Energy, Water and Environment

Finite resources are a general worldwide challenge, from the limited supply of fossil fuel to a clean and hospitable environment, freshwater, safe foods, and sustainable agriculture. Limited access to resources and resource scarcity hinder development and can destabilize societies. In conjunction with the consequences of climate change, these problems are set to grow in the coming years, creating a need for both scientific analysis and political guidance.

The protection of a healthy and diverse environment includes the sustainable use of (natural) resources. This should be reflected, not only by innovation and technological transition, but also by research on political and economic instruments that frame and guide the transition. Research is required to understand individual mindsets and lifestyles that determine environmental choices. Since these areas are in fact strongly linked, interdisciplinary approaches are the most promising to achieve reliable multidimensional research findings.

Some of the questions that move us are: What local perspectives and strategies relate to sustainable resource supply in Arab countries and Germany? How to find smart and innovative solutions as well as policy strategies to adapt to resource scarcity? How to integrate new materials to improve the efficacy of clean energy production? Overall, what are best practices and success stories in the field of water, energy, and the environment?

The AGYA Working Group Energy, Water, and Environment fosters the continuous exchange of knowledge in this interconnected and interdisciplinary field. We bring together scholars and stakeholders such as representatives of ‛smart cities’ from different countries to learn from each other, for mutual benefit. We engage in multidisciplinary projects to develop new approaches to the use of resources and environmental protection, for example converting organic waste into biogas. We research innovative new materials and technological developments. Political, economic, and social conditions play an essential role in accepting new technologies. Therefore, we embrace interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable water and energy supplies and promote the development of recommendations for policymakers.