Eco-summit to show ‘what we want is possible’

The 2024 EnergyWaterFoodClimate Nexus International Summit hosted by the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) School of the Environment, will take place at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) in Durban in July.

Under the theme, ‘What we want is possible’, the summit is also a call for action to recruit and train a new generation of student scientists who are ready to provide solutions to the challenges of the environment. Planned for 1 to 4 July, the summit’s goal is to bring global experts, researchers and practitioners together to discuss innovative solutions and strategies to build climate change resilience in energy, water, and food systems.

This was according to FAMU School of Environment dean, Dr Victor Ibeanusi.

Speaking at the press launch in Durban in February, Ibeanusi said the solution to these problems was to gather like-minded professionals and drive a plan to secure the future.

Ibeanusi described the energy, water, food and climate nexus as “a new science enterprise that is designed to expand the research frontier for discoveries that integrate systems-based research and education for solutions to the vexing challenges on our environment”.

From 5 to 8 February, FAMU representatives Ibeanusi and Dr Oluchi Leslie and the MUT team held shuffle consultations with various influential figures in the education, government and private sectors, delivering the message that those in the know, and in decisionmaking positions must band together to save humanity from the adverse effects of global warming.

Ibeanusi said that FAMU’s School of the Environment was convening a series of global summits

“to recruit and train a new generation of leaders ready to solve the challenges of the environment, and to promote a cross-cutting discussion, scholarship, and collaboration among researchers, students, and entrepreneurs to advance science, policy, and decision-making”. He said areas of focus for the summit were achieving soil and carbon goals, improving water quality and quantity, ensuring food security, harnessing big data, achieving zero greenhouse emissions, practicing climate resilient agriculture and have an Artificial Intelligence-driven circular economy, among others.

Experts in relevant fields will be pillars of the summit, and will include those in water, food, climate, and energy research.

During his presentations to all the stakeholders, Ibeanusi emphasised the need for a research hub at MUT and the University of Zululand.

Prof Nokuthula Kunene, deputy vice-chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Zululand, said they already had this in place.

Ibeanusi said the research hubs, called Centres of Excellence, must be able to harness water, energy, food, and climate, to the benefit of everyone, including the environment.

MUT director of communications, Mbali Mkhize, said the university is pleased to host the 2024 EnergyWaterFoodClimate Nexus International Summit. “Solutions to tackle the challenges on climate, food security, energy, and water are possible. It will spur new scientific inquiries and recruitment of students and scientists to build a strong, sustainable foundation for economic growth in Africa,” he added. –

SUPPLIED University of Zululand deputy vice-chancellor (DVC) Research and Innovation, Prof Nokuthula Kunene (front, fourth from right) shaking hands with MUT DVC Research, Innovation and Engagement, Prof Nokuthula Sibiya. They are pictured with FAMU and MUT staff at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, including Dr Victor Ibeanusi (third from left).