Carnegie Mellon University

Water is Life

Urban Water Governance as a Wicked Problem

Bread and Water: Access, Belonging, and Environmental Justice in the City Lecture Series


Raul Pacheco-Vega

Wednesday October 23
4:30 to 6:00 pm
Danforth Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Cohon University Center

Raul Pacheco-Vega, Assistant Professor, Public Administration Division, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE), Aguascalientes, Mexico

Water is a finite resource whose governance requires cooperation of many individuals across multiple constituencies. While much emphasis has been given to agricultural water policy across the globe, urban water challenges have recently risen in visibility (Flint, Washington DC, Detroit). Why is urban water governance a “wicked problem” and how can we ensure that everyone has access to the vital liquid, particularly in the face of abrupt climatic events and increasing commodification? In this public lecture, Pacheco-Vega outlines the challenges we face and potential solutions we may want to implement. More importantly, Pacheco-Vega emphasizes the importance of collective action in jointly seeking solutions to address these challenges.