The two-day event was the natural conclusion of about two years of cooperation between the partnership of the MEDWAYCAP project, which focused on upscaling the reuse of wastewater as a non-conventional water resource (NCWR) for domestic and agricultural purposes, with the aim to equip public and private sector stakeholders with the necessary tools and skills to effectively address water scarcity.
Indeed, the Mediterranean region faced a significant freshwater deficit due to a growing population; increased water demand from the agricultural and industrial sectors; contamination of surface and groundwater; and climate change effects which endangered the social, economic, and political stability of the area. In response to this growing concern, the main objective of MEDWAYCAP was to integrate NCWR into the water governance system, by strengthening the adoption at the Mediterranean level of innovative and sustainable approaches to water management. In this view, the MEDWAYCAP Final Conference at the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce aimed to emphasize the role of NCWR and Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in mitigating the water scarcity crisis and promoting sustainable strategies and technological innovations at urban and agricultural scales.
The conference witnessed the official launch of the MEDWAYCAP Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), endorsed by all the project and associated partners, and symbolizing an alliance for a long-term capitalization strategy, as well as their strong commitment to tackling water scarcity. On the first day, esteemed keynote speakers – including prominent representatives from the Union for the Mediterranean, the ENI CBC Med Programme, the PRIMA Foundation, and all ENI projects in the water field – provided participants with their invaluable insights for a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and cutting-edge water management solutions to address the water scarcity crisis in the Mediterranean region.
On the second day, a “Youth Forum” highlighted the activities of startups, NGOs, and bloggers in the water field. The forum provided the experience and perspective from the younger generation, reinforcing the importance of youth engagement in finding sustainable water management solutions.
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