Position Paper on Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus and Sustainable development Goals (SDGs)

The EU and the international community is realising that the Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystem components are interlinked and require a joint planning in order to meet the daunting global challenges related to Water, Energy and Food security and maintaining the ecosystem health and in this way, reach the SDGs. If not dealt with, the world will not be able to meet the demand for water, energy and food in a not too far future and, in any case, in a not sustainable way. The strain on the ecosystems resulting from unsustainable single-sector planning will lead to increasing poverty, inequality and instability. The Nexus approach is fully aligned with and supportive of the EU Consensus on Development. Key elements of the Consensus will require collaborative efforts across sectors in ways that can be supported/implemented by a Nexus approach. In this way, transparent and accountable decision-making, involving the civil society is key and common to the European Consensus on Development and the Nexus approach. The Nexus approach will support the implementation of the SDG in particular SDG 2 (Food), SDG 6 (Water) and SDG 7 (Energy), but most SDGs have elements that link to food, water and energy in one or other way, and will benefit from a Nexus approach. The SDGs are designed to be cross-cutting and be implemented together, which is also reflected in a WEFE Nexus approach. A Nexus approach offers a sustainable way of addressing the effects of Climate Change and increase resilience. The WEFE Nexus has in it the main drivers of climate change (water, energy and food security) and the main affected sectors (water and the environment). Decisions around policy, infrastructure, … developed based on the WEFE Nexus assessments will be suitable as elements of climate change mitigation and adaptation. In fact, it is difficult to imagine solutions to the climate change issue that are not built on a form of Nexus approach. The Nexus approach is being implemented around the world, as examples in the literature demonstrate. These examples together with more examples from EU and member state development cooperation will help build experience that can be consolidated and become an important contribution to a Toolkit for WEFE Nexus Implementation. From the expert discussions, it appears that because of the novelty of the approach, a Toolkit will be an important element in getting the Nexus approach widely used. This should build on experiences from practical examples of NEXUS projects or similar inter-sectorial collaboration projects; and, there are already policy, regulation and practical experience to allow institutions and countries to start applying the Nexus concept.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Metody promocji odnawialnych zasobów energii przez samorządy lokalne w Polsce

Poland faces nowadays a multi-dimensional challenge: She's a country of a high-accelerated economic development (considered to show another 30% of economic development, during the next 50 years), with abundant energy needs, situated at a crossroad between Europe and Russia (an energy-consuming and an energy-productive center), with ambitious objectives to catch in the sector of renewable energy sources, with dynamic and participative local municipalities struggling for the benefit of their territories, with a very recent accession to the European Union (only in 2004), and with a historical past full of revolutionary ideas and actions. Nowadays, Poland needs to persuade her people to adopt innovative schemes of energy production in order to protect the environment while at the same time she has to achieve a target of 7,5% from renewable energy sources until 2010 (14% until 2020), showing at the same time a high degree of competitiveness equal to the one of other European Member States. For the newly accessing country, these challenges are not an easy task. In this paper, we run a quick look at the energy situation in Poland, and we try to approach an effective strategy regarding the promotion of renewable energy applications among Polish municipalities, taking into consideration the specific concerns of local people as well as the already existent supporting scheme from the central government.Perspektywa dalszego dynamicznego rozwoju gospodarki Polski w ramach UE wymaga przekonania społeczeństwa do przyjęcia nowoczesnej koncepcji wytwarzania energii. Powinna być ona dostosowana do wymagań ochrony środowiska i ma doprowadzić do produkcji 7,5% energii z odnawialnych źródeł do 2010 r. oraz 14% do 2010 r. W pracy dokonano pobieżnej analizy sytuacji energetycznej w Polsce i podjęto próbę sformułowania efektywnej strategii promocji odnawialnych źródeł energii w ramach polskich samorządów lokalnych z uwzględnieniem udziału mieszkańców tych terenów oraz istniejącego już systemu wspierania tych inicjatyw przez rząd

Paths of renewable energy development in small island developing states of the South Pacific

Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) are small and remote island economies highly reliant on fossil fuels. Although they are mainly self-governing nations, they are highly vulnerable to exogenous events such as global fuel price volatility and tropical cyclones. The work presented here targets 12 PSIDS located in the South Pacific. The analysis takes a functional approach to assess the state of the energy governance system and to determine its relationship to renewable energy (RE) penetration. Using a suite of governance, market and financial progress indicators, a range of RE preparedness levels was identified in PSIDS. Analysis demonstrated that strengthening of RE enabling indicators led to only a limited increase of RE penetration; consequently, the region has fallen behind global rates of RE uptake. Inward investment by development partners for RE demonstration projects failed to be upscaled by government-facilitated private sector. The focus on mitigating global climate change has failed to put RE into a local context; this contrasts to the strong “sense of place” and spiritual-nature of traditional Pacific communities. Thus, in energy terms, PSIDS are yet to attain a self-defined energy identity