Two events on the Water, Food, Energy and Ecosystem Nexus (Nexus) agenda in South East Europe (SEE) were held back-to-back in Zagreb, Croatia, from 9 to 11 December 2014. Organized in the framework of the South East Europe 2020 Strategy, they both succeeded in putting forward its objectives and launching a process under its mandate, to catalyze action for the Nexus approach, as means to enhance integrated and sustainable management of natural resources in the Region and assist towards climate change adaptation.
More than 50 representatives of SEE Ministries competent for Water, Food, Energy and Environment, NGOs and private sector as well as representatives of international and regional organizations and joint institutions participated in the Regional Roundtable on “Water, Food, Energy and Environment Nexus in South East Europe”, held on 9-10 December 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia. Discussions addressed issues related to the integrated management of water, land, energy and the environment. Further, the Roundtable succeeded in enhancing the capacities of institutions and stakeholders involved in the field of Transboundary Water Resources Management (TWRM) by facilitating knowledge exchange and cross-fertilization among policy processes, initiatives and projects.
The dimension “Environment” of the SEE 2020 Strategy was acknowledged as an appropriate framework for the introduction and implementation of the Nexus approach at both regional and –SEE Governments - levels. In this context, the related part of the Regional Programme specifically prepared by the GWP-Med in cooperation with REC under the auspices of RCC, for the operationalization of the Nexus work to be done under dimension “Environment” was especially welcome.
The Regional Roundtable was organized by the RCC, GWP-Med and REC, in cooperation with the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), GEF IW:LEARN and the UNECE. Additional financial support was provided within the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC), with funds by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. The Regional Roundtable was organized in the framework of Petersberg Phase II/Athens Declaration Process, the UNECE Water Convention and the Mediterranean Component of the EU Water Initiative (MED EUWI).
The Working Meeting on “Water, Food, Energy and Environment Nexus in Southeastern Europe” was held back-to-back with the Regional Roundtable, on 11 December 2014, in Zagreb, Croatia. SEE Ministry representatives competent for Water, Food, Energy and Environment evaluated the outcomes of the Regional Roundtable and discussed the potential interest of governments in conducting Nexus Policy Dialogues. Building on the outcomes of the Regional Roundtable, the Working Meeting agreed in principle with the implementation of the Regional Programme under the dimension “Environment” describing orientations, partners, capacities and steps for the introduction and implementation of the Nexus approach.
The meeting expressed a positive opinion and asked the RCC to put forward the idea of establishing a Working Group for the dimension Environment by initiating an official consultation with the competent Ministries of the SEE economies.
The Working Meeting was organized by the RCC, GWP-Med and REC, with additional financial support, within the ENVSEC, by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the ADA.
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