Towards water sensitive cities: Is leapfrogging realistic?

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges we are facing as humanity. Cities are suffering both floods and droughts and an innovative response towards these challenges is the "water sensitive cities" (WSC) strategy, implemented in large cities such as Rotterdam and Melbourne. Due to the positive results of the projects implemented in those cities, lately pilot projects are being implemented worldwide in both large cities and middle size cities. However, middle size cities have less resources; therefore, they face different type of challenges than large cities.

The WSC strategy considers that cities can transit to a water sensitive city stage in a unilineal manner by leapfrogging. This will save them both time and resources in their climate change strategies. South Korea and China are examples of leapfrogging in the tech area. However, experts consider that the environmental area is more complex. Hence, the chances of a successful leapfrogging towards a water sensitive city could be more challenging than those experienced with technology. At the same time, based on previous water implementation projects experience, the understanding of the governance context is a requirement to increase the chances of a successful implementation.

The literature regarding leapfrogging is embryonic and this research will contribute to its understanding. This research could help to allocate resources and efforts better against water issues caused by climate change. There are examples worldwide of water projects that have failed since the governance context was not considered. Therefore, the question that this research states is: What factors of the governance context can limit or support leapfrogging towards a water sensitive city stage? Two cases have been selected, one Belgian (which is part of an European project) and one Mexican (Cholula). The research setting will allow to explore different governance contexts and its impact on leapfrogging. Based on the differences, we will employ the Governance Assessment Tool (GAT) and the Urban Water management Transitions Framework (UWTF) . The GAT has already been used to study the Belgian and the Mexican water governance contexts. This will be a direct contribution to the UWTF, which requires a higher understanding of the leapfrogging governance context.

By being an explorative study, this research will establish theoretical prepositions based on the two contexts. The better understanding of the leapfrogging concept will be used to identify the governance factors that are supportive for the transition from a sewered city stage or a drain city stage to a water sensitive city stage by leapfrogging. The analysis of a Mexican case considering the Belgian case, will provide the opportunity to enrich the Mexican and European experience regarding the implementation of water sensitive city projects in cases that face similar challenges and whose current stages are not far apart.

Publications

Casiano Flores, C.; Crompvoets, J.; Ibarraran Viniegra, M.E.; Farrelly, M. Governance Assessment of the Flood’s Infrastructure Policy in San Pedro Cholula, Mexico: Potential for a Leapfrog to Water Sensitive. Sustainability 2019, 11, 7144. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/24/7144