IW:LEARN contributes to 9th Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems (WFEE) Nexus meeting in Geneva

18 Jun 2025 | by francesca@iwlearn.org
IW:LEARN joined the 9th Meeting of the Task Force on the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus, organized under the Water Convention and taking place on 18 June 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Konstantina Toli, IW:LEARN Project Coordinator at UNESCO-IOC, moderated the discussion among distinguished panelists on “Why Ecosystems are at the Heart of the WFEE Nexus". Session participants reflected on the special role of ecosystem services for water, food and energy security and their linkages with sectoral developments, while discussing how to address trade-offs and create synergies at the policy and technical levels.  

About the Session 

Session Title: Why Ecosystems are at the Heart of the WFEE Nexus 
Time: 10:05 – 12:00 CEST 
Moderator: Konstantina Toli, IW:LEARN Coordinator, UNESCO-IOC 

Building from previous meetings and workshops on freshwater ecosystems, this session explored how ecosystem services are at the core of WFEE Nexus. Prof. Owen McIntyre, from the University of Cork set the scene, followed by the presentation by IPBES report Thematic Assessment Report on the Interlinkages among Biodiversity, Water, Food and Health.

Speakers, spanning from Australia to Central Asia and from Zambia to Chile, presented their national and regional efforts to integrate ecosystems in the WFEE Nexus, while representatives from funding mechanisms like the GEF showcased successful examples of cross-sector cooperation in shared freshwater ecosystems as a basis for benefit-sharing.

The discussion reflected on ways to integrate ecosystems into sectoral policy dialogues, balance trade-offs, and build cooperation across borders.  

Panelists include representatives from: 

  • Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) 
  • Scientific Information Center for Interstate Commission for Water Coordination in Central Asia (SIC-ICWC) 
  • Ministry of Public Works, Chile 
  • Global Environment Facility International Waters Program (GEF) 
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia 

Learn more about the event here. 

About the Task Force 

The Task Force on the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems (WFEE) Nexus under the Water Convention is a global platform fostering cross-sectoral cooperation in transboundary basins. Established in 2012, it brings together policymakers and experts to share knowledge, guide nexus assessments, and address water allocation challenges. Its work helps countries implement integrated solutions for sustainable resource management and climate resilience.