Regional Dialogue on Water-Energy Nexus

Regional Dialogue on Water-Energy Nexus

Objectives: On May 25-26, 2015, Energy Ministers and Senior Officials of the Americas met in Merida, Mexico, for the Second Ministerial Meeting of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas. During the Ministerial, Panama’s National Secretary of Energy, Victor Carlos Urrutia, Mexico’s Secretary of Energy, Pedro Joaquin Coldwell, and the United States Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, participated in a water-energy nexus discussion to address the intrinsic relationship between energy and water, best practices in the region and the prospective multilateral initiatives.

This regional dialogue on the water-energy nexus taking place in Panama May 24-25, 2016 is proposed as a follow up to the exchanges initiated in Mexico and aims to:

– promote an integrated view of water and energy management systems;

– showcase successful experiences where issues arising from the linkages between water and energy systems have been well managed;

– establish an inter-American cooperation framework that encourages an integrated water and energy management with an adequate assessment of the intrinsic relationship between them;

Background: Historically, the regulation and management of water and energy systems have been delegated to government agencies that work parallel and independent of each other.. Nowadays, given the, growing awareness of the intrinsic relationship between water and energy systems, this relationship is changing. Considering large amounts of water is needed in almost all phases of the energy generation process and substantial amount of energy is required to extract, process, transport and supply water for human use and to process wastewater before returning them to their natural beds
As climate change is one of the major determinants of water availability (IPCC, 2013) its impacts should be analyzed and managed in the context of the water-energy nexus. This new trend requires the review of traditional patterns off water and energy systems management in order to adapt them to a comprehensive vision that takes into account the reciprocal impacts of both systems.

Methodology: The speakers will present the experiences of each of the sector’s managing both the energy and water resources, emphasizing the use of essential elements such as institutional and legal frameworks, financial mechanisms, public participation, transparency and accountability. Two perspective areas will be presented, a transnational or sub-regional approach and a national approach.

See event agenda, here.

The Business Dialogue of the Americas will meet on May 25 at 2:30 PM. All guests of the Regional dialogue on Water-Energy Nexus are invited to participate in this dialogue sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank.

See event agenda, here.