WEF Nexus

KAPTalks with Kandeh Yumkella on COVID-19 and the Urgency of the African Energy Transition
2021-02-10 18:00 - 19:00 UTC
Join LIVE our special #KAPTalks with the former energy chief of the United Nations Kandeh Yumkella. The event will be fully online. Join us on 10th February at 18:00 CET.
The lecture is hosted by the Trinity College Dublin.
If the room is full and you can’t register or enter the event, follow live streaming at http://bit.ly/KAPTalks.
Check time of the lecture in different time zones: https://bit.ly/3pfUqtR.
Once logged in to the webinar you will have an opportunity to pose a text questions to Kandeh Yumkella.
To register for this webinar click here!

2nd Food- Energy- Water Nexus Conference 2021
2021-02-10 08:00 - 2021-02-12 17:00 UTC
How do we provide and maintain the food, energy and water supplies in urban environments as the population continues to increase? Obstacles and initiatives are the focus of this conference, and attendees will leave with new ideas and collaborators.

2021-02-10 08:00 - 2021-02-12 17:00 UTC
How do we provide and maintain the food, energy and water supplies in urban environments as the population continues to increase? Obstacles and initiatives are the focus of this conference, and attendees will leave with new ideas and collaborators.

FAO Water-Energy-Food Nexus Webinar series
2021-01-30 08:00 - 2021-03-30 17:00 UTC
This FAO series — organized in collaboration with SEI and KTH Royal Institute of Technology — introduces nexus concepts and gives examples of current efforts and best practices in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region and beyond.
his series is developed under the regional project, “Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Water Efficiency/Productivity and Water Sustainability in NENA countries” (WEPS-NENA) under the FAO led regional Water Scarcity Initiative (WSI). This project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
Webinar sessions are taking place February 2nd- March 30th, registration is required.

The Keys to Process Sustainability
2020-12-27
Understanding, evaluating, and progressing a sustainable life is difficult but vital. This webinar by Oliver Wight outlines the keys to sustainability, which is described as a self-perpetuating cycle, not only how to maintain this cycle by to continually build and improve sustainable results.
Click here to watch the Webinar!

Future-Proofing Africa's Livestock Sector Policies: Lessons from African Countries and the COVID-19 Pandemic.
2020-12-17 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Innovative ideas revolving around agri-tech, mechanization, food systems, healthy diets, and sustainable livestock in adjustment to the COVID19 pandemic. A panel of idealists, educators, and innovators discuss how to improve some of the greatest challenges pressing on African food systems as a result of the pandemic.
Click here to check out this event!

UN SDG 7 and 13 - Addressing Your Organization’s Next Steps for Clean Energy and Climate Action
2020-12-16
About this event
Many organizations face a complex array of challenges related to the environmental impact of their operations, especially as it relates to energy and climate risk. Increasing regulatory requirements and increasing financial, customer and shareholder demands present both risks and opportunities for organizational resilience, brand reputation, commercial strategy and operational practices. Faced with energy constraints and the evolving effects of climate risks, resilient businesses account for, and improve upon, their environmental and energy impacts in a way that adds value, integrates with strategy, and improves business robustness.
BSI’s work in clean energy and climate assessment has enabled our clients to improve their productivity performance, reduce their environmental impacts, become more energy efficient and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Click here to register for this event!

About the presenters
Melita Elmore – Principal Consultant, CSR/Sustainability and ISO Lead Auditor has experience as a business owner, senior project manager, industry executive and state regulator. She has worked on management system implementation and auditing, CSR, ESG issues, and in waste minimization, water and energy conservation, EHS curriculum development and training delivery; due diligence; stakeholder outreach and Supply Chain multi-media auditing. | Connect on LinkedIn
Ryan Lynch – Practice Director, Sustainability, and his team collaborate with global brands and their suppliers to develop innovative solutions to challenges related to supply chain security, business continuity and human rights due diligence. Ryan’s current areas of focus include migrant labor abuse, root causes of excessive working hours, and the development and delivery of interactive workshops focused on strengthening skills related to critical thinking, problem solving and root cause analysis as a means to improve workplace practices throughout the supply chain. | Connect on LinkedIn

The 3rd WaterEnergyNEXUS Conference
2020-12-01 - 2020-12-05
About
The WaterEnergyNEXUS is one of the most important and priority issue to be resolved for both current and next generations.
The University of Sfax (Tunisia) in cooperation with Sanitary Environmental Engineering Division (SEED) of the University of Salerno (Italy), Advanced Institute of Water Industry at Kyungpook National University (Korea) and with The Energy and Resources Institute, TERI (India) is organizing the third edition of WaterEnergyNEXUS conference, that will be held in the island of Djerba (Tunisia) on 1-5 December 2020.
The first edition of WaterEnergyNEXUS was organized in Korea during the Asian International Water Week, one of the more relevant and strategic appointments in Asia for scientists and professionals who are working on the field of the water industry and sustainability. The second edition was organized in Salerno (Italy) in 2018.
This third edition of WaterEnergyNEXUS conference will provide an international platform to share and discuss key topics on such water issues with the presentation of nature-based solutions, advanced technologies and best practices with the support of experts invited as plenary and keynote speakers. An additional aim of this 2020 WaterEnergyNEXUSconference is to contribute to the overall goal of enhancing cooperation, integration and sustainable development in the Euro-Mediterranean region on critical topics of Water and Energy.
The WaterEnergyNEXUS series of conferences received the support of the UNESCO World Water Association Programme (WWAP) and the International Water Association (IWA) It is also under the patronage of several international scientific societies, associations and organizations. And, it enjoys the publishing partnership with Springer Nature.
Important Notice
The 3rd edition of WaterEnergyNEXUS will take place as scheduled and we are proceeding with all plans to convene the meeting.
However, from now until the conference days, no one can predict the worldwide development and spread of coronavirus and how long this situation will last. That is why, WaterEnergyNEXUS board decided to provide the possibility of presenting online to those who prefer not to attend the conference in person.
Interested authors are encouraged to submit an abstract of their presentation and to leave the decision (deadline: 30 September 2020) as to whether to attend the conference and to present onsite or just online. More details about the “online presentation” feature will be provided after notification of acceptances.

Plan B:
If the risk associated with the spread of coronavirus will continue after this summer, we’ll decide before the deadline for online registration (30 September 2020) about the possibility of organizing online the full conference or to postpone it to Spring 2021. In all cases, we’ll inform you about our decision before the deadline for online registration (i.e. 2 months before your trip to Djerba).
For more information and to register please visit the WaterEnergyNEXUS website

3rd SADC Groundwater Conference
2020-11-09 - 2020-11-11
About
THEME: Enhancing Water and Food Security through Sustainable Groundwater Development in the SADC Region.
BACKGROUND:
Parts of Sub Saharan Africa makes little use of its groundwater resources, which contributes only 1% of total renewable water resource withdrawals for agriculture. Projected and continuing changes to the amount, intensity and predictability of rainfall in much of Southern Africa will lead to changes in the way the region views its groundwater resources. Increasing water scarcity will be particularly difficult for smallholder farmers who produce 90% of Africa’s food who haven not access to central water supply infrastructure. Currently, only 6% of the total cultivated land in Africa is irrigated. It has been estimated that irrigation could boost agricultural productivity by 50%. Moreover, population growth and economic development will increase the demand for water across sub Saharan Africa, currently estimated at around 50 litres per capita, compared to 10 times that amount in the USA.The challenges of a dynamic and declining water availability situation will lead to greater pressure to exploit unrealised and little-known groundwater resources, particularly for rural smallholder farmers who will be under pressure from competing water users such as commercial agriculture, urban development and energy production (the Nexus challenge).
This conference seeks to advocate for a more central and pronounced role for groundwater in the WEFE Nexus dialogue as a way of minimising shocks, risks and vulnerability to climate change. The conference will be offered parallel to the 8th Africa Water Week, and also align to the theme of the 8th Africa Water Week. Both the 3rd SADC Groundwater Conference and the 8th Africa Water Week (AWW8) are aimed at rallying Africa’s water sector towards a common voice as the world prepares for the 9th World Water Forum (9WWF) to be held in Dakar, Senegal in March 2021.
For more information and to register visit webpage here

WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium
2020-10-28 - 2020-10-30 | Elephant Hills Resort, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Details
Call for abstracts here
For more information and to register visit website here
About
The WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposia have been held annually in the Eastern and Southern African region for the past 20 years.
The Symposium promotes interaction among policymakers, academics, practitioners from water and related sectors, and cooperating partners. Together, they identify regional issues, gaps and priorities that require further research and support. Great emphasis will be placed on integration of knowledge, particularly involving scholars from the natural, medical and social sciences.
The 21st WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium will be held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe 28th – 30th October 2020 under the theme Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development in East and Southern Africa. The venue for the 21st Symposium is the Elephant Hills Resort. The National University of Science and Technology is the lead host of the 21st Symposium

Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development in Eastern and Southern Africa
2020-10-28 00:00 - 2020-10-30 23:59 UTC
The 21st WaterNet/WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium will be held online, from the 28th – 30th October 2020 under the theme Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainable Development in East and Southern Africa.
Click here to view the agenda.
The Symposia have been held annually in the Eastern and Southern African regions for the past 20 years to promote interaction among policymakers, academics, practitioners from water and related sectors, and cooperating partners. Together, they identify regional issues, gaps and priorities that require further research and support. Great emphasis will be placed on integration of knowledge, particularly involving scholars from the natural and social sciences.
The sub-themes of the symposium have been aligned to the themes of the SADC Water Research Agenda under the Regional Strategic Action Plan on Integrated Water Resources Development and Management Phase IV, whose main objective is:

Promoting evidence-based implementation of SADC water programmes and projects through multi- and inter-disciplinary research, and synthesis of existing and new information, which will lead to a realisation of SADC developmental goal30

The BRECCIA Session on Upscaling Sustainable Food and Water Security Research in Drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa will be held on Wednesday, 28, October 2020, 1400 hrs to 1600 hrs (South Africa)/1200 hrs to 1400 hrs (UK)/
1500hrs to 1700hrs (Kenya)
Registration is located here.

WaterNet Copyright 2018. All rights Reserved.

Club of Rome Global Youth Summit 2020
2020-10-03 13:00 - 2020-10-07 17:00 UTC
Global Youth Summit & Engagement Program
Applications and Nominations are open for participants
It is undeniable that we are in the midst of an unprecedented time in global history. Our planetary boundaries are approaching and, in some cases, surpassed their limits, global economic and financial systems are no longer accessible for many, and the polarization of our political systems is creating mistrust in our governments as a functional avenue to avoid these wicked and intertwined problems that are putting our future at risk. We feel that connecting, educating, and empowering a global youth network is imperative to addressing these interconnected global challenges
The Club of Rome in partnership with the Penn State Sustainability Institute are looking for university-age students interested in participating in a year-long international youth-engagement program.
Program Overview: This effort aims t

develop a cohort of global youth ready to engage with each other, increasing their ability to genuinely listen, build diverse relationships, and engage with peers about global issues;
provide a structure for youth to use these skills to engage their peers in regional listening sessions;
synthesize these findings and submit a formal report to the Club of Rome; and
develop a framework on how to initiate a culturally inclusive international and intergenerational dialogue

Global Youth Summit-October 3, 4, & 7th
This summit intends to bring together a regional group of youth to participate in discussions focused on the Club of Rome’s Impact Hub topics (Climate-Planetary Emergency, Emerging New Civilization, Reframing Economics, and Rethinking Finance). The summit will take place virtually via zoom on October 3rd or 4th depending on geographic region.
Specific Dates/Times based on region

Asia & Australia | Saturday, October 3rd (1p – 5p GMT)
Europe, Africa and Middle East | Sunday, October 4th (1p – 5p GMT)
Americas, Caribbean | Sunday, October 4th (7p – 11p GMT)

Following this discussion, on October 7th, a select group of participants will attend the Club of Rome general meeting to participate in an intergenerational dialogue with Club of Rome Members.
Virtual Youth Engagement–November 2020 through April 2021
Following the summit, this cohort of youth will receive facilitator training and begin facilitating a year-long series of virtual listening sessions to understand what the youth have to say about their concerns and aspirations for the future. We anticipate this being a 6-8 hour commitment per month.

Professional Development
Throughout the year, participants will be invited to reconnect as a global cohort to discuss, exchange ideas and participate in professional development webinars and discussions by notable scientists, economists, business leaders, high-level civil servants, and former heads of state from around the world.

Communicate the Youth Voice-October 2021
Concluding the year of listening sessions, the session information will be compiled into a Global Youth Report and, with a concrete action plan, be presented back to the Club of Rome during their fall 2021 annual meeting. This document will also be shared back with our global network of university and NGO partners.

Application/Nomination – Wednesday, September 16th
Our ideal student participant is not an expert by any means, but we are looking for candidates who have potential and a willingness to learn and actively engage. This student might be interested in pursuing a career in international development, nonprofit development, governmental affairs, etc.

concerns about sustainability and the environment;
willingness to express own ideas clearly, persuasively and pose relevant questions to propel the discussion;
self-motivated and desire to have an impact in their community;
ability to actively listen and acknowledges different perspectives; and
intermediate to advanced English proficiency

If you are a current university age student (17-30) and interested in partnering on this project, please consider applying. If you are a university faculty/staff member or connected with a young person who would be an excellent addition to our project, please consider nominating them for this opportunity using the online submission (https://forms.gle/G5msQdY7uguavd3EA) or by visiting the program website (https://bit.ly/32SYaHQ).

© 2020 Club of Rome

Join the WE4F Regional Innovation Hub Virtual Kickoff Calls
2020-09-28 14:00 - 2020-09-29 13:00 UTC
Starting September 28th, WE4F’s Regional Innovation Hubs (RIHs) will host four virtual kick-offs. The hubs work with innovators, investors, and other partners to provide technical and/or financial assistance, improve enabling environments, and develop other regional activities. Each RIH will discuss the countries they cover, their operations, and what comes next. earn more about each hub and find out how to become a partner here.

Conference on Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus scientific advances in the Mediterranean region
2020-09-22 - 2020-09-23
*COVID 19 event changes: due to the coronavirus crisis, the conference has been postponed to May 2021 – a new date will be communicated in due course*
The 2020 WEFE Nexus Science Advances Conference is organised by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) and the Cyprus Institute to address the role of science as a driver of innovation and its interface with the policymaking process.
Rationale
Sustainable development in the Mediterranean region is facing a combination of challenges that are likely to undermine livelihoods. The Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus is gaining increasing attention in policymaking and research communities as a means of addressing sectoral interdependencies in the management of natural resources and as an approach for operationalising the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is evident in the rapidly growing literature in the field. However, most of the published studies merely debate the need to fully understand the interdependencies between the WEFE sectors, with few examples of successful ground-level WEFE Nexus practices.
Answering the broad range of questions embraced by the Nexus concept is clearly a challenging process. The role of the research community is to support this process by pooling together multi-disciplinary competences to show decision-makers the co-benefits of and trade-offs between future energy, food and ecosystem security plans and water policies. In this way, scientists and stakeholders will not only be able to “speak the same language”, but also to agree on best practices and solutions to be shared and used across country borders.
Objectives of the Conference
With a focus on the Mediterranean, the Conference will look at the four aspects of the WEFE Nexus from different perspectives (e.g. through the eyes of economists, sociologists and end users) and canvass opinions on how to approach the cross-sectoral management of WEFE resources.
Participants will include scientists, business and water practitioners, professional organisations as well as governmental and regional policymakers and NGOs from across the Mediterranean countries, all brought together to:

Explore capacity for cross-sectoral analyses of the use of natural resources by exchanging knowledge on the development, use and demonstration of Nexus methodologies applicable across scales;
Promote the collection of best WEFE Nexus practices in the Mediterranean region and the incorporation of lessons learnt into hands-on guidance for the development of innovative and economically viable roll-outs;
Elaborate on the role of a WEFE Nexus Community of Practice to stimulate cross-organisation collaboration and knowledge sharing in the Mediterranean region.

The outcomes of the Conference will contribute to the objectives set out in the UfM Water Declaration, the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of PRIMA and the actions proposed by the European Commission in the roadmap of the new European Green Deal.
Practical Information
The Conference will take place at the Cyprus Institute in Nicosia (Cyprus).
No registration fee is foreseen for participation in the 2-day event.
Further information on registration and the final agenda will be made available soon.
For Further Information Click Here

International Conference on Sustainable Development
2020-09-20 15:00 - 2020-09-23 19:00 UTC
Registration for International Conference on Sustainable Development 2020 is open! Registration is completely free for all.
We have 14 sessions you can attend across 2 days; 10 “Plenary and Parallel” sessions and 4 “Poster Sessions.” Each has a separate registration window; you are welcome to register for as many sessions as you like. For more details on the full program, scroll below. Detailed parallel and poster session schedules.
To help you get comfortable with our conference software Remo, we have developed a Remo FAQs and Trouble Shooting guide.

We hope to see you online September 21-22 for ICSD 2020 as we promote Cross-Cutting Solutions for the Decade of Action.
©2020 International Conference on Sustainable Development

PAU Scholarships Application Platform
2020-09-16 08:00 - 2020-09-25 23:59 (Europe/Paris)
The Pan African University is an initiative of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union. It is a Premier continental university network whose mission is to provide quality postgraduate education geared towards the achievement of a prosperous, integrated and peaceful Africa.
Young, qualified, talented and enterprising applicants from African countries and the African Diaspora are invited to apply to join Masters or PhD degree programmes at any of the following four PAU institutes listed below. Candidates with potential, motivation and who desire to play transformative leadership roles as academics, professionals, industrialists, innovators and entrepreneurs are particularly encouraged to apply.
Candidates must satisfy the following conditions

Maximum age of 30 years for male and 35 years for female applicants

Undergraduate degree from a recognized university, with at least a second class upper division or its equivalent, in a relevant field;

Certified copies of relevant certificates, transcripts (from university and high school)

Passport or National I.D. card (personal details page)

Clear colored passport size photograph (2cmx2cm)

Detail CV

Recommendation letter from ONE of his/her former University lecturers

Names of 3 Reference University lecturers (with email address and whatsapp number) (*Mandatory)

Application Procedure
Applications should be completed online at https://www.au-pau.org/submission/
For more information https://www.pau-au.africa/
Closing date for the submission of applications with all supporting documents
25 September 2020. Applications received after this deadline will NOT be considered.
Further enquiries can be made through: pau.scholarships@africa-union.org
Copyright © 2020 PanAfrican University

Virtual workshop for African early career researchers
2020-09-09 - 2020-09-10
Details
Date: 9 – 10 September 2020
For more information and to apply click here
About
Background
Future Earth will support Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from Africa to join
consortium proposals for the Belmont Forum Collaborative Research Action (CRA) on
Transdisciplinary Research for Pathways to Sustainability by organising a virtual
capacity building workshop on 09 – 10 September 2020. The workshop will bring
together approximately 30 ECRs and 5 mid-to-late-career researchers. The event is
organized in collaboration with the Future Earth Office for Southern Africa (FEROSA),
the Program for Early-stage Grants Advancing Sustainability Science (PEGASuS), the
National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF), the African Future Earth
Committee (AFEC), and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD).
Objective
The objective of this training is to support early career researchers from African
countries in 1) gaining a better understanding of the Belmont Forum and its application
processes; 2) networking in order to create eligible consortia; and 3) capacity
mobilization in communication and proposal writing. We aim to mobilize capacities by
improving the participants’ understanding of the functioning of Belmont Forum CRAs,
offering training in storytelling and strategic communication for impactful research, and
by creating networking opportunities among early career researchers as well as with
senior scientists. This will give ECRs the opportunity to present and promote their
research in order to create collaborations with senior researchers, potentially leading to
building a joint consortium.
Rolling out of the workshop
The workshop will be split in two parts.
Day 1: is dedicated exclusively to early career researchers from Africa and aims to
provide them with a deeper understanding of the Belmont Forum and the Pathways
CRA, as well as training in storytelling and strategic communication for impactful
research. Main sessions are: Introduction to the Belmont Forum & How to apply to the
call; Introduction to the Pathways CRA; Training session on storytelling for scientists
and strategic communication; first networking opportunities.
Day 2: is dedicated to networking and deep exchanges between early careers and
senior researchers. Senior scientists from across eligible countries will connect with
ECRs on selected topics relevant to “Transdisciplinary Research for Pathways to
Sustainability”. The main focus of this day will be on breakout groups between the
senior scientists and the early careers to explore potential collaborations. A thorough
selective process prior to the workshop will ensure that the early career researchers
backgrounds match those of the senior scientists

Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge (WE4F): Introductory Week
2020-09-08 - 2020-09-12
Join the Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge (WE4F) on September 8th for a week chock full of insights, exchanges, and throwbacks.
About this Event
The sessions will focus on the creation of the new program WE4F and the successes and challenges of its predecessors, Securing Water for Food Grand Challenge (SWFF) and Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge (PAEGC).
WE4F is a joint international initiative of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands, Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Announced at World Water Week 2018 and launched at Social Capital Markets 2019 signature event in San Francisco, California, WE4F aims to:

Increase food production along the value chain through a more sustainable and efficient usage of water and/or energy.
Increase income for poor women and men in both rural and urban areas.
Sustainably scale innovators’ solutions to meet the challenges in the WE4F nexus.
Promote climate and environmental resilience and biodiversity through the sustainable, holistic management of natural resources and ecosystems.

The series is open to the public and you may attend one webinar or the full week.
Agenda for the Week:
Tuesday, September 8th
9:00 AM EST/15:00 CEST – Becoming One: Official Launch of WE4F
Wednesday, September 9th
9:00 AM EST /15:00 CEST – SWFF in Review: Impacts and Evaluations from the Dexis Team
10:15 AM EST/16:15 CEST – 40 Innovators, 7 million people, and 19 billion liters: Lessons Learned from SWFF
Thursday, September 10th
9:00 AM EST/15:00 CEST – Powering Agriculture Final Evaluation – What Have We Accomplished?
10:15 AM EST/16:15 CEST – Impact of Powering Agriculture: On the Ground and at 30,000 feet
Friday, September 11th
9:00 AM EST/15:00 CEST – Same Mission, Different Solutions: SWFF & PAEGC Views on Technical Assistance & Innovation Scaling
10:15 AM EST /16:15 CEST – New Program, New Solutions – WE4F’s Path Forward
The WE4F Introductory Week is part of the larger WE4F: New Program, New Goals, New Innovations event. Follow us on Twitter @WE4FGCD and on Facebook @WaterEnergy4Food to learn more about our upcoming WE4F Hub Kick-Offs and Lessons Learned Webinar Series.
© 2020 Water and Energy for Food Grand Challenge

AGRF Virtual Summit
2020-09-08 - 2020-09-11
About
What: Tenth Annual Summit of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF)
Theme: Feed the Cities, Grow the Continent: Leveraging Urban Food Markets to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in Africa
Date: 8-11 September 2020
To register and learn more click here
Details
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tenth Annual Summit of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), which brings together over thousands of delegates from governments, the civil society, the private sector, research community and development partners will be held virtually from 8-11 September 2020 and will be co-hosted by the Government of Rwanda and the AGRF Partners Group.
Organized under the leadership of H.E. President Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda, this year’s Summit comes at an unprecedented time when African major cities especially those that mainly rely on imported food face a looming hunger crisis following implementation of lockdowns in several countries to contain the spread of COVID-19. It also comes at a time Africa is faced with several other challenges that include climate change, malnutrition, poverty, emergence of pests such as desert locusts and fall armyworms and now coronavirus. The AGRF Summit will inspire and call for the adoption of concrete action and commitments from governments, the private sector, farmers and processors, and other stakeholders in the agriculture and food systems sector.
The theme of the summit, Feed the Cities, Grow the Continent: Leveraging Urban Food Markets to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in Africa, is a call to action to rethink our food systems to deliver resilient, better nourished, and more prosperous outcomes for all.
© AGRF 2020

Conference: Week on Water for Development in August 2020
2020-08-24 - 2020-08-28
Details
Event: Week on Water for Development (WW4D) –
Dates: 24 to 28 August 2020
Organizer: German development cooperation (GIZ)
WW4D is also part of SIWI’s Stockholm World Water Week at home 2020
For more information and to register click here
About
How does climate change impact the quantity and quality of water? What are innovative finance mechanisms in the urban sanitation sector? And what is the role of Water Operator’s Partnerships in providing technical assistance in developing countries?
Those and many more questions will be tackled during the Week on Water for Development (WW4D) from 24 to 28 August. This virtual five-day conference, organised by the German development cooperation (GIZ), connects relevant stakeholders around key topics on water. WW4D is also part of SIWI’s Stockholm World Water Week at home 2020. A special focus is given to recent key concerns such as the impacts of COVID-19 and climate change on water and sanitation. During WW4D, GIZ collaborates with more than 50 partners to present and discuss recent findings, publications as well as best practices from the field.
Topics
24.08.2020 – Water and Climate Change
25.08.2020 – Finance and Governance
26.08.2020 – IWRM, Nexus and biodiversity
27.08.2020 – WASH and utilities
28.08.2020 – WASH and gender
Each day will be introduced by a key quote of a renowned individual of the water world. In more than 25 virtual meetings, participants get the chance to experience panel discussions and expert talks as well as to take part in interactive dialogues themselves. The aim is to encourage stakeholder exchange and learn from experiences in partner countries in order to face current challenges in the water sector. Among others, experiences from India, Jordan, Uganda and Thailand will be shared.
© 2020 Nexus – The Water, Energy & Food Security Platform

Webinar: Localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Lessons from South Africa
2020-08-04 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
Details
Title: Localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Lessons from South Africa
Date: Aug 4, 2020
Time: 2:00 PM CAT
Register Here
About
The webinar will seek to explore the South African SDG landscape, with inputs from National departments, Metropolitan Municipalities, Intermediary Cities, and practitioners, in order to draw out some key learnings and insights that could be applied elsewhere to inspire localisation of the SDGs across the African continent. Reflecting on the South African SDG localisation experience to date will serve as a case study from which lessons will be shared by a diverse panel of speakers who have first-hand experience in navigating the complexities of sustainable development. The critical role of both local and national governments in localising the SDGs, and the need for strong multi-level governance to enable the transition to sustainability will be showcased. Through the presentations delivered, the webinar seeks to discuss key principles for making the SDGs a reality in and around African cities. This webinar will form the first of a two-part series. The second webinar, scheduled for 1 September 2020, will build on the South African case study and seek to present an approach to understanding the localisation of the SDGs on the African continent more broadly.

DAFNE e-Summer School
2020-08-03 - 2020-08-31
About

Venue: Online
Registration opens: 9th July 2020 (first come, first served)
Registration closes: 3rd August 2020
Access to video lectures opens: 3rd August 2020
Q&A sessions: 24 – 26 August 2020

Register Here
Information
The DAFNE e-summer school will provide know-how transfer about methodological aspects required for the investigation of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus and the identification of sustainable WEF management strategies in the context of and transboundary water resources systems. While the value and the applicability of the methodological approach presented is fairly general, its application is illustrated by means of two exemplary case studies, the Zambezi River Basin (ZRB) and the Omo-Turkana Basin (OTB).
During the e-summer school you will:

learn about DAFNE’s decision analytical framework and model based WEF nexus assessment
discuss drivers and indicators of environmental change and governance issues
experience innovative knowledge sharing and decision aid tools for the WEF assessment.

We invite participants interested in the water, energy and agricultural sectors to join the e-summer school. The format could be particularly interesting for:

Students;
Early career researchers;
and practitioners in the indicated areas.

Find more information about the programme and the contents of the different sessions here
© 2016 DAFNE project

Dialogue on "Transitioning towards a circular economy post Covid-19"
2020-07-28 09:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Helsinki) | online
View Webinar Recording Here
Details
Time: 28 July, 2020 from 9:00am – 12:30pm
View program details here
Click here to register
The Water Research Commission of South Africa, in partnership with the Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Agriculture Research Council (ARC), seek to convene a discussion that will set an agenda on developing pathways that build resilience in the water and energy sectors and improve service delivery amongst vulnerable groups lacking access to gridded services
About
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for polycentric and transformative approaches, such as nexus planning, circular economy and scenario planning, as global and local systems have come under strain. Post Covid-19 interventions to resuscitate economies will require approaches that facilitate resilience building and transitioning towards a circular economy as well as an inclusive green economy. Within the context of the WEF nexus, there is an urgent need to further unpack the intricate interlinkages between sustainable water and sanitation access and clean renewable energy through transformative approaches for enhanced service delivery, especially in vulnerable communities that lack gridded services. Even before Covid-19, nexus planning was being touted as a possible solution to help transition Africa into a more sustainable and resilient society capable of delivering on socio-economic outcomes such as job and employment creation. However, while nexus planning has been gaining momentum, a lot of questions still exist as many still do not understand its relevance. Given its importance in the post Covid-19 world, there is need to unpack nexus planning viz the transitions that it can facilitate in post Covid-19 society

Webinar: The impact of Covid-19 on Africa’s energy sector
2020-07-24 10:30 - 12:30 UTC
Details
Title: The role of renewables to empower a long term and sustainable recovery
Date: 24th, June 2020

Concept note
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About
According to official data, the spread of Covid-19 in Africa is lower than in other geographies, but not less worrying. Africa has to face the pandemic with a fragile healthcare system and urban organisation characterised by overcrowded slums, where social distancing is practically impossible.

The other face of the pandemic is the dramatic economic consequence, empathised by a situation where 600 million people live in poverty and with no access to energy. Due to the Covid-19 crisis, the African economy is suffering by its dependency to other economies, by the collapse of commodity prices and for shutdown of the activities in response to the lockdown measures.
The renewable energy sector can play a fundamental role in the fight against Covid-19’s disastrous effects. Access to reliable and sustainable energy is a crucial need at all times, and becomes even more important for supporting essential services during a global crisis. In a period of extreme crisis such as the one we are experiencing, ensuring a continuous flow of electricity is essential to keep the strategic infrastructures of the countries alive. It is also a stimulus measure to boost the economic recovery, addressing short-term challenges as well as the longer-term structural shift towards a low-carbon economy.
The study, developed by the RES4Africa Foundation and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in partnership with SDA Bocconi and with the support of Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and Ethiopian Women in Energy (EWiEn), aims to explore the impact of Covid-19 on the African economies and their energy sector. The study also analyses the role of renewable energy in the post-Covid phase, providing policy recommendations to sustain the growth in a new sustainable equilibrium.
Thanks to the partnership with local stakeholders such as SAPP and EWiEn, and thanks to the broader experience and knowhow of UNECA and SDA Bocconi, the study builds on reliable and accurate data.
©RES4Africa Foundation

Webinar: Water, Energy, and Food Nexus and the COVID-19 Pandemic
2020-07-21 10:30 - 12:00 UTC
View Webinar Recording Here
About
Date: Tuesday 21 July 2020
Time: 10:30 – 12:00 (CAT)
Access webinar concept note here
Registration link here
Details
The water energy food (WEF) nexus approach has received growing attention and has been subject to research in Southern Africa. For its operationalisation, the nexus approach challenges existing structures, policies and procedures at regional and national levels and hence, needs to overcome various barriers. There has been progress in developing knowledge, frameworks and tools on operationalising the nexus in Southern Africa and this has undoubtedly been affected by the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic since late 2019. WaterNet, WRC, UKZN, IHE-DELFT, GWP-SA and ARC have also been planning around capacity development and knowledge management to be part of the next phase of the WEF nexus agenda in Southern Africa. The momentum in WEF nexus research, capacity development and dialogues has undoubtedly been impacted by shifting priorities towards health, nationwide lockdowns and changes in working environments. There is therefore a need to have an in-depth discussion on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the WEF Nexus in the SADC Region. Such an analysis will help in identifying gaps or opportunities within the nexus that can be taken forward post the pandemic. The speakers are all working on different aspects of the WEF nexus and will deliver different perspectives on how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted their WEF nexus agenda.

Webinar: Indigenous and Local Knowledge Dialogue Workshop
2020-07-16 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
Details
Date: 16 July 2020
Time: 14.00 – 16.00 CEST
Please click here to register: https://ipbes.net/ilk-nexus-transformative-meeting
For more information please visit IPBES website
About
IPBES is organizing a virtual dialogue meeting on recognizing and working with indigenous and local knowledge in the nexus and transformative change assessments. The dialogue meeting will be held on 16 July 2020, 14.00 – 16.00 CEST in the context of the implementation of the IPBES approach to recognizing and working with indigenous and local knowledge adopted by the IPBES Plenary in decision IPBES-5/1. All interested experts on indigenous and local knowledge and members of indigenous peoples and local communities are invited to attend the virtual dialogue meeting and exchange with the scoping experts.

Webinar: Draft scoping reports for the IPBES nexus and transformative change assessments
2020-07-14 15:00 - 16:45 UTC
Details
Date: 14 July 2020
Time: 15:00 – 16:45 CEST
Please click here to register: https://bit.ly/2YaxWiE
For more information please visit IPBES website
About
The review of the draft scoping report for the nexus assessment (thematic assessment of the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health in the context of climate change) is currently ongoing between 5 June and 31 July 2020 (EM/2020/14). The review of the draft scoping report of the transformative change assessment (thematic assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, determinants of transformative change and options for achieving the 2050 vision for biodiversity) will follow shortly: from 3 July to 28 August 2020. A virtual dialogue meeting for national focal points to support them in reviewing the drafts will be held from 6 to 10 July 2020, as announced in notification EM/2020/17.
In addition, all interested stakeholders are invited to participate in a webinar, during which scoping experts will present the draft scoping reports and discuss clarifications on the reports in response to questions from participants. The webinar will be held on 14 July 2020, 15:00 – 16:45 CEST in the context of IPBES’ work on capacity-building and stakeholder engagement (objectives 2 and 5 of the IPBES work programme up to 2030).

Ways to Walk the Water-Energy-Food Nexus Talk: The Way Forward
2020-07-08 15:00 - 16:30 (Europe/Moscow) | online
Details
The webinar will be held on Wednesday, 8 July 2020, 3:00-4:30 PM EAT.
Please register here
For more information, please visit the webpage of the event.
About
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa Office/Energy Unit, and Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities are pleased to invite you to the concluding event of a series of webinars on the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus.
These webinars aimed at providing a throughout understanding of why implementing the WEF is essential for human well-being, poverty alleviation, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first three webinars took place in March, April and May 2020 and focused respectively on energy, water and food. This upcoming event will provide the audience with the opportunity to engage in a final discussion with the experts, some of them who joined the previous webinars, regarding the WEF Nexus.
© United Nations Environment Programme

Webinar: Tailoring Nutrient Management for Conservation Agriculture in Africa
2020-07-02 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
About
ICYMI Dr. Hakim Boulal from The African Plant Nutrition Institute delivers the most recent Mohammed VI Polytechnic University ESAFE webinar on Tailoring Nutrient Management for Conservation Agriculture in Africa.
Watch full webinar recording here

Webinar - A new era for food and climate: Driving transformative actions
2020-06-25 08:30 - 20:30 (Europe/Helsinki)
About
Join CGIAR on 25 June 2020, for a global event to spark action to transform food systems to avert a food and climate crisis in the time of COVID-19.
A new era for food and climate: Driving transformative actions, is a full-day, around-the-world virtual relay event that starts in Australia and concludes in Colombia. The event aims to inspire collective action on the 11 priorities laid out in the flagship report of the Transforming Food Systems Under a Changing Climate initiative, catalyzing efforts to address the current food crisis prompted by COVID-19 and averting future food insecurity from our changing climate. The report, Actions to Transform Food Systems Under Climate Change, launching on 25 June, is the collaborative work of a panel of global experts in food security, food systems and climate change. It identifies high-priority actions that we must collectively take now.
For more information and to register click here
