The UAE, Jordan and Netherlands have issued a trilateral declaration affirming their commitment to supporting a nexus approach that optimises the use of water, food and energy, and calling on other governments to acknowledge the inter-dependent relationships between these three critical resources. The joint statement also encouraged governments to incorporate practical solutions into policy-making, and accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The declaration was made at the inaugural Water-Food-Energy (WFE) Summit, which ran from 18-19 January and is among several special events that form part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s Global Goals Week. Her Excellency Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, UAE; His Excellency Eng Mohammad Alnajjar, Minister of Water and Irrigation, Jordan; and Liesje Schreinemacher, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, the Netherlands opened the event, which was designed to advance innovation that tackles the biggest challenges in WFE.
Her Excellency Mariam Hareb Almheiri said: “As we move towards a global population of 10 billion in 2050, current ecosystems face immense pressure to meet the growing demand for water, food, and energy without putting further strain on our natural resources. We are aware that in the next nine years, the world must achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and that this requires us to redouble our efforts given the inadequate progress so far and the aggravating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Demonstrating the potential of technology, knowledge, and cooperation, the event featured a presentation on the WFE Nexus Dashboard, designed by a previously established working group between the UAE, Jordan, and Netherlands. The evidence-based nexus approach brings together relevant data related to the three scarce resources. With the help of the dashboard, this data can be used to outline synergies between water, food, and energy to enhance efficiency, in addition to pinpointing potential tradeoffs where choices have to be made.
In recognition of the important role youth continue to play in shaping a more equitable and prosperous future, the summit featured a townhall session and discussion for youth led by singer-songwriter and UN Young Leader, AY Young, focusing on creative ways to call for action on innovative solutions for WFE security. Youth delegates were also challenged to develop models with realistic environmental simulations, where long-term impacts of policies can be tested and rated.
Running from 15-22 January, Expo 2020’s Global Goals Week, in association with the United Nations, aims to drive progress on the achievement of the Global Goals at a critical time of uncertainty in the midst of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Global Goals Week is the seventh of 10 Theme Weeks under Expo 2020’s Programme for People and Planet, offering an exchange of inspiring new perspectives to address the greatest challenges and opportunities of our time.
© Press Release 2022
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