Are water sector professionals worried about climate change? Examining the risk perceptions of water sector professionals through a systematic literature review and survey.
For water and wastewater utilities to adapt to climate change, water sector professionals must perceive risk from the associated impacts. In order to better understand water sector professionals’ risk perceptions, a systematic literature review was conducted, which revealed that risk perceptions toward climate change have increased over time and are linked to behavior and decision-making in the water sector. No identified papers in the peer-reviewed literature have studied professionals from sub-Saharan Africa, therefore, a survey was implemented to examine the perceptions of professionals in this region. We surveyed 90 participants at the African Water Association’s Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, and found that water sector professionals are concerned about climate change impacts on utilities, but are also worried about non-climate risks facing utilities. These findings highlight the multiple, competing risks utilities face and the need for adaptation strategies that simultaneously address climate and non-climate concerns of utilities.Master of Science in Public Healt
