The Mediterranean WEFE Nexus Community of Practice (NCoP) was officially launched earlier this month at a landmark event held at the Golden Bay Hotel in Larnaca, Cyprus. Hosted by The Cyprus Institute (CyI), this launch marks a significant milestone in advancing cross-sector collaboration for integrated resource management across the Mediterranean region.

The WEFE NCoP brings together scientists, policymakers, practitioners and stakeholders from various sectors to exchange knowledge, share best practices and address the critical interconnections between water, energy, food and ecosystems. Part of the WEFE4MED project funded through PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area), the initiative aims to scale successful models and create sustainable solutions to the region’s most pressing challenges.

Nearly two years of preparatory work by the WEFE4MED project, including surveys, interviews and workshops, laid the groundwork for the NCoP launch. This process identified key needs and opportunities, establishing a framework for fostering synergies across the Mediterranean. It also identified a shortlist of Demonstrators with high potential for impactful Nexus practices.

Event highlights

The event brought together 112 participants from 20 countries, drawn from academia and research organisations, as well as from the public and private sector, with representatives taking part both in person and online.  Distinguished speakers included Commissioner for the Environment Antonia Theodosiou, Dr Elisabetta Balzi (European Commission DG Research and Innovation), Dr Jann Martinsohn (European Commission Joint Research Centre) and Dr Angelo Riccaboni, Chair of the PRIMA Foundation.

Discussions and presentations focused on the learning priorities of the WEFE NCoP, decided during the WEFE4MED co-design workshop (November 2023, Sitges, Spain): Policy, Implementation and Finance. The Policy Practice Group examined how policies can promote WEFE solutions, while the Implementation Practice Group showcased 12 demonstration projects, highlighting innovative strategies for sustainable resource use. Meanwhile, the Finance Practice Group explored funding mechanisms to support WEFE initiatives and ensure sustainability across the Mediterranean.

An engaging dimension was provided by the World Café session, where participants gave valuable feedback and discussed how the WEFE NCoP can refine its services to better serve members and stakeholders. This session generated insights that will shape the community’s future direction.

The event concluded with the signing of the WEFE NCoP Charter’s Chapeau, establishing a shared vision and mission and guiding principles for collaboration. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to innovations, policy alignment and dissemination of best practices. Through partnerships, knowledge exchange and its network of demonstration sites acting as living laboratories, the CoP aims to drive sustainable solutions across sectors and regions.

A collaborative future for sustainable development

During the event, PRIMA, the European Commission, and the Union for the Mediterranean expressed their strong support for the initiative, and reaffirmed their commitment to providing strategic leadership to expand the outreach and application of nexus-based solutions across the Mediterranean region. The WEFE NCoP was fully recognised as a dynamically expanding network, with the potential to scale successful resource management models, foster a ripple effect of positive change, and to help bridge the science-to-practice gap.

Call to action

The WEFE NCoP invites all stakeholders, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, practitioners and organisations working on WEFE solutions, to join this collaborative effort. Whether you are developing or implementing WEFE Nexus demonstrations via national programmes, international donors, or other funding sources, your participation is key.

Join us in shaping the future of sustainable development by engaging in critical conversations, and co-creating strategies that will benefit the entire region and contribute to global sustainability efforts.

For more information, or to join the WEFE NCoP, please visit the project’s Knowledge Hub, or contact [email protected].