©Mohammad Hossein MoheimaniWinner of the World Water day photo contest 2020

Why Water Energy and Food Nexus ?The rational for the endorsement of an integrated sustainable development approach

Marco Aresti, RES4Africa Foundation, 26/03/2020, Rome

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The driver of the next choices

1931

2016

Andes – South America1931 vs 2016

Global warming: the effect on the glacier

Fabiano Ventura – scientist and photographer

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Australia, the great barrier reef Coral bleaching occurred in less than 1 year

Global warming: the effect on corals

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(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 20155

2017 2020

First Assessment Report (FAR): human activities are substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth's surface.

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 20156

2017 2020

Earth Summit. Institution of: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 20157

2017 2020

Kyoto protocol. Implementation of flexibility mechanisms to reduce GHG:- Emissions Trading (IET),- Clean Development dechanism (CDM), - Joint Implementation (JI).

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 20158

2017 2020

RIO+20 set the base for the overcome of the MDG and the definition of the new SDG.

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 20159

2017 2020

Paris agreement:- Nationally determined contributions (NDCs).- Commitment to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 °C.

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 201510

2017 2020

The Agenda 2030 is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity.It defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that cover all the field of action for a sustainable development.

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 201511

2017 2020

Africa Union issues the Agenda 2063composed of 15 flagship projects for the economic development and political integration of Africa.

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 201512

2017 2020

Greta Thunbergh, a Swedish environmental activist part of the Fridays for Futuremovement, take part of the COP 24 on

“behalf of Climate Justice” and gain the attention of the world for her commitment to fight climate change.

(COP21)

(COP3)

Climate change - gaining awareness

1990 1992 1997 2012 201513

2017 2020

European Commission announce the Green new deal: By 2050, Europe aims to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent.Renewable energies lead the energy transition.

Renewable energies are not only the mostsustainable choice. They’re also the mostrapid and cost-effective way to provideelectricity, leapfrogging polluting technologies

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Why NEXUS is relevant for Africa

Water for agricultural use

Electricity production

Source: Worldmapper

Irrigated land (see Africa!)

Wealth (connected to food)

World map resized according to availability of Energy, Water and wealth/Food

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Triple growth challenge:

Many Africans lack access to basic resources, while growth trends and climate change will stress resource access in coming decades

Sub-Saharan Africans already lack access to basic resources

Expected growth will increase demand for these resources in coming decades

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Renewable Energy sector goes behind energy supply

WEF Nexus reveals innovative approaches to overcome energy access gaps by focusing on how energy acts as an enabler of development

Renewable energy can drive the transitionto a modern and sustainable agriculture

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Our idea of RE-powered business community

Water pump and micro irrigation system

Cold storage and food preservation

Access to market

Food processing servicesTraining centre

Local entrepreneur managing the hub

Access to connectivity and internet services

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Energy

Water supply andirrigation

Agricultureproduction,

conservation andprocessing

Capacity building

Localentrepreneurshipand job creation

Economicdevelopment

Integrated business approach: Value created vs Potential business

Overall value created Potential business

NEXUS projects and productive uses of energyhave a multiplication effect on economicdevelopment (higher return on the investment:ROI, NPV and SROI)

Energy

Water supply andirrigation

Agricultureproduction,

conservation andprocessing

Capacity building

Localentrepreneurshipand job creation

Economicdevelopment

Energy supply: Value created vs Potential business

Overall value created Potential business

Multiplication effect of Nexus approach

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Key messages

Renewable energies are not only a sustainablechoice. They’re also the most rapid and cost-effective way to provide electricity, leapfroggingpolluting technologies

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Renewable energy can drive the transition to amodern and sustainable agriculture in Africa2

NEXUS projects and productive uses ofenergy have an exponential multiplicationeffect on economic development

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Reconnect the dots…..

WEF THE BUILDING

BLOCKS OF ANY ECONOMY AND

SOCIETY

RES4Africa NEXUS video

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Thank you

Marco Aresti

Access 2 Energy program manager

RES4Africa Foundation

Via Ticino 14 – 00198 Roma – Italia

Marco.aresti@res4africa.org

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Details of key messages & recommendations

Africa stands at new horizons of growth and access to energy is a fundamental pillar to ensure Africa’s sustainable development;

Energy is an enabler for development because it empowers livelihoods and productive uses;

WEF Nexus: water, energy, food are an economy’s building blocks. Energy is strongly interlinked with these sectors, revealing opportunities for synergy;

Renewables are key to leapfrog towards Africa’s sustainable energy future;

RE-based WEF Nexus business models create opportunities to solve access to basic service and resource needs, create new markets and grow local economies;

WEF Nexus approach allows companies to create share value by addressing social needs;

Investing in integrated water-energy-food projects bring greater development impact for local communities compared to single-sector energy-only business models;

Next step is to scale-up WEF Nexus cases through innovative partnerships and cross-sectoral cooperation.

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Key messages

Break the silo mentality and embrace a WEF Nexus strategy

Walk the Nexus talk and step up financing

Build an inclusive and supportive WEF Nexus business environment

Dedicate efforts to capacity building on the WEF Nexus

Fill the WEF Nexus information gap

Innovate business models by exploring partnership potentials

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Recommendations for action