in the context of scarcity and competition for natural resources, various participatory mechanisms that facilitate (i) the involvement of key stakeholders and (ii) the integration of WEF sectors at the local and urban scale will be considered. Given the importance of the local scale in nexus integration, the paper will focus on urban settings, which are generally under greater resource pressure (i.e. nexus-stressed) and already have multiple governance mechanisms in place (i.e. nexus-facilitating). Globally, climate change, together with population growth and changes in lifestyles, will exacerbate demand for WEF resources in urban settings, thereby driving an increased need for nexus integration. Innovative governance tools are essential for effective nexus integration, as they encourage the design of long-term comprehensive strategies for resource allocation. Using a local case-study from the 2011-17 California drought, certain thresholds to public action led a diverse range of stakeholders to collaborate on a desalination project. A participatory governance mechanism, an example of the “Community-Science-Policy Nexus”, allowed the identification of synergies and tradeoffs which facilitated integrated resource planning. The question of whether or not such “politics of the nexus” provide rational and optimal decisions will be explored. Ultimately, the lessons learnt from the case-study will help guide and inform decision-making processes by providing governance principles for the nexus in times of uncertainty and complex changes. Integrated Assessment of Urban Food, Energy, Water Governance – A Modular, Stakeholder-Based Nexus Framework Sandra Venghaus, IEK-STE, Forschungszentrum Jlich Global developments put increasing pressures on urban systems. Their density concentrates these pressures especially on food, energy and water (i.e., the FEW nexus) resources as if in a “burning glass”. The governance of the urban FEW nexus constitutes a wicked problem. Urban lifestyles offer attractive options, but the aggregated nature of a city often leads to higher resource intensity, and the concentration of consumption and waste production poses additional challenges for sustainable city design. To achieve resilient and sustainable functioning of urban systems, a major transformation of existing resource governance systems is needed. These have evolved over a long period of time under mostly unsustainable (e.g., primarily technologically managed) management paradigms. Currently different authorities are endowed with largely sectoral mandates for, e.g., land use, energy, or water. Reasons range from fundamental differences in prioritization or sovereignty to bureaucratic obstacles and domain specific interests. Research objective was therefore the development of a systematic integrated assessment framework for the governance of the urban FEW nexus. It is multi-dimensional and integrates the FEW nexus across the three levels of (a) natural system boundaries, (b) socio-economic system boundaries, and (c) political system boundaries. Further complexity emerges from the multiple scale gaps inherent in FEW nexus management: The resources are limited and mostly external to the urban center (i.e., the natural system boundaries). The demand intensities for the nexus resources are comparatively high in urban centers, while the related (negative) externalities to a significant degree traverse the urban boundaries. To operationalize an integrated assessment of these multi-dimensional system

dynamics for educated governance transformations, the developed conceptualization has been translated into a modular, stakeholder-based modelling framework. Relational System Analysis applied to the Metabolic Pattern of Social-Ecological Systems: A critical appraisal of the WEF-Nexus situation in the EU Maddalena Ripa, Autonomous University of Barcelona & Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Spain We present preliminary results of the EU Horizon2020 project, “Moving Towards Adaptive Governance in Complexity: Informing Nexus Security” (MAGIC). The project focuses on the testing of narratives about the water-energy-food nexus situation in Europe in relation to the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. MAGIC’s novel approach to address complex policy issues is called Quantitative Story-Telling (QST). QST aspires to check the robustness, the usefulness and the fairness of the narratives used to discuss and select policies of sustainable development by checking three criteria of performance: feasibility (within ecosystem limits), viability (within socio-economic limits) and desirability (within institutional limits). This check is performed by applying Relational System Analysis to the metabolic pattern of social-ecological systems (Multi-Scale Integrated Assessment of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MuSIASEM). Results are presented in relation to: (i) a multi-scale integrated analysis of the state of the play in Europe with regard to water, energy, and food showing a total dependence on imports in relation to food (especially feed for animal products) and energy security; (ii) the total impossibility of internalizing these imports; (iii) the total impossibility of de-carbonizing the EU economy and moving to 100% renewable sources for decades to come; (iv) the looming possibility that at planetary level external constraints related to the nexus “the entanglement between water, energy and food flows” will make the current strategy of externalization adopted by the EU in relation to energy and food security highly problematic. Consequences of these findings for EU commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are discussed in the light of UN projections for world population growth rates. Achieving the SGD’s Partnerships as Part of a Nexus Approach for the Implementation of the SDGs: Experience from the SDG Fund Ekaterina Dorodnykh, Sustainable Development Goals Fund/UNDP The 2030 Agenda is a clear example that all SDGs are deeply interlinked and mutually reinforcing. This Agenda recognizes that the achievement of sustainable development is a shared responsibility among all countries and among all actors, where an integrated approach is crucial for progress across the multiple goals. This paper advocates that partnerships with new development actors and multi-stakeholder efforts as part a Nexus approach help to overcome the limitations of traditional development initiatives. This paper analyzes the experience of the

SDG Fund to accelerate progress towards the SDGs through innovative partnerships (UN agencies, national governments, academia, civil society and private sector) to implement the joint programmes. The main goal of this paper is to show that joining the collaborative efforts not only facilitates the implementation of global development projects but also leverages complementary expertise, knowledge and networks from partners. The methodology of this paper is based on case study analysis of innovative joint programmes of the SDG Fund in Nigeria Food Africa. This is an innovative partnership supported by the SDG Fund between the UN Agencies (FAO, ILO, ITC), the private sector, local cooperatives, farmers, organizations, academia, women’s organizations and the Kaduna State Government, aimed at promoting replicable integrated solutions to agro-food value chain development, food security and nutrition, youth employment and poverty alleviation. This project introduces farmers to Good Agricultural Practices to optimize their use of water, agricultural inputs and post-harvest handling, thereby improving their environmental sustainability and promoting climate change resilience. Main findings of this paper confirm that a nexus approach facilitates the achieving of SDGs through the synergist work of all development actors in a transparent and collective action. Achieving the SDGs Through Climate Change, Agricultural Production and Trade Nexus Yodit Balcha, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) There is a need for integrated and coherence policy measures that contributes in achieving and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Climate change, agricultural production and trade nexus is being promoted as a conceptual tool for achieving sustainable development. As a result of climate change and growing natural resource scarcity, the inter-connectedness of these sector has become more apparent. As climate change impacts narrow the production-base of key agricultural commodities, there are opportunities for the utilization of trade as a pull factor for wedging climate impacts on food security through trade induced solutions. The recent growing political will and determination among African leaders in pursing regionalism in trade will open-up new trading blocks and trade corridors between countries. Besides the economic benefits that this bestows, there is an emerging opportunity in tackling the recurrent food prices volatility and extreme shortages that characterizes food insecurity in Africa. However, Climate impacts are not usually considered in the analysis of trade policies including Africa’s ongoing trade negotiations. In this paper a nexus approach is being evaluated for developing a framework that diagnose emerging opportunities in climate change adaptation that responds to food security in Africa by studying various more realistic trade policy scenarios. The paper further presents a critical review of how we can use the nexus approach as a tool through cross sectoral dialogue and enables greater policy coherence in the implementation of SDGs. Using the DPSIR Framework to Evaluate Water Energy Food Nexus Linkages for the Achievement of SDGs in Zambezi River Basin Countries Fortune Faith Gomo, University of Dundee

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of 2015 are an important driver for development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The water-energy-food (WEF) nexus concept has been promoted as a lens to view and implement SDGs in a sustainable manner. In order to achieve the SDGs, there is a need for transformative action in all three sectors because the achievements in these three sectors underpin success in the other SDGs. One of the barriers to achieving SDG’s in Zambezi basin countries is lack of coherence in policy related to water, energy and food sectors. Therefore, understanding the interlinkages between water, energy and food sectors is important to make decisions that lead to transformative action towards SDGs. The DPSIR framework (drivers, pressures, state, impacts and response) framework has been widely used as a policy indicator framework. This study demonstrates how the DPSIR framework can be used to frame the interlinkages within and across the WEF sectors. DPSIR can be used to reveal the intricacies of the linkages within and across WEF sectors. It can also be used to identify bottlenecks in the system and thereby allow a way for resolving them to achieve SDGs. Three Zambezi riparian countries, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe are used as case studies. Having carried out in-depth interviews with key informants from the key ministries responsible for water, energy and agriculture in the three countries, and triangulating with key policy documents, sector performance reports and national strategies - the strength of the DPSIR linkages within and across sectors was evaluated by scoring them using selected indicators within the Sustainable Development Goals for the water, energy, and food (SDGs 6, 7 and 2 respectively). We explored two-way relationships between these SDGs (2, 6, 7) and the other SDGs. The approach revealed the importance of each linkage within and across sectors, and the level of effort required to achieve the SDGs for each of the countries. Governing Critical Urban Infrastructure Development: Developing the Skills and Competencies Needed for Achieving the SDGs in the Context of the WEF-Climate Nexus Joachim Monkelbaan Solutions to the challenges of growing cities and increasing demands for water, energy, and food in a low-carbon economy and in the context of global dynamics of change require innovative approaches to urban infrastructure. Such approaches need to be more integrated, more effective and inclusive and can only be translated into policy if the right set of skills and competencies is developed together with a new set of tools and methodologies. The purpose of this article is to lay out an overview of skills and competencies that are required for governance and decision-making that can respond to these needs in the context of the SDGs. These competencies will be focused on urban sustainability in the context of the WEF nexus in a changing climate and on addressing and resolving issues around: " The science-policy interface; " partnerships; " monitoring and review of SDGs; and " the identification of gaps and needs.

We build on earlier publications on methods such as, systems deliberation, that we applied to the WEF nexus and the SDGs. Systems deliberation draws on collective systems thinking to specifically address the fragmentation of governance along scales and sectoral silos. As such, systems deliberation is new a tool for navigation of alternative pathways, knowledge-sharing, and empowerment of stakeholders. The article will first provide a rationale for identifying competencies that are currently missing and seem to be needed towards the development of sustainable infrastructures before considering existing theories of stakeholder management, systems thinking, critical thinking, leadership, and envisioning. Finally, the new model will be tested against two case studies: firstly, from the Climate KIC (the world’s largest public-private partnership for climate innovation) where capacity building efforts have been made to foster sustainable infrastructure in cities; and secondly, from the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. Sustainable Energy – Water- Food Models Energy-Water Microgrid Case Study at the University of Arizona’s BioSphere 2 Alicen Kandt, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Microgrids provide reliable and cost-effective energy services in a variety of conditions and locations. There has been minimal effort invested in developing energy-water microgrids that demonstrate the feasibility and leverage synergies of operating renewable energy and water systems in a coordinated framework. Water and wastewater treatment equipment can be operated in ways to provide ancillary services to the electrical grid and renewable energy can be utilized to power water-related infrastructure, but the potential for co-managed systems has not yet been quantified or fully characterized. Energy-water microgrids could be a promising solution to improve energy and water resource management for islands, rural communities, distributed generation, Defense operations, and many parts of the world lacking critical infrastructure. NREL and the University of Arizona have been jointly researching energy-water microgrid opportunities at the University’s BioSphere 2 (B2) research facility. B2 is an ideal case study for an energy-water microgrid test site given its size, its unique mission and operations, the criticality of water and energy infrastructure, and its ability to operate connected to or disconnected from the local electrical grid. Moreover, the B2 is a premier facility for undertaking agricultural research, providing an excellent opportunity to evaluate connections and tradeoffs at the food-energy-water nexus. This research effort identified the technical potential and benefits of an energy-water microgrid by evaluating ancillary energy services and peak load reductions and quantifying the potential for B2 water-related loads to be utilized and modified to provide grid services as part of an

energy-water microgrid. The foundational work performed at B2 serves a model that can be built upon for identifying relevant energy-water microgrid data, analytical requirements, and operational challenges associated with development of future energy-water microgrids. Anaerobic Digestion of Curbside Organic Waste and Its Impact on New York City’s Food-Energy-Water-Climate Nexus Badak Bahrani, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Rapid population growth in New York City (NYC) demands greater energy resources and generates an increasing amount of solid waste each year. Energy security and solid waste management are currently the two challenging environmental issues impeding sustainable development in New York City. Implementing an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility to break down curbside organic waste provides a renewable source of energy and reduces the landmass used for solid waste. Utilizing organic waste to produce electricity is also in tune with NYC’s aim of approaching the city’s “Zero-Waste to Landfill by 2030” plan. The goal of this study is to investigate the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of curbside organic waste and evaluate its impact on the food-energy-water-climate nexus of New York City. Therefore, the methane production from the AD of curbside organic waste and electricity generated from methane are quantified. An environmental feasibility assessment of the AD facility is also employed. Based on findings of this study, the abundant source of organic waste generated in NYC could be used to generate electricity using the AD process, which offsets electricity from coal-fired plants. Utilizing the AD facility also results in mitigation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from commuting and transport of solid waste to landfills outside of the city and coal-fired plants, as well as reducing the water use and wastewater generation. The sludge from the AD plant could be converted to bio-fertilizers that supplant a portion of artificial fertilizers. In conclusion, implementing the anaerobic digestion facility could promote both the solid waste management and the Food-Energy-Water-Climate Nexus of New York City. Sustainable Energy Generation through Waste Water: A Case Study of the City of Lagos, Nigeria Timothy Ajayi, Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, Nigeria With an estimated population of over seventeen million people, Lagos is one of the world’s fastest growing cities. One of the prominent natural endowments that has borne the brunt of this rapid expansion is the Lagos Lagoon, a water body that has been used for sewage disposal for more than half a century. The large volume of sewage deposited in the lagoon on a daily basis has escalated due to the rapid growth in the city’s population. The thrust of this paper is to explicate the repercussions of wanton sewage disposal into the Lagos Lagoon and to highlight the potential which Lagos has to generate massive energy from sewage waste in order to meet its energy challenges. From ten separate stations across the Lagos Lagoon, water samples were collected and analyzed to

ascertain the existence of pathogenic entities using the techniques of sedimentation, microscopy and culture. These pH levels and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the samples were tested using the pH meter and BOD test apparatus correspondingly. This paper shows that sewage disposal into the Lagos Lagoon has made the water body ecologically unhealthy for aquatic plants and animals. It has also decreased the visual appearance of the environment. Further, this cruel practice has exposed some persons that come in contact to the lagoon’s waters to pathogenic infections. Extant studies have pointed to the fact that sewage waste is a key energy source, with 1 kilogramme of dry faecal sludge having a calorific value of 17.3 millijoule. This paper strongly recommends the dynamic use of faecal sludge to save the Lagos Lagoon from sewage pollution and upscale energy supply in Lagos. Safe Use of Wastewater in Agriculture (SUWA): The Golden Example of Nexus Approach Serena Caucci, United Nations University Water, soil, and waste are three key resources associated with agriculture and thus food production as they are closely related to each other. Integrated management of these three resources can bring more benefits to the society through increased resource usage efficiency. Safe use of wastewater in agriculture (SUWA) is a simple but powerful example of the nexus approach in action. It demonstrates how the sustainable management of one resource in the nexus can benefit the other resources in the same nexus. Wastewater irrigation not only addresses the water demand issues in water stressed areas, but also helps us recycle the nutrients in it. The process begins in the waste sector, but the implementation of such management model is capable of a positive impact on the water sector as well as on the land management. Developing countries and countries in transition need clear institutional arrangements and skilled human resources to address the technical, institutional, and policy challenges related to SUWA. From the UN perspective, SUWA also supports achieving some of the key SDGs. Agricultural sector accounts for more than 70% of the global human water abstraction and it is estimated to increase by another 70% by 2050. The recent theory states how water scarcity and environmental deterioration can force millions of people to leave their communities and become environmental refugees’ in search of fresh water. However, unique examples of communities looking alternatives exist. While UNU-FLORES brands SUWA as the “golden example” of nexus approach, the nexus approach itself helps in return to maximize the benefits of SUWA. With this paper and through worldwide examples, we will explain the tools which make the Nexus Approach effective at local and Regional Level. We will also demonstrate the urgent need of their interpretation in a policy- relevant setting that would allow a better integrated management of water, soil and waste resources in the Member States.