Nexus Tools Platform

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Nexus Tools Platform (NTP)
Nexus Tools Platform
Simplified overview of the NTP functionality
Description
Type of siteInformation site
LaunchedApril 2015
OwnerUNU-FLORES
Websitehttp://data.flores.unu.edu/projects/ntp
Number of models85 (March 2019)
Current statusActive

The Nexus Tools Platform or NTP is a web-based inventory platform that allows an interactive comparison of environmental models in a statistical way. Developed by the UNU Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES),[1] the platform helps a user to analyze existing modelling tools related to environmental resource management and associated nexus perspectives, such as a Water-Energy-Food Nexus. As a result, the user can select the most appropriate tools to fit the research needs.

Integrated Resources Management (Nexus Approach)

Considering an increase in the global population, the demand for both food and water is expected to grow by more than 50% by 2050.[2][3] At the same time,

freshwater resources worldwide. This leads to growing rates of land degradation[4] and ecosystem deterioration.[5]

Long-term solutions to those challenges require integrated management of environmental resources which can be also referred to as a Nexus Approach. This approach focuses on the synergies between sectors in order to minimize trade-offs, increase resource use efficiency, and improve environmental policy & governance which is crucial for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

For example, the sustainable management of wastewater in crop production is considered as an implementation of a Water-Soil-Waste Nexus.[6]

Mission

Integrated resource management requires the use of integrated environmental modelling tools. However, there is no single model that can cover all complex interactions between natural resources such as water, soil, and waste.[1] Moreover, there is a poor awareness of the available models and their capabilities which results in a time-consuming process of developing new models instead of using or further expanding already existing ones.[7]

With the objective of addressing the abovementioned problems, the Nexus Tools Platform has been created. It provides detailed visualizations of model descriptions and advanced filtering options using

developers
.

The screenshot of the Nexus Tools Platform visualization (March 2019)

History

The first version of the website was published in April 2015 starting with the database of 60 models from around the world.[8][9] A year later, a paper was published in Environmental Modelling & Software journal explaining the NTP development, data collection methodology, and application examples.[1] In March 2018, NTP 2.0 was released with a greater number of available models (84), improved classification and visualization.[10] Through the advanced search and filter functions, users could differentiate modelling tools in terms of model types, popularity, considered processes, input and output parameters, application areas (countries), programming language, etc. Recently, the whole database was refreshed and one more model was added making 85 in total.

Data Sources

The data for the platform is collected in two ways:

The current list of models includes a wide array of research areas from

CESM
.

The NTP is not intended to promote any of the models listed on the website. The information, whether in graphical or text form, is presented for scientific and educational purposes only.

External links

See also

References

  1. ^
    doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2015.10.031
    .
  2. doi:10.1111/agec.12089
    .
  3. ^ "OECD ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOK TO 2050: The Consequences of Inaction. Key Facts and Figures" (PDF). OECD. 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  4. PMID 29222506
    .
  5. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.01.020
    .
  6. ISBN 978-3-944863-31-3
    .
  7. ^ "Nexus Tools Platform: An Interactive Platform for Inter-model Comparison of Existing Modelling Tools". Nexus - The Water, Energy & Food Security Platform. 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  8. ^ "UNU Launches Interactive Platform for Comparing Nexus-Related Modeling Tools". International Institute for Sustainable Development. 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  9. ^ "UNU-FLORES Launches Nexus Tools Platform". UNU-FLORES. 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  10. ^ "5 Things You Need to Know about Nexus Tools Platform 2.0". UNU-FLORES. 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nexus_Tools_Platform&oldid=1180674253"