Climate Change, Drought and Drinking Water Governance : A Political Ecology Analysis of Local Adaptation in Two Nordic Countries

Sammanfattning

Global climate change is increasingly affecting more part of the world. Droughts in particular are becoming more frequent, not only in already warmer zones around the world, but also in the cooler regions, such as the Nordics. Prolonged and more frequent droughts can negatively affect water availability, posing risks to the stability of drinking water supply within the EU, including Nordic countries. This study presents an alternative approach to drinking water management in the face of climate change induced drought by applying a political ecology perspective. This study aims to examine and compare how drinking water management systems in two EU countries respond to climate-change-induced drought at the local level, focusing on the interaction between EU, national, and local governance structures. Using a political ecology approach and semi-structured interviews, the study seeks to understand how institutional arrangements and power relations shape adaptation strategies, water allocation decisions, and vulnerability under conditions of increasing water scarcity. Results put emphasis on the fragmented nature of drinking water management within the EU, revealing that despite some similarities, Nordic countries approach drinking water management differently due to their diverging challenges and priorities. The occurrence of droughts during the drier summer months is overall not considered a high risk, and solutions include short-term measures in both cases despite projections of warmer temperatures in the future. Finally, political ecology revealed itself to be applicable to a Nordic context, by highlighting how power relations shape environmental outcomes.