Background

The Meeting of the Parties, the main governing body of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), decided in its sixth session (Rome, 28-30 November 2012) to include in its work programme for 2013–2015 an assessment of the water-food-energy-ecosystems nexus based on a representative set of transboundary basins. Behind the decision was a recognition that there is often friction between sectors over water resources in transboundary basins, as well as weak policy integration and coherence between different sectors. Concretely, the Parties to the Water Convention called for an assessment mechanism that could provide a picture of various interdependencies across water, ecosystems, energy, food and other areas (e.g. climate change and biodiversity) in terms of uses, needs, economic and social benefits, potential synergies, conflicts and trade-offs. A further aim of the assessment was to identify possible policy responses.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Zero Hunger

Clean Water and Sanitation

Affordable and Clean Energy