Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area and the Promotion of a Nexus Approach

The Sustainable Development Goals call for actions to promote prosperity while protecting the planet and its communities. To that end, an holistic approach is needed. The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus lends itself to behave both as a means of addressing sectoral interdependencies in the management of natural resources and as an approach for implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The concept behind the water–energy–food nexus emerges from the recognition of the synergies and interlinkages of different resource spheres, thus becoming directly relevant also for resource governance and sustainable development. This contribution aims to spotlight the existing interdependencies among the three WEF nexus pillars, while emphasizing the fundamental relationship among the latter and the Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The WEF nexus provides a useful framework for guiding multistakeholder interactions in the food systems, avoiding competition for WEF resources among various users and uses. The case of the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area and in its role in promoting a nexus approach are described.