A new era for water governance? An analysis on water and climate discourse after the 2018 drought in Sweden

Abstract: Access to water is taken for granted in water abundant countries like Sweden, but safe water supply is increasingly threatened by droughts. This thesis analyses how the Swedish water sector responded to the unprecedented drought in 2018, by analysing water security discourse through the framework “What’s the problem represented to be?”. It explores implications of the drought on water policy and how actors in southern Sweden work with drought and water shortages. The study found that the drought led to a change in discourse, particularly that water availability cannot longer be taken for granted, and led to inclusion of drought policies in regional water governance. Climate change is increasingly seen as a threat to safe water supply in Sweden, and the sector needs better planning and division of responsibility to ensure water security. The thesis also discusses measures for a more sustainable water governance, including climate adaptation and reducing water use.