Conference // The Food-Energy-Water Nexus Conference

The conference will address how to provide food, energy and water for a population of 9 billion by mid-century without overwhelming our environment. Join over 1,000 leaders in science, technology, government, business, civil society, and education to create strategies and initiatives that move policy into practice and transform ideas into action

Symposia

Symposia are 90-minute mini plenary sessions. They are comprised of coordinated presentations by a diverse panel of experts who provide insightful perspectives on the topic of the session, followed by moderated discussion among the speakers and a brief question-and-answer period and open discussion with all participants. Sessions in each group occur concurrently. Please register for one from each timeslot.

Symposia A

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 (1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)

SA-1 Opportunities for Science at the Nexus

Partners:

• Ohio State University
• University of Maryland
• Pacific Northwest National Lab
• University of Michigan

SA-2 Feeding 9 Billion Sustainably Part 1

Partners:

• California Academy of Sciences
• International Food Policy Research Institute
• Columbia University
• AeroFarms

SA-3 Opportunities for Innovative Applications in Sustainable Development

Partners:

• United Nations Foundation
• World Environment Center
• World Bank
• Wilson Center

SA-4 Cities at the Nexus

Partners:

• City of Racine
• University of Michigan
• U.S. Forest Service
• Wayne State University

SA-5 Innovations in Modeling and Big Data

Partners:

• University of Texas, Austin
• New York University
• International Food Policy Research Institute

Symposia B

Tuesday, January 19, 2016 (3:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.)

S-B1 Innovations in Managing Water

Partners:

• The Rockefeller Foundation
• Columbia University
• Deloitte Consulting
• World Bank Group
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

S-B2 Innovations in Framing Decisions

Partners:

• Food, Energy, Environment, Water Network
• International Food Policy Research Institute
• Australian National University
• Bureau of Reclamation
• University of Arizona
• Public Policy Institute of California
• University of Nevada, Reno

S-B3 Integrating Nexus Policies at the State Level

Partners:

• U.S. Department of Energy
• California State Water Resources Control Board
• Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable
• Water Use, Projections and Planning, Texas Water Development Board
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

S-B4 Metrics for Food-Energy-Water Projects

Partners:

• The Ohio State University Clemson University
• International Institute for Applied System Analysis
• Towson University
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

S-B5 Community Resilience and Sustainability at the Nexus

Partners:

• The Ohio State University
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• United States Department of Agriculture
• IBM Corporation

Wednesday, January 20, 2016 (11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)

S-C1 Connecting Agricultural Science at the Nexus to Inform Policy

Partners:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture — National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• University of Alabama — Huntsville
• Arizona State University
• Academy for the Environment at the University of Nevada Reno
• Colorado State University

S-C2 Managing Landscapes for Food, Energy, Water and Other Ecosystem Services

Partners:

• United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service
• Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and the Natural Resources
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Chief Economist
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Environmental Markets

S-C3 The Water Energy Nexus

Partners: TBD

S-C4 Saving Water and Energy by Reducing Food Waste

Organizers:

• Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation, MissionPoint Partners

Summary

Over the past few years, NRDC, WRI, FAO and others have released reports highlighting the negative environmental and social impacts of food waste. The numbers are staggering — up to 40% of the food produced in the United States is wasted, all while 1 in 5 Americans is unsure of where there next meal is going to come from. Food waste represents about 5% of all GHG emissions in the United States and 25% of all water use. The issue of food waste touches on many varied social and environmental issues and is tucked behind other banner issues — climate change, sustainable agriculture, the drought, hunger and poverty. It is this interrelated complexity that has caused food waste to remain behind the scenes and only recently, increased attention. While awareness has been increasing over the past few years, many stakeholders are still unsure how to address the issue. This symposium will look at the drivers of food waste, highlighting the complex dynamics of food waste and how we can all work better with one another to drive change. Speakers: TBD

S-C5 Lessons from California and the West

Partners:

• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of California, San Diego
• University of New Mexico
• Colorado Water Institute
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• University of New Mexico School of Law
• Escondido, CA

S-C6 The Nexus in Cities: Measuring Impact and Exploring Solutions

Partners:

• University of Minnesota
• Columbia University
• Wayne State University
• University of Michigan
• Richfield Minnesota
• Cornell University
• Colorado State University

S-C7 Connecting Practice to Education and the Workforce at the Nexus

Partners:

• Vermont Law School
• Kapi'olani Community College- University of Hawaii
• The University of New Mexico — Gallup
• University of Maine
• TERC/CLEAN Network
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Carbon Neutrality Initiative, University of California System

S-C8 Considerations and Challenges Associated with a Vibrant BioEconomy

Partners:

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• United States Environmental Protection Agency
• Agricultural Research Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• BIOEN

S-C9 Measuring Natural Capital to Inform Policy and Management

Partners:

• U.S. Department of State
• Conservation International
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
• World Resources Institute
• World Bank Group
• Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center (USGS)

S-C10 Engineering Solutions for Food-Energy-Water Systems: It's More Than Engineering

Partners:

• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

Symposia D

Thursday, January 21, 2016 (9:50 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.)

S-D1 Human Security at the Nexus: Communication and Dispute Resolution

Partners:

• Pennsylvania State University
• United States Department of Energy
• University of California- Irvine
• Arizona State University
• The Story Collider,
• U.S. Department of State
• Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science

S-D2 Public Opinion and Nexus Policy

Partners:

• Texas A&M University
• Tufts University

S-D3 Ecosystem Services for Nexus Solutions

Partners:

• Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Water Land and Ecosystems
• International Water Management Institute(IWMI)
• International Food Policy Research Institute
• New York University
• International Union for Conservation of Nature
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Boston University

S-D4 Confluence of Government, Industry and Academic Research Activities

Partners:

• University of Alabama
• University of Central Florida
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• The Coca-Cola Company
• Georgia Institute of Technology

S-D5 Innovative Water Based Solutions

Partners:

• The Rockefeller Foundation
• University of Massachusetts
• Winrock International
• University of California, Merced

S-D6 Market-Based Strategies at the Nexus

Partners:

• United States Forest Service

S-D7 Feeding 9 Billion Sustainably Part 2

Partners:

• United States Department of Agriculture(USDA) Economic Research Service
• New York University
• National Academy of Sciences

S-D8 Fish, the Forgotten Food Source, in Food-Water-Energy Nexus

Partners:

• U.S. Geological Survey
• Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

S-D9 Integrating Water and Energy Efficiency

Partners: - Environmental Defense Fund - Center for Water-Energy Efficiency, University of California-Davis - WaterSmart Software - CPS Energy S-D10 Sustainable Food-Energy-Water Nexus Education Partners: - University of Florida - Center for Environmental Education Research (CEER) - Arizona State University School of Sustainability - International Society of Sustainability Professionals S-D11 Transforming Food and Agricultural Policy Partners: - The George Washington University - United States Department of Agriculture - United States Agency for International Development (USAID) World Cafe's The World Cafe's are 90-minute "speed nextworking" sessions. They are comprised of short presentations by a diverse panel of experts who provide insightful perspectives on the topic of the session, followed by open discussion with all participants. Sessions in each group occur concurrently. Please register for one from each timeslot.

World Cafe's Round 1

World Cafés Round 1 (Wednesday 1:50 p.m. — 3:20 p.m.) WC-1- Models, Metrics and Data - Partners: Towson University - International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis - University of Texas — Austin - Clemson University - University of Maryland - State University of New York — College of Environmental Science and Forestry - National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) - U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development - New York University - Ulupono Initiative - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Big Data Partnership - ESRI - Google Earth - Amazon Partnership with NASA's Ames Research Center - KTH Royal Institute of Technology - Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) WC-2- Innovative State and Regional Solutions Partners: - The Pennsylvania State University - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba - Kraz Consulting - Bureau of Land Management - The Nature Conservancy - Chesapeake Research Consortium - The Green Program - LK Consultancy Calgary - EPA Region 3 - Resources and Environmental Policy — University of Montana - Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable WC-3 Innovative Partnerships for Decision-making at the Nexus Partners: - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - US Water Partnership - Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF) - United States Department of Energy - Environmental Protection Agency — Office of Water - General Electric - International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials - Valmont Industries - iDE - The Toro Company WC-4- Future Challenges and Solution at the Water-Agriculture Nexus Part 1 Partners: - Iowa State University - Colorado State University - University of Georgia - National Institutes for Water Resources - Kansas State University - University of California System - Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District - Coca-Cola Company WC-5- Solutions to Energy-Water Conflicts Part 1 Partners: - University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee - Colorado State University - Brooklyn College (CUNY) - Florida A&M University - Mid-West Energy Research Consortium - Wisconsin-Milwaukee NSFI/UCRC on Water Technologies - The City University of New York Graduate Center - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Cooperative Remote Sensing & Technology Center - Noble Energy Adadarko - Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Watertectonics Inc. - Shanghai Institutes for International Studies WC-6- Innovative Solutions in Cities Part 1 Partners: - Wayne State University - Tufts University - Suffolk University - Earthos Institute - Marquette University - University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee - National Resources Defense Council - National Housing Trust WC-7- Connecting Education to Practice and the Workforce at the Nexus Partners: - Vermont Law School - Kapi'olani Community College — University of Hawaii - University of New Mexico — Gallup - TERC/CLEAN Network - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Ohio State University — Battelle - University of Maryland - Cedar Valley College — Dallas County Community College District - North Lake College — Dallas County Community College District - Bristol Community College - Post Carbon Institute - El Centro College — Dallas County Community College District WC-8- Advancing Sustainable Development through FEW Integration Partners: - Sandia National Laboratories - Worldwatch Institute - Adam Smith International - Sustainable World Initiative - University of Maryland - United States Climate Action Network - Climate Resilient Infrastructure Development Facility - Atlantic Council of the United States WC-9- Integrating Food, Energy and Water Systems to Eliminate Waste Partners: - Ohio University - Rutgers University - Consortium for Energy, Economics & the Environment — Ohio University - Voinovich School of Public Affairs and Leadership — Ohio University - City University of New York - Union of Concerned Scientists WC-10 Managing Nutrients, Water, and Energy for Producing More Food with Low Pollution Partners: - University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science - United States Geological Survey - Columbia University - University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Princeton University - North Carolina State University WC-11 Urban Food Systems Partners: - University of the District of Columbia - Florida A&M University - Florida State University - Sustainable in the City - Tower Garden - KI International - University of the District of Columbia — College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) - Center for Urban Agriculture World Cafe's Round 2 World Cafe's Round 2 (Wednesday 3:35 p.m. — 5:05 p.m.) WC-12 Innovative Tools and Uses of Big Data Partners: - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory - United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Marshall Space Flight Center - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Ames Research Center WC-13 Economics and Social Sciences at the Nexus Partners: - Calvin College - Leiden University College in the Netherlands WC-14 Innovation in Bioenergy and the Bioeconomy Partners: - Oak Ridge National Laboratory - United States Environmental Protection Agency - Washington State University - Michigan State University - California Biomass Collaborative - Argonne National Lab - University of Minnesota - Iowa State University - Antares Group Inc. WC-15 Solutions to Energy-Water Conflicts Part 2 Partners: - Hobart & William Smith College - University of Dundee — Scotland - Pennsylvania State University - Smith Butz LLC - Sky Truth - Pieridae Energy - Encana Corporation WC-15 Innovative Solutions to Energy-Water Conflicts Partners: - House Science Committee - Hobart & William Smith College - Smith Butz LLC - Sky Truth - Pennsylvania State University - University of Dundee Scotland - Pierdae Energy - Encana Energy WC-16 Future Challenges and Solutions at the Agriculture-Water Nexus Part 2 Partners: - Pennsylvania State University - LI-COR Biosciences - University of Nebraska — Lincoln - University of Chicago - City College of New York - Lehigh University - Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska - School of Natural Resources (SNR) at the University of Nebraska — Lincoln - Department of Agronomy — Iowa State University WC-17 Innovative Solutions in Cities Part 2 Partners: - Wayne State University - Earthos Institute - Suffolk University - University of Wisconsin — Milwaukee - ALMMA Sustentable - Indonesian Institute of Sciences - National Autonomous University of Mexico - Princeton University - Carleton University - Michigan State University - Tufts University WC-18 Best Practices in Teaching at the Nexus Partners: - University of Main - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences - Simmons College WC-19 Integrating Food and Water into Energy Planning for Sustainable Development Partners: - The Pennsylvania State University - Duke University - RAND Corporation - United Nations Foundation - World Bank Group - KTH Royal Institute of Technology - Howard University - University of Liverpool - University of Dakar (UCAD) — Senegal WC-20 Soil: The invisible link between food, water, and everything else Partners: - Center for Food Safety, Natural Resources Defense Council - The Pennsylvania State University - Texas A&M University - Harvard University - The University of California — Berkeley - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory - The University of California — Davis - Global Environment Facility (GEF) WC-21 Food, Energy and Water in the Corn Belt Partners: - NCSE - Ohio State University - Iowa State University - University of Wisconsin — Madison - South Dakota University WC-22 Aquaponic and Hydroponic Systems Partners: - University of Minnesota — Duluth - University of Arizona - Pennsylvania State University - Work for Progress for America - Rutgers University - Roatan Aquaponics

Workshops

Workshops Round One: January 20, 2016, 2:00 — 5:00 pm Workshops Round Two: January 21, 2016, 2:30 — 5:30 pm The workshops are the core of the conference and are intended to be an opportunity for participants to generate science-based outcomes within the topic area. The goal of the session is to generate additional action through development of improved strategies, tools, and partnerships. The session and follow-up after the conference should develop action plans with commitments to work together for implementation. Workshops Round One W1: Framing Decisions at the River Basin Scale W2: Innovative Water Solutions W3: Saving Water and Energy by Reducing Food Waste Workshops Round Two W4: Framing Decisions at the River Basin Scale W5: Enhancing Research Collaboration