ESDU at American University of Beirut launches initiative to empower stakeholders in water-energy-waste-food nexus

ESDU at American University of Beirut launches initiative to empower stakeholders in water-energy-waste-food nexus

NNA - The Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (ESDU) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) launched DAWWERA (Designing Alternatives for Water, Waste, and Energy in Rural Areas), an initiative that aims to empower stakeholders in the water-energy-waste-food nexus through integrating the circular economy approach that considers the linkages between these sectors, while capturing the social, economic, and environmental aspects.  

The launch event took place this March at AUB, and was attended by the Lebanese Minister of Environment Nasser Yassine, British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell, Interim Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at AUB Ammar Olabi, and ESDU Executive Director Shady Hamadeh, along with other municipal representatives.

Food security is becoming an increasingly alarming issue in Lebanon. It is entwined with other systems from which the water, waste, and energy sectors are overarching. Overlooking these interconnections when designing policies or strategies for intervention might lead to counteractive and unintended consequences. Therefore, adopting a holistic and integrated approach is crucial to capturing all social, economic, and environmental aspects. 

“Through DAWWERA, the Environment and Sustainable Development Unit at AUB will work on enhancing and empowering small-scale food producers in the rural areas of Lebanon by integrating the circular economy into the