​President of the Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Tuesday, talked about involving local communities with the water, energy, food and ecosystems nexus during a conference organized by the University of Jordan (UJ) with the support of the German Foundation for International Cooperation (GIZ).

In his speech during the opening session of the two-day conference, Prince El Hassan discussed the "necessity" of involving stakeholders and local communities in the water, energy, food and ecosystems nexus challenges and achieving citizenship and belonging through work.

Prince El Hassan cited World Bank figures that 40 per cent of the world's population is living under the impact of the water scarcity crisis and that by 2040, an estimated one in four children would live in areas suffering from severe water shortages.

He added that reports from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) indicate that food production must increase by 70 per cent by 2050 to feed a projected global population of 9.7 billion, all while mitigating the environmental impacts of agriculture.

He added that reports and statistics about the water and food realities confirm a "need for a real and effective will to find policies to implement the natural interplay between water, energy, food and ecosystems."

He noted the "importance" of creating a regional water and energy community to link the countries of the Levant, similar to the European Coal and Steel Community.

He called for action to keep people in their land, enhancing the value of human dignity and maximising community investment serving stability and economic modernisation and ensuring the distribution of benefits to different regions.

He discussed the repercussions of the war on embattled Gaza and its finances, the extent of the destruction inflicted on people and the agricultural, water, energy and food sectors.

UJ's Acting President, Prof. Ashraf Abu Karki, stated, "We, at the University of Jordan, recognize the need to work together to formulate a comprehensive strategic vision based on the association between water, energy, food, and the environment. This vision will enable us to achieve development and ensure the sustainability of resources in the long term."

He added, "To achieve this, we aim to target collaboration across different sectors and exchange knowledge. We are committed to promoting scientific research in innovative environmental technology that enhances resource efficiency and improves environmental quality."

Abu Karki emphasized that the UJ's role extends beyond disseminating knowledge through traditional methods to educating and enlightening students and graduates towards building a better future for themselves and their society.

In turn, the Acting German Ambassador to Jordan, Florian Rendel, said, "The scarcity of water resources in Jordan, along with the increasing demand for drinking, irrigation, etc., requires the development of a clear methodology that confirms that sustainable development is an essential link between water and energy."