Visualisations to support environmental justice-led decision making within the UK water sector

Bowman, Bryony Morgan ORCID: 0000-0002-3525-5607 (2025). Visualisations to support environmental justice-led decision making within the UK water sector. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Vital for a functional society and impacted by human activity, the management of water systems is essential. Within England, the water sector is in a state of flux responding to global events, socio-economic influences and regulatory changes. This is against a backdrop of increasing acknowledgement of inequitable impacts, particularly the cost of water services and river water quality across the population. Despite this recognition it is notable that within regulatory guidance the inclusion of justice themes is implicit rather than explicit. Engagement with industry experts throughout this study has highlighted an embedded short-term approach, particularly evident within wastewater management, and cross-sectoral discontent that this is the case. Consequently, there is a requirement, and practitioner appetite, to improve the consideration of future uncertainty within policy frameworks. Furthermore, there is recognition of the need to rebuild societal trust over the delivery of water as a public good. This study posits that new tools, namely visualisations and an indicator system, are needed. These aim to enable inclusive decision-making which incorporate systems approaches and an environmental justice framework.

This study applied a multi-stage method utilising systems approaches together with combined participatory and case study validation methods to generate visualisations and propose an environmental justice-led indicator system. The system boundary is defined as inland surface waters within England: the natural and human-influenced water system from headwaters to transitional areas including lakes and wetlands, constrained to England to ensure a consistent regulatory framework and organisational structures. Furthermore, applying a water system boundary, as opposed to administrative boundaries, fixed tools within a place-based approach. System mapping explored relationships from perspectives of the environment, society and economy through a lens of environmental justice. This was enhanced through application of future scenarios to enable the consideration of alternative socio-economic contexts. Analysis revealed common leverage areas and enabled analysis of the impacts of policy, attitudes and behaviours. Further to this an indicator system has been developed to enhance these systemic approaches and create a common framework for analysis. This indicator system is derived from an environmental justice-led approach facilitated by analysis of system maps developed herein. This provides the ability to assess a system, and interventions within the system, including an evaluation of the impacts of potential future socio-economic contexts on these indicators. The outputs of the study were explored within different tiers of practice; at the organisational level applying water pricing measures, and at the intervention level through the implementation of a technological innovation.

The tools developed through this study create a framework for the translation of data into accessible information and knowledge through an environmental justice-led approach. Whilst it has not been possible to directly assess the impact these have on societal agency, the impacts of single-issue interactive maps on public engagement with the water sector in the last few years suggest this is a possibility. Combined with cross-sector interest in incorporating environmental justice-based indicators and visualisations developed herein provides confidence that these tools would support increased societal engagement, leading to greater societal agency over outcomes within the water environment. Moreover, basing these tools in environmental justice and utilising multiple socio-economic contexts into their development and analysis enables the inclusion of system-wide future uncertainty.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):

Supervisor(s)	Email	ORCID
Rogers, Chris	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Hunt, Dexter	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED
Jefferson, Ian	UNSPECIFIED	UNSPECIFIED

Licence:

Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0

College/Faculty:

Colleges > College of Engineering & Physical Sciences

School or Department:

School of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering

Funders:

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Subjects:

G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering

URI:

http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/id/eprint/15964