During a landmark event held on 25 September 2024, in Larnaca, Cyprus, and with more than 112 participants from 20 countries, the Mediterranean WEFE Nexus Community of Practice (Med NCoP) was officially launched, marking a milestone in advancing cross-sectoral collaboration for sustainable solutions in the Mediterranean region.
Hosted by the Cyprus Institute, and bringing together representatives from public institutions, regional actors, private sector, academia and research organisations, the hybrid event was organised within the context of the PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area) funded WEFE4MED project, in which GWP Mediterranean is the co-coordinator and a consortium partner. This ambitious 4-year regional project aims to facilitate the identification, testing, dissemination and replication of WEFE Nexus solutions in the Mediterranean; showcase to policymakers and other stakeholders the advantages of the Nexus approach, using specific case studies; and promote the deployment of regional demonstration sites as laboratories for replication, upscaling and policy design.
The centrepiece of the WEFE4MED project is the set up and facilitation of the Med NCoP, which was officially launched during the Larnaca event and following nearly two years of preparatory work, including surveys, interviews and workshops. The preparatory work identified key needs and opportunities, established a framework for fostering synergies across the Mediterranean and prepared a shortlist of Demonstrators with high potential for impactful WEFE Nexus practices.
During the Launching Workshop, the presentations and discussions focused on the three learning priorities of the Med NCoP, i.e. 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. During an engaging and interactive World Café session, participants provided valuable feedback and discussed how the WEFE NCoP can refine its services to better serve members and stakeholders, thus generating insights that will shape the community's future direction.
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. It was fully recognised that the WEFE NCoP is a dynamically expanding network with the potential to scale successful resource management models, foster a ripple effect of positive change and help to bridge the science-to-practice gap.
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.
The WEFE NCoP invites all stakeholders, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, practitioners, and organisations working on WEFE solutions, to join this collaborative effort and shape 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.