Workshop: 'Can implementation of the Water Nexus support economic growth in the Mediterranean region?'

Water use is indispensably related to food production, energy generation and the functioning of ecosystems. Such complex interactions define the “Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystem Nexus”, which is more and more central to water policy analysis and design. Water resources are particularly limited and vulnerable to pollution and weather extremes in the Mediterranean countries. Yet, environmental protection is still considered partly in conflict with economic growth. The integrated perspective provided by the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystem Nexus may help meeting the needs of ecosystem protection and water use, by stimulating appropriate investments in the Mediterranean region, on the basis of consistent and effective water policy and governance.

The objectives of this Workshop are to:

• bring in experience on competition, synergies and priorities among sectoral water usages and stakeholders in the Mediterranean region and address trade-off solutions on how we are going to allocate water in the future
• share best practices bridging the gaps between governments, communities and business concerning collaboration among water users that result into water cost reduction
• discuss how policies in the Mediterranean region can be improved by a Water Nexus perspective in order to create opportunities for green economic growth.

The workshop will involve participants from different disciplines and viewpoints: water economists, ecologists and agronomists, governmental and regional policy makers, business and water users from the across Mediterranean countries.

The format of the Workshop will be that of introductory plenary lectures followed by focused working group discussions under the direction of engaged leaders from across the Nexus sectors in the Mediterranean region. The following questions will guide the discussions:

1. What are the economic benefits for stakeholders and companies to adopt a cross-sectoral perspective for water management in the Mediterranean region?
2. What are the barriers hampering the adoption of a cross-sectoral perspective for water management?
3. Which public policies (incentives, mechanisms such as taxes or subsidies and, administrative tools such as river basin management plans) could, and should be promoted in order to remove such barriers?
4. Which issues should be addressed in order to improve water governance and collaboration among stakeholders and between stakeholders and governments, in order to fully tap into the economic growth potentials of the Mediterranean region?

The Workshop is expected to produce material for a joint background paper with a synthesis of the issues corresponding to the four Workshop questions and recommendations for the promotion of Water Nexus thinking for economic growth in the Mediterranean region. All participants will have the opportunity to contribute to the paper.