Research in the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science
Our research reaches across an enormous range of disciplines, geographical contexts and areas of focus
Our projects are directly relevant to many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and particularly to Goal 6, to 'ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all'. Much of our work is supported by external funding from a variety of sources, from multi-partner, international and interdisciplinary research to discrete, highly targeted policy-driven projects.
Our central aim is to make sure that decision-making is linked to scientific evidence and considers the opinions of those affected by it.
Projects
Research project
New and emerging pollutants in water present health threats to humans and the environment.
Research project
Sustainability objectives for Wales are ambitiously defined through The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (2015). This project is developing a framework to bring together environmental and socioeconomic components through co-ordinated long-term management of natural resources (water, air, soil, land, marine) and biodiversity.
Research project
Natural flood management (NFM) can help us adapt to climate change, reducing flood risk and conserving habitats, while sustaining farming livelihoods. We are testing this at Eddleston Water, within the Scottish Government’s research programme on the effectiveness of catchment-scale NFM measures.
Research project
Recent Research Projects Supporting Scotland's climate change adaptation policy In a changing climate, issues of flooding and water resource quality and quantity are becoming increasingly critical. We supported the Scottish Government to develop research-led policy and the monitoring and evaluation framework for climate change adaptation in Scotland.
Research project
Soil moisture plays a key role in predicting the extreme weather events that are becoming increasingly common in a changing climate. Our vision is supporting a movement of citizens generating, sharing and using information to improve their soil management, and food production.
Research project
The river system of the Ganges holds great physical, social and cultural importance in India, but suffers from poorly regulated pollution and water demand. This project looked at how water pollution affects communities on the Ramganga tributary of the Ganges.
Research project
Rapid economic change and population growth increase the pressure on water resources management to address competing demands across river basins. The key challenge is to give adequate representation to the many local, small-scale water management interventions in larger-scale decision-making.
Research project
Climate change is enhancing the intensity and frequency of floods, which further exacerbates many other challenges. This project co-developed and tested a flood resilient home with communities in Bangladesh.
Research project
DECCMA: assessing the options, limits and potential for adaptation to climate change in deltas
Research project
Delta communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. This project looked at the links between ecosystem services, human health and wellbeing and projected how these might evolve over the coming decades in the light of varying policy contexts.
Research project
Groundwater resources face increasing pressure from consumption and pollution. This project developed methods and tools for integrated groundwater management and monitoring in Europe.
Research project
This project assesses the opportunities and threats that rapidly evolving landscapes, and natural resources, will bring to the people and businesses of three glacierised Cordilleras of the Peruvian Andes.