Menu
MapConnectionsTopicsBulgariaThe Night (K-TRIO)Marie Skłodowska-CurieFor studentsFor teachersMethodologySurprise me
H2020Individual fellowship2015–2017

INNOVCITIES · Institutional Innovation for Adapting to Climate Change in Water Governance within Cities

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2015-10-19 → 2017-10-18
EU contribution
€165,599
Participants
1
Scheme
MSCA-IF-EF-ST

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Institutional Innovation for Adapting to Climate Change in Water Governance within Cities

This project explored how cities are adapting to climate change across the globe, centring on institutional aspects. In particular, it focused on institutional innovation which is vital for enabling cities to adapt to climate change because existing institutional arrangements are often under-prepared for new pressures raised. This includes new uncertainties, risks, and contestations linked to changing water availability, flood risk, and the extent to which different societal groups are protected equitably. It is widely appreciated that the failure to address climate change adaptation effectively is often not because of a lack of technical knowledge, but because of failures in governance. Cities are hotspots for climate change adaptation, with disproportionately large potential for finding solutions. Yet exactly what types of institutional innovation are required, and why and how they emerge in different urban governance contexts across the world, is an urgent question. This was the focus of this project. The specific objectives were: 1) To identify and characterise types of institutional innovation occurring in urban water governance in cities across the world; 2) To analyse and understand mechanisms by which institutional innovation in water governance emerges; and 3) To provide research and policy recommendations for enabling institutional innovation in water governance in cities in Europe and beyond.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

This research will address the problem of the currently insufficient level of institutional innovation in water governance systems in the context of climate change. Climate change creates urgent need for adaptive water governance that can anticipate and respond to increasing pressures on water systems within human society. Cities are a key locus of attention. Institutional innovation is needed (e.g. policy change, new organisational setups, new inter-organisational arrangements). However, knowledge of the types of institutional innovation required and the mechanisms (e.g. political, institutional) by which it emerges is lacking. Therefore I will address the question: What types of institutional innovation are required for adapting to climate change in water governance within cities, and how can we better understand why and how they emerge? This will involve: (1) global assessment of institutional innovation in water governance in 30 cities across 6 continents to identify broad patterns and best practices across the world; (2) comparative case study analysis of 3 ‘innovative’ cities across 3 continents in contrasting global contexts to attain deeper understanding of dynamics underpinning innovation; and (3) dissemination of results and policy recommendations to enable innovation in cities in Europe and globally. By addressing this urgent research and policy problem, the MCSA fellowship will enable me to develop new expertise, academic and policy networks, and research profile that will position me as a leading emerging scholar in the field of water governance and climate change adaptation. The research will contribute to the knowledge based economy of Europe by providing critical new academic and policy insights to safeguard against water-related vulnerabilities in cities under climate change, and contribute to addressing two of the European Commission’s ‘Grand Challenges’ (i.e. climate action; and innovative and reflective societies).

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union