Pathways to Impactful Water-Energy-Food+ Nexus Projects in Europe: Insights From a European Expert Survey

This paper examines how Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus projects, as perceived by a European expert sample drawn primarily from academia, can help bridge the gap between academia and practice to achieve greater long-term impact. Drawing on an expert survey, particularly involving members of the EU-based NexusNet COST Action, the study aims to assess the current status of WEF+ Nexus projects (NPs), identify perceived impact dimensions, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing approaches to their design, governance, and implementation. Survey findings reveal perceived key challenges and barriers to achieving lasting project impact, including limited understanding of the Nexus approach. Predominantly academic respondents point to a perceived disconnect between research and practice, which they associate with insufficient systematic impact assessment and weak policy implementation, alongside siloed institutional structures, and resistance to change. In response, the authors propose a set of practical impact indicators and tailored recommendations for improving WEF+ NP design and implementation. These recommendations emphasize mainstreaming Nexus thinking in education and capacity building, enhancing stakeholder engagement, strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration, ensuring policy coherence, and securing sustainable financing for WEF+ initiatives. By addressing these factors, the study supports the development of more integrated and transdisciplinary solutions and calls for further refinement of impact measurement tools to better capture the real-world contributions of WEF+ NPs to sustainable development.