RIPPLE

Accelerating Catalytic Impact towards Water Safe Cities

In the co-created research project RIPPLE, we collaborate with the global network C40 Cities to understand how targeted interventions can create ripples of transformative change that ensure water safe cities for all.

Water holds multiple forms and values – as life, infrastructure, resource, environment and culture. In the context of increasing water-related climate disasters, urgent questions arise about how water, as a public good, is valued in urban decision-making, and how policy can better reflect and protect it.

Across the world, these questions are increasingly addressed through the lens of urban water resilience: cities’ ability to cope socially and ecologically with floods and droughts while ensuring stable access to water for all. Through C40’s Water Safe Cities Accelerator, cities commit to protecting vulnerable communities from water-related climate risks through improved emergency preparedness and strategic water management pathways.

In partnership with C40 Cities and leading member cities – New York City, Copenhagen, Jakarta, Bogotá, and Phoenix – we examine how these high-level political commitments are translated into real-world change: what drives progress, what barriers exist – and how do these processes contribute to broader learning on how cities can strengthen water resilience?

The project is carried out by the Queen Mary’s Centre in collaboration with Professor Michele Betsill (PI) and Dr. Devon Cantwell-Chavez (lead researcher) at the Department of Political Science.

In 2025 and 2026 the project focuses on collecting data through field trips to the C40 World Mayors’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro (November 2025), the participating cities – New York City (May 2026), Bogotá (May 2026), Jakarta (date TBC), Copenhagen (date TBC), and Phoenix (date TBC) – as well as other events, e.g. London Climate Action Week (June 2026).

In 2027, the project will focus on public dissemination of findings and fostering broader discussions on the value of water in urban governance and climate adaptation.

The project is supported by the Grundfos Foundation.