15 April 2015
UNU Launches Interactive Platform for Comparing Nexus-Related Modeling Tools
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The UN University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES) based in Dresden, Germany has developed an interactive ‘Nexus Tools Platform' to enable comparisons of existing modeling tools related to the water-soil-waste nexus.

The Platform will also advance integrated environmental management and governance approaches across different sectors and scales.

logo_unu_floresApril 2015: The UN University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES), based in Dresden, Germany, has developed an interactive ‘Nexus Tools Platform’ (NTP) to enable comparisons of existing modeling tools related to the water-soil-waste nexus. The Platform will also advance integrated environmental management and governance approaches across different sectors and scales.

The design of the NTP starts from the recognition that “no single modeling tool is available or conceivable” to cover all processes, interactions and drivers related to the management of water, soil and waste resources. The NTP database aims to facilitate comparisons of existing tools that contain differences in terms of their degree of detail, spatial and temporal scales, and application of mathematical process-describing relationships, among others.

The alpha version of the NTP contains a subset of 60 modeling tools from around the world, with detailed information on the key features and parameters of each model. Through interactive charts and advanced search and filter functions based on real-time visualizations, users can select the most appropriate models for their specific needs and undertake a gap analysis of current model capabilities. It is anticipated that the platform will continue to grow based on feedback provided by model developers and users.

A short video tutorial on the functionality of the platform can be found on the NTP website. [Nexus Tools Platform-Alpha Version] [UNU-FLORES Announcement] [Sustainable Development Policy & Practice Story on 1st Dresden Nexus Conference (March 2015)]


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