Drawing on social theory for transitioning to sustainable urban water management: Turning the institutional super-tanker

Abstract

Worldwide, urban water managers are grappling with the challenge of managing water resources more sustainably. Numerous commentators have highlighted significant social and technological barriers to the uptake of new approaches and some are calling for a major socio-technical transition in urban water management. Social research and theory is an increasingly important factor in understanding and responding to the challenges associated with evolving a more sustainable society. This paper draws upon key social theories around change to propose a framework for transition policy that can be applied by urban water strategists when designing reform initiatives to progress sustainable urban water management.