Nexus Tools Platform: facilitating the selection of suitable nexus tools

Addressing integrated resources management in a cross-sectoral nexus approach requires a holistic understanding of the interlinkages of environmental processes, while also taking into consideration global change and socioeconomic aspects. Exploring these interlinkages and advancing an integrated management approach requires integrated modelling tools. However, no single modelling tool is available or conceivable that covers all processes, interactions and drivers within the nexus of water, food, energy and climate. Instead, a vast number of models are available and in use addressing particular (sets of) processes and resources. To address nexus-oriented research questions or management issues, making use of available tools and modify or couple them as required should be more efficient instead of developing a tool from scratch. For this to be possible, a database that allows the interactive comparison of such tools would be helpful. Therefore, we developed an interactive Nexus Tools Platform (NTP) for inter-model comparison, implemented as web-based database (https://data.flores.unu.edu/projects/ntp). Continually being improved and updated, NTP aims to provide detailed information on a subset (currently including 74 models, covering major aspects related to water, soil and waste management ) of a larger compilation of available modelling tools. The platform offers interactive charts and advanced search and filter functions designed to differentiate models in terms of processes, input and output parameters, application areas (countries), temporal resolution, programming language, amongst others. These functionalities provide a strong support to select the most appropriate (set of) model(s) for the specific needs.