8-10 April 2025 in Dresden, Germany

Under the theme: “The Future of Resources – Resources of the Future.” The DNC serves as a platform to foster dialogue on nexus thinking, promoting research and capacity building for the sustainable and integrated management of environmental resources.

Since its inception in 2015, the DNC has provided a key platform for advancing nexus thinking, facilitating dialogue, research, and capacity building for the sustainable and integrated management of environmental resources.

The 2025 edition marks a significant milestone—celebrating the conference’s 10th anniversary while coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the United Nations University. This edition will delve into the intersections of science, policy, implementation, and real-world applications of nexus approaches.

The conference will reflect on key developments, achievements, and best practices in environmental Nexus approaches, particularly since their rise to prominence through events like the 2011 Bonn Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus conference and the DNC conference series. Taking a global, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary perspective, it will explore how Nexus approaches have contributed to sustainability progress, while also addressing the challenges hindering their implementation in both research and practice—alongside strategies to overcome these barriers.

Looking ahead, the conference will foster dialogue between scientists, policymakers, practitioners, and the next generation, focusing on advancing environmental Nexus approaches both conceptually and in practice. The goal is to develop guidelines for applying these approaches in research and establish ISO standards for their effective implementation.