MED participation in the ICOWEFS 2024 international conference on water, energy, food and sustainability

Several researchers from CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute participated in ICOWEFS 2024 – International Conference on Water, Energy, Food and Sustainability, which took place in Portalegre, from May 8 to 10, and aims to be a major forum to foster innovation and exchange knowledge in the water-energy-food nexus.

In addition to the various researchers who were part of the Organising Committee and the Scientific Committee, there was a round table hosted by CHANGE, dedicated to the theme ‘Exploring photovoltaics: Opportunities, trade-offs and potential solutions – integrating key aspects through a multi-actor perspective discussion’, in which Flávio Oliveira (cE3c), Miguel Sequeira (CENSE), Fernando Ascensão (cE3c), and Susana Filipe (MED and Executive Director of CHANGE) took part. The discussion focussed on ‘agrivoltaics’ and sought to integrate policy and academic perspectives to explore the opportunities and trade-offs associated with photovoltaic infrastructures on land used for agriculture.

The research developed by CHANGE researchers was also present at the conference through Paulo Mira Mourão (MED&CHANGE), with the theme “Activated Carbon and Biochar: Complementary Carbon Materials,” and José Carlos Rico (MED-UÉvora) with the theme “Use GIS tool for biomass management: A case study for Portugal within the TANGO-Circular Project” and through three posters: “Assessing the inclusiveness of the draft updated National Energy and Climate Plans 2030 of Belgium and Portugal through a hard-to-reach energy users lens,” by Miguel Sequeira and João Pedro Gouveia (CENSE); “Barriers, Drivers and Opportunities for Valorization of Agricultural Plastic Waste,” by Susana Filipe e Paulo Mira Mourão (MED), Nazaré Couto (CENSE), e Davide Tranchida (Borealis GmbH); and “Water efficiency perception among Higher Education students”, by Sandra Mourato (MED).