The water-land-food-energy-climate Nexus for a resource efficient Europe

Α novel methodology for addressing policy
inconsistencies and knowledge gaps that hinder the
transition to a greater resource efficiency Europe is
proposed. We focus on the integration of all different
sectors that interact and influence each other, namely the
“water- energy- food- land use- climate nexus” and we
develop tools for identifying and quantifying their complex
interlinkages under the influence of climate change. In
order to achieve this, we employ a series of sophisticated
models (referred to as “thematic models”), each of which
addresses a different nexus dimension, or a combination of
a few, while none addresses all nexus dimensions in an
integrative manner. We use dynamic systems modeling
and other complexity science techniques in order to
“merge” different thematic model outputs in a single
coherent result, which is presented to the user in an easy to
comprehend Serious Game environment. This way, the
effect of policies that are designed to affect one field
(nexus dimension) on others can be quantified and
simulated, thus informing policy-makers for the
unintended consequences of their policies, reducing
uncertainties, covering knowledge gaps and leading to a
resource efficient Europe faster.