Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City

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dc.contributor.advisorCarden, Kirsty
dc.contributor.authorAguilar Flaschka, Sofia
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-06T10:33:25Z
dc.date.available2026-07-06T10:33:25Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.date.updated2026-07-06T10:22:25Z
dc.description.abstractAs water crises intensify under the pressures of urbanization and climate change, resilience has become a critical framework for cities in the Global South. This dissertation focuses on the case of Mexico City and how it can shift from reactive crisis management to a more water resilient model by addressing systemic vulnerabilities. By using a mixed methods approach, including interviews with key stakeholders and a survey of city residents, this research explores the capacities required for this transition focusing on social, institutional, environmental, and infrastructural dimensions. The findings highlight that strengthening institutional capacity through transparent, accountable, and participatory governance; enhancing social resilience by addressing inequalities and fostering trust and citizen engagement; reinforcing environmental resilience through watershed protection, land use regulation, and ecosystem restoration; and modernizing infrastructure through innovation, decentralization, and sustainable solutions are all central to building long-term urban water resilience. These interconnected capacities form the foundation of a holistic governance framework that can enable Mexico City to manage risk, adapt to climate uncertainty, and ensure equitable and sustainable access to water. This dissertation underscores the importance of a systems based approach to urban water resilience, one that considers the complex interconnections between social, institutional, environmental and infrastructure systems in a context of uncertainty and vulnerability. By contributing to the growing body of knowledge on urban water resilience, this research aspires to offer insights that support sustainable water management for the future of Mexico City and other cities in the Global South facing similar challenges.
dc.identifier.apacitationAguilar Flaschka, S. (2026). <i>Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43467en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationAguilar Flaschka, Sofia. <i>"Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 2026. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43467en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationAguilar Flaschka, S. 2026. Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43467en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Aguilar Flaschka, Sofia AB - As water crises intensify under the pressures of urbanization and climate change, resilience has become a critical framework for cities in the Global South. This dissertation focuses on the case of Mexico City and how it can shift from reactive crisis management to a more water resilient model by addressing systemic vulnerabilities. By using a mixed methods approach, including interviews with key stakeholders and a survey of city residents, this research explores the capacities required for this transition focusing on social, institutional, environmental, and infrastructural dimensions. The findings highlight that strengthening institutional capacity through transparent, accountable, and participatory governance; enhancing social resilience by addressing inequalities and fostering trust and citizen engagement; reinforcing environmental resilience through watershed protection, land use regulation, and ecosystem restoration; and modernizing infrastructure through innovation, decentralization, and sustainable solutions are all central to building long-term urban water resilience. These interconnected capacities form the foundation of a holistic governance framework that can enable Mexico City to manage risk, adapt to climate uncertainty, and ensure equitable and sustainable access to water. This dissertation underscores the importance of a systems based approach to urban water resilience, one that considers the complex interconnections between social, institutional, environmental and infrastructure systems in a context of uncertainty and vulnerability. By contributing to the growing body of knowledge on urban water resilience, this research aspires to offer insights that support sustainable water management for the future of Mexico City and other cities in the Global South facing similar challenges. DA - 2026 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - water crisis KW - water resilience LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2026 T1 - Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City TI - Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43467 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/43467
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationAguilar Flaschka S. Understanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, 2026 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43467en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Environmental and Geographical Science
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectwater crisis
dc.subjectwater resilience
dc.titleUnderstanding capacities for water resilience in Mexico City
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMPhil
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