About the lecture

In the first mini lecture we discuss the importance of water and water security. We cover: (i) water's critical role in daily life, agriculture, energy, and forestry; (ii) the uneven distribution of water resources; (iii) water's centrality in climate change impacts and disasters; (iv) the challenges of water governance, including population growth, urbanization, and climate change, stressing the need for regional and local management.

About the lecturer

Dr Kevin Grecksch is a departmental lecturer and course director for MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management at the School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford. Dr Grecksch is a social scientist who specialises in normative and analytical aspects of governance, especially with regard to water and climate change adaptation. His research interests include (multilevel) environmental governance, water governance, climate change adaptation, governance of societal transformation processes, property rights and the governance of natural resources, sustainability and ecological economics. Dr Grecksch has a particular interest in why and how power relationships, institutions and knowledge shape the governance of water and climate change. He is also passionate about public engagement with research and has contributed insightful blog articles for the University of Oxford's Science blog.