The role of the state in water planning: Using history to shape climate futures

Everyone will need to adapt to a changing climate, from the private property owners all the way up to the nation states. But who is compelled to take action? The role of the nation state in municipal water planning has been relatively minor in Western cities whereby most of the planning has traditionally been left to the municipality. However, in the present, we see new kinds of relations emerging between nation state and municipal actors often surfacing in public debates about whether water related climate adaptation (such as protecting private property from increased risk of floods) should be a nation state, municipal or private household problem? A recent example of this is the recent Swedish governmental white paper on climate adaptation, , which underscores the responsibility of private property owners (see also in Swedish here) . 

This webinar is part of a seminar series co-hosted by the KTH Environmental Humanities Laboratory and the project ImagineAction  (2024- 2027) hosted at Tema T (Linköping University), on the role of imaginaries in shaping climate action in the Swedish water sector.  

At his webinar we will explore questions such as:

• How has the role of the nation-state historically shaped water infrastructure planning in Sweden and in other European countries? 
• What can we learn from the past in terms of the changing roles in the current climate uncertain era?

• What kinds of futures make possible more democratic and equitable relationships around water infrastructure planning and adaptation?  

Speakers

Erika Bjerström, independent journalist and author of acclaimed book “Demokratin dör i hettan”

Pär Blomkvist, historian of infrastructure, focus on Stockholm water infrastructure  

Timothy Moss, historian & geographer of urban infrastructure