This research project proposes to develop a water, energy and food nexusing approach that increases resilience capabilities in the Cape Town Metropolitan region. The water-energy-food nexus has emerged as a framework for integrated resource management. To date, however, the practical adoption of nexus approaches into governance practices and policies has lagged behind policy ambitions. The contention of this proposal is that to increase the scientific and societal value of nexus approaches, an expanded view on nexusing processes is required.

Therefore, this project will critically explore the water-energy-food nexus through three main points of departure: the first is to understand the multi-dimensional interaction of water, energy and food systems. The second is to assess how the water-energy-food nexus materialises in selected socio-spatial contexts in Cape Town. Thirdly, the aim is to
understand the wicked governance challenges of mitigating, coping with, preparing for, and adapting to urban resource crises. Finally, the project will develop multi-scale procedural guidelines and policy briefs to inform nexusing practices. To achieve these objectives, the research adopts a complex systems approach which systematically addresses the multi-dimensional nature of the water-energy-food nexus. Through a multi-disciplinary approach and in close collaboration with societal partners, WEF nexusing will be explored as a broader process-oriented approach to howresources do, and can, interact and be governed across siloed domains.

This is a crucially important endeavour in the city of Cape Town which faces a triple exposure to interrelated water, energy and food crises. Through this expanded perspective, and emerging from the urgent need for concerted urban action, this broader view of nexusing will be framed through the conceptual lens of urban resilience. The research will assess the vulnerabilities and resilience of complex system interactions to develop recommendations for coordinating resilience strategies that work complementary to existing governance arrangements.

• prof. mr. Marleen van Rijswick
• prof. mr. Anoeska Buijze
• prof. dr. Maarten Hajer
• prof. dr. Jochen Monstadt
• Nicola Harvey

This research project proposes to develop a water, energy and food nexusing approach that increases resilience capabilities in the Cape Town Metropolitan region. The water-energy-food nexus has emerged as a framework for integrated resource management. To date, however, the practical adoption of nexus approaches into governance practices and policies has lagged behind policy ambitions. The contention of this proposal is that to increase the scientific and societal value of nexus approaches, an expanded view on nexusing processes is required.

Therefore, this project will critically explore the water-energy-food nexus through three main points of departure: the first is to understand the multi-dimensional interaction of water, energy and food systems. The second is to assess how the water-energy-food nexus materialises in selected socio-spatial contexts in Cape Town. Thirdly, the aim is to
understand the wicked governance challenges of mitigating, coping with, preparing for, and adapting to urban resource crises. Finally, the project will develop multi-scale procedural guidelines and policy briefs to inform nexusing practices. To achieve these objectives, the research adopts a complex systems approach which systematically addresses the multi-dimensional nature of the water-energy-food nexus. Through a multi-disciplinary approach and in close collaboration with societal partners, WEF nexusing will be explored as a broader process-oriented approach to howresources do, and can, interact and be governed across siloed domains.

This is a crucially important endeavour in the city of Cape Town which faces a triple exposure to interrelated water, energy and food crises. Through this expanded perspective, and emerging from the urgent need for concerted urban action, this broader view of nexusing will be framed through the conceptual lens of urban resilience. The research will assess the vulnerabilities and resilience of complex system interactions to develop recommendations for coordinating resilience strategies that work complementary to existing governance arrangements.

• prof. mr. Marleen van Rijswick
• prof. mr. Anoeska Buijze
• prof. dr. Maarten Hajer
• prof. dr. Jochen Monstadt
• Nicola Harvey

Cities and urban regions are key sites and vantage points of societal transitions to circular economies, healthy living, resilience and inclusiveness. One of the key mediators of such transitions are technical infrastructures—socio-technical systems in the provision of energy, water, wastewater, waste, mobility and information and communication services. However, those systems are highly path dependent and are interlaced with the built environments of cities, urban practices of production and use and embedded in a complex web of political interests and epistemic cultures. Our infrastructure choices today set the default for many decades to come. Changing urban infrastructures thus imposes exceptionally high requirements in terms of the transformative knowledge for decision makers. Our ambition with this hub is to develop a platform for new transdisciplinary collaborations on urban sustainability transitions through the lens of urban infrastructures. We will explore and test innovative techniques and practices of urban ‘futuring’, experimentation, co-provision and governance in cities around the world and develop sustainability indicators and assessment tools to understand, evaluate and promote pathways to urban sustainability. The hub will bring together the substantive knowledge of leading researchers at Utrecht University and will work closely together with stakeholders in novel ways to co-create knowledge in ‘city learning labs’ and transdisciplinary workshops, that is both policy relevant and intellectually ambitious.

• prof. dr. ir. B. (Bert) Brunekreef
• prof. dr. Harriet Bulkeley
• dr. ir. J. Colen Ladeia Torrens MSc
• prof. dr. Peter Driessen
• dr. Martijn van den Hurk
• prof. dr. Albert Meijer
• dr. Peter Pelzer
• dr. Vanessa Timmer
• prof. dr. ir. R.C.H. (Roel) Vermeulen
• prof. dr. Annelies Zoomers
• prof. dr. Jochen Monstadt