NEXOGENESIS partners from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) and the University of Thessaly (UTH) have published a study in Environmental Development presenting an integrated methodology to enhance stakeholder engagement in environmental decision-making under the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus framework.

The research addresses one of the central challenges in sustainable resource management: how to systematically translate stakeholder perspectives into actionable, well-informed policies. The team developed and tested a novel approach that combines two powerful multi-criteria decision-making tools — the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the MULTIPOL method — to prioritise solutions and map effective policy pathways.

The methodology was applied in the transboundary Nestos/Mesta River Basin (Greece–Bulgaria), one of NEXOGENESIS’ five case studies. By engaging local authorities, farmers, NGOs, businesses, and researchers in a series of workshops and focus groups, the team was able to:

  • Identify critical pressures and interlinkages in the WEFE system.

  • Co-create and prioritise practical solutions, such as the construction of green–gray infrastructures (e.g., irrigation systems, Nature-based Solutions, fish corridors) and the adoption of modern agricultural practices (e.g., precision farming, biomass utilisation, organic farming).

  • Match these solutions with coherent policy measures, ensuring both environmental protection and socio-economic viability.

The study demonstrates that holistic, stakeholder-driven approaches can lead to integrated strategies that balance water, energy, food, and ecosystem needs, especially in complex transboundary contexts. This replicable framework offers a roadmap for policymakers and practitioners aiming to operationalise stakeholder input and design policies that are both technically sound and socially accepted.

This achievement underscores the value of collaborative research within NEXOGENESIS and strengthens the project’s contribution to advancing WEFE nexus governance across Europe.

Read the full open-access article here: DOI: 10.1016/j.envdev.2025.101268