Building global partnerships for urban water resilience

The School of Geography and Planning recently welcomed Dr Anna Taylor, a researcher from the University of Cape Town’s African Climate and Development Initiative, for a week-long visit that strengthened international collaboration on water resilience in urban environments.

Dr Taylor’s visit to Cardiff in early July was an opportunity to connect with academics from both the School and the University’s Water Research Institute. The discussions focused on pressing global challenges including urban resilience, water governance, participatory urban planning, and translating scientific knowledge into actionable policy.

Key themes explored during the visit included methods for co-designing urban spaces, managing competing water demands, and assessing the impact of research across local, regional, and international levels.

Reflecting on her time in Wales, Dr Taylor said: “It was a great opportunity to explore and learn about water-related research and social innovation happening in and from Wales, as well as to share insights emerging from our work at UCT’s African Climate and Development Initiative on climate-resilient development pathways and urban resilience.”

The visit was made possible through the Water-Stressed Cities project, led by Dr Adrian Healy, and funded by the Welsh Government’s Taith mobility scheme, which supports international exchange and collaboration.

This visit highlights the School’s ongoing commitment to global knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary approaches to tackling complex environmental and social challenges.