PRIMA NEXUS-NESS: Operationalizing transdisciplinary, stakeholder engagement and biophysical models for co-demonstrating the multiple social, economic and environmental benefits of WEFE Nexus approaches in four Euromed Nexus Ecosystem Labs

Economic, societal and environmental security are interdependently related to the availability and fair access to natural resources, water, land, food and energy. All four elements (water, food, energy and ecosystems) are 1) highly dependent on each other, 2) crucial for human well-being, and 3) impacting social cohesion and source of geopolitical conflicts. In the Mediterranean region the water scarcity and land degradation do not match sound and sustainable agricultural practices and often the protection of ecosystems is in conflict with economic growth instead of being safeguarded for improving water sources. NEXUS-NESS interlinks consolidated Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus data, knowledge and tools and a three-fold Ecosystem component value (i.e. Environment, Economy and Engagement) to produce a comprehensive WEFE Nexus Service (NNS). State of the art biophysical models, WATNEEDS and FREEWAT, are employed to provide quantitative metrics and geospatial distribution of WEFE nexus parameters and resource-risk scenarios with varying climate, land, crop, energy and socio-environmental variables. The NNS is an analytical geo-service supporting the transferring to Nexus stakeholders and operators of WEFE Nexus models, scenarios and indicators for understanding the benefits of Nexus best practices. The NEXUS-NESS project, funded by Horizon 2020 PRIMA programme, started in 2021 and is ending in 2024, is achieving the following three main objectives:
1) Co-Produce WEFE Nexus management plans for fair and sustainable allocation of resources by applying the NNS into real case conditions through the four Multi-Actor diverse NEXUS Ecosystem Labs (NELs);
2) Operationalize the adoption of the WEFE Nexus by co-defining short to long-term resource management plans and hands-on guidance through application, validation and demonstration actions in the four NELs
3) Enable mindset change for the effective adoption of WEFE Nexus through the implementation of Innovation Ecosystems of private sector, academic, public authorities and citizens in the 4 NELs through the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Roadmap and the six RRI dimensions (public engagement, open science, science education, gender issues, ethics and institutional change through governance).
To achieve these three main objectives, the NEXUS-NESS consortium has specified 4 NELs where multi-actors (stakeholders, private sector, public authorities, academia and citizens) will be engaged in a Living Lab setting by applying the RRI Roadmap. The multi-actors will be identified, motivated and engaged to frame a new WEFE-Nexus vision for their common socio-economic-ecosystem situation, co-design and co-construct WEFE-Nexus management plans and solutions, apply these, measure them, adjust them and intensify them. The NEXUS-NESS 4 NELS are:
1) Coastal Tuscany, Italy: focusing on minimization of groundwater extraction and salinization through non-conventional irrigation via consortia and natural ponds as bioreactors; 2)Rio Daja, Spain: improve agroecosystem and rural life of viticulture and agriculture with improved water-energy use during irrigation. 3) Matrouh Coastal area, Egypt: reduce saline brackish groundwater, increase cultivation through responsible irrigation and apply the WEFE Nexus approach for increasing crop yields.
4) Oued Jir Watershed of Gabes, Tunisia: intensify sustainable agriculture by balancing efficient use of natural resources through novel irrigation and land management by educating the local population of the highly arid area.