A recent publication by Dr. Shaneica Lester titled “Rethinking urban water management: a case study of vulnerability in the Kingston Basin” explored vulnerability reduction within the Kingston hydrological basin as a critical aspect of advancing sustainable water management in Jamaica over the next 30 years. Using an integrated and multi-stakeholder approach, the study identified and prioritized vulnerability measures across the basin's natural and human systems. The methodology involved expert consultations to identify the components of the basin that characterized its exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity dimensions. Using a vulnerability assessment and risk-based analysis, 11 high-risk vulnerability measures were identified in the Kingston basin, emphasizing infrastructure limitations, funding constraints, and policy gaps. This study is of national significance as climate variability and change accelerate, and freshwater resources in Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) face increasing water availability and quality challenges. These challenges are compounded by multiple interconnected, non-climatic factors such as urbanization, economic growth, and policy frameworks, which also play a crucial role in the vulnerability of freshwater ecosystems. The paper is a part of the publication of the Water International Special Issue- “Water management in Basins of rivers, lakes & aquifers, The Challenges ahead after 30 years of Innovation”. 

Dr. Shanecia Lester is a Geography Lecturer in the Department of Geography and Geology, Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies, Mona. Her research focuses on water security, governance, and food-water-energy interlinkages to sustainable development. She has several years of experience exploring climate change impacts and water and food security issues across the Caribbean.

Reference: Lester, S. (2024). Rethinking urban water management: a case study of vulnerability in the Kingston Basin. Water International, 49(3–4), 485–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2024.2321809

Photo caption: Dr. Shanecia Lester.

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