RGS Conference 2024 Recap: Water Futures - mapping visions, practices and participation
The charmingly decorated first floor Lowther Room inside Lowther Lodge.
By Kavindra Paranage
The Royal Geographic Society (RGS) Annual Conference is a cornerstone event for researchers and practitioners across geography and the environmental sciences. It’s known for bringing together a wide range of voices—from academia, industry, and policy - to tackle the pressing global challenges of our time. Heading into the event, I was curious to see how the conference would address the ever-growing demand for sustainable solutions, especially in the realm of water futures, which is a core focus of our work at the Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) project.
As I made my way into the historic Lowther Room—a space of quiet elegance, with its wood panelling and lofty ceilings creating an atmosphere of significance - I felt a strong sense of history. This was my first time presenting at the RGS Annual Conference, and my first experience with the Lowther Room. While setting up, I noticed several people stopping by to admire the room, which is one of the most renowned at the venue. Although it initially seemed they were arriving early for the session, it became clear they were more interested in the room itself! However, once the session began, the room quickly filled with attendees genuinely engaged in the presentations, and by the end, we had more participants than chairs available.
Mapping Visions, Practices, and Participation in Water Futures (Session 1)
The first session, which I had the privilege of chairing, prompted us to reconsider the idea that infrastructure alone can resolve our water challenges. Leilai Immel-Parkinson (University of Manchester) opened the session by examining the biases present in current water demand models, particularly how traditional, positivist approaches often oversimplify the social dimensions of water use. Her work, based on a systematic review of the literature, highlighted the potential of social practice theory to offer a more comprehensive understanding of water’s role in everyday life and its cultural context.
Heather Smith (Cranfield University) followed with an analysis of regulatory frameworks for water recycling, specifically focusing on the governance challenges faced in the UK. Her presentation highlighted how existing regulatory definitions, such as the term ‘wholesome’ water, can create limitations in the adoption of innovative water recycling practices. Stuart Kirk, an independent science advisor and former National Seconded Expert to the European Commission, then introduced a proof-of-concept for an interactive Water Visions Visualisation Platform. This platform allows communities to explore potential sustainable water futures through a systems approach, connecting water management with other sectors such as energy, waste, and food. His presentation demonstrated how visualisation tools can facilitate broader discussions on the future of water systems.
To conclude the session, our very own Ella Foggitt (University of Manchester) presented research on water use in new-build homes and residential communities. Drawing on workshops and interviews with professionals and future residents, Ella explored how water conservation responsibilities are often placed on individuals, and she proposed rethinking water infrastructure design to more equitably distribute this responsibility. Her findings underscored the importance of integrating social practices into water management frameworks, illustrating how these systems shape - and are shaped by - everyday life.
Mapping Visions, Practices, and Participation in Water Futures (Session 2)
The second session, chaired by Ella, continued the critical exploration of sustainable water futures, this time focusing on the role of public engagement and governance.
EWSC’s Tom Hargreaves (University of East Anglia) opened the session by challenging conventional models of public participation in water management. His presentation introduced an "ecologies of participation" framework, which advocates for a broader, more diverse understanding of how people engage with water issues. By examining six case studies - including community-led clean river campaigns and collaborative groundwater management projects - Tom highlighted how public engagement in water management often extends beyond institutional efforts. His work called for new policy interventions that recognise and leverage this diversity, demonstrating that public participation is not a one-size-fits-all model but rather a collection of ongoing, overlapping practices that contribute to sustainable water futures.
Liz Sharp (University of Sheffield) followed with a detailed analysis of public engagement in infrastructure adaptation, particularly focusing on how the English water system is managed under a privatised framework. Her concept of ‘mobilisation’ reframed behaviour change initiatives as a form of public engagement, exploring how water companies encourage the public to interact with infrastructure in new and sometimes constrained ways. Through case studies on water use, rainfall, and pollution, she discussed how these initiatives often shift responsibility and risk onto the public without a transparent political conversation. Liz’s research underscored the need to critically examine these ‘mobilisations’ to assess their long-term impact on infrastructure governance and public accountability.
Mark Usher (University of Manchester) took the discussion in a different direction by examining the ‘sewage scandal’ in post-Brexit, austerity England, where private water companies have been found to illegally discharge sewage into rivers. He explored how austerity-driven budget cuts and deregulation have weakened oversight, leading to deteriorating river conditions. However, Mark also highlighted how citizens have mobilised in response, framing their activism as a form of ‘commoning’ - a way for the public to reclaim ownership and responsibility for water infrastructure. His work not only exposed the failures of the private sector but also pointed to a growing movement for renewed municipalism and public governance of water systems.
Finally, Katarzyna Mikolajczak (London School of Economics) presented a conceptual framework that integrates behavioural approaches with critical social science perspectives to address climate adaptation for inclusive water security. Drawing on the BASIN project’s work in sub-Saharan Africa, her research revealed gaps in existing behavioural models, particularly regarding structural inequalities and policymaker engagement. Katarzyna argued that behaviour change strategies are often top-down and technically focused, but her framework opens new pathways for combining behavioural science with equity-focused approaches. This approach seeks to foster more inclusive participation in water governance, ensuring that climate adaptation efforts not only mitigate risks but also address social justice concerns.
The insights from both sessions underscored the importance of integrating diverse forms of public engagement and rethinking governance structures in the context of sustainable water futures. Moving forward, we aim to build on these discussions by creating networks and discussion groups which will focus on the next steps to take.