Panels' conveners: UNU and UNESCO.
Date: 15 January 2014 Time: 14:45-18:00:

The increasing awareness of the water-energy nexus issues in the policy domain has also triggered a greater response and attention in the scientific and research community. This is because the challenges of understanding and implementing the nexus policies are further complicated by gaps in the related scientific evidence and technological developments. In particular, there is minimal evidence, or even an established methodology, for determining the tradeoffs and synergistic benefits for combined water-energy planning at the national level, or for considering the obviously tremendous potential to conserve resources, sustain ecosystem services and to contribute to improvements in human wellbeing.

Research and technological innovations have traditionally focused on narrower sector-driven mandates, in part because there has been limited incentive to initiate and pursue more integrated research across sectoral domains. Conversely, some existing research does relate to barriers that exist between the water and energy domains. While it is intuitively evident that an increased level of collaboration and coordination between the scientific and professional communities in the water and energy domains would produce favourable outcomes, we need to provide solid and evidence-based arguments for achieving this.

• The session will provide an overview of the main questions that need to be urgently addressed by the scientific research community in relation to the water-energy nexus.
• The session will provide an overview of the main technology developments in relation to energy and water access, sustainability and efficiency.
• The session will identify further actions, including key programmes and new partnerships which can help the scientific community, governments, private sector and international organizations to improve policy uptake at the water-energy nexus.
• This session will introduce experiences and lessons learnt from specific research initiatives at the water-energy nexus.

For Panel 1:

• What are the key knowledge gaps in the water-energy nexus (tradeoffs, benefit-sharing, risk analysis, development agenda, etc.)? How does the sectoral asymmetry (in market size, investments, strategic prioritization) further amplify these gaps?
• What are some good (and perhaps bad) examples and initiatives from the research community that address the challenges and inform the policy formulation at the water-energy nexus? What lessons can be learnt from these collaborations?
• What new modalities can be emphasized to build new partnerships between the scientific community, governments, private sector and other actors? Can these be used to justify and enhance the engagement between the water and energy sectors?

For Panel 2:

• What are the key technological developments? and
• How to support them further?

• 14:45-16:15 Panel 1 Partnerships on policy research on water and energy
  Convened by UNU

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  14:45-15:15 Overview: Lessons from partnerships on Policy Research, Zafar Adeel, UNU
  15:15-15:45 Panel Discussion moderated by Zafar Adeel
  What are the key knowledge gaps in the water-energy nexus? How does the sectoral asymmetry further amplify these gaps? What are some good (and perhaps bad) examples and initiatives from the research community that address the challenges and inform the policy formulation at the water-energy nexus? What lessons can be learnt? What new modalities can be emphasized to build new partnerships between the scientific community, governments, private sector and other actors?
  • John Payne, Independent consultant
    Focus on the knowledge gaps observed for initiatives that operate on the water-energy nexus, particularly in the private sector.
  • Zelalem Gebrehiwot, East African Power Pool (EAPP)
    Mr. Gebrehiwot will address the research undertaken in the energy sector, and related elements to the water sector. He will particularly focus on “water-smart” energy and the research needs for making such efforts sustainable.
  • Dr. Yasutoshi Shimizu and Dr. Kanako Toyosada (TOTO)
    Both representatives from TOTO will speak about the potential for linked water-energy management through new approaches for sanitation. They will address research opportunities being pursued on this topic in the academia.
  • Alberto Garrido University of Madrid and Botin Foundation, Policy research on water and energy scenarios in Latin America.
• 16:30-18:00 Overview: Panel Innovation partnerships on water and energy
  Convened by WWAP

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  16:30-17:00 Overview: Lessons on partnerships for innovation, and way forward, Engin Koncagul, Programme Specialist, WWAP (including remarks from Alessandro Sbrana)
  17:00-17:30 Panel Discussion moderated by Engin Koncagul/Michela Miletto
  
  • Alessandro Sbrana, Vulcanology Full Professor, Dept. Earth Sciences, University of Pisa, Italy. A science-based tool for integrating geothermal resources into regional energy planning in Umbria, Italy.
  • Enrique Playan, Joint Programming Initiative of the European Union. This initiative deals with research, development and innovation in the field of water and hydrological sciences. The availability of water in sufficient quantities and adequate quality is indeed a public issue of high priority and addresses a pan-European and global environmental challenge.
  • Carlos Levinton, Center of Experimentation of the University of Buenos Aires. This partnerships initiative is transferring dry sanitation to the communities via a solar energy system which dries up excreta and transforms it into fertilizers with no pathogens.
  • Mark Smith, IUCN
• 17:30-18:00 Open Discussion and Conclusion by Michela Miletto