Unpacking the plural values of urban waterscapes for sustainability: local perspectives from four Indian megacities

Chowdhury, Koushik and Thapa, Pramila and Topp, Emmeline and Nagendra, Harini and Pereira, Paulo and Plieninger, Tobias (2026) Unpacking the plural values of urban waterscapes for sustainability: local perspectives from four Indian megacities. Ecosystems and People, 22 (1). ISSN 2639-5908

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Abstract

Urban waterscapes hold multiple values for local people and are important for ensuring the future sustainability of cities. However, few studies have examined the potential of plural values of waterscapes for mitigating urban sustainability challenges, and even fewer in the Global South. To address this gap, we applied a plural value approach to capture perceptions of both well-maintained and neglected waterscapes by 616 urban dwellers from four Indian megacities. We analysed the associations among perceived values, sustainability challenges, and socio-economic characteristics of the respondents through redundancy analysis (RDA). Our study found that relational and intrinsic values of waterscapes were more important to people than instrumental values. Older and long-term residents prioritised instrumental values and social responsibility. Frequent waterscape visitation, higher education, and income were associated with biodiversity and aesthetic values. This study highlights the importance of incorporating relational and intrinsic values into sustainable water governance.

Item Type:	Article
Authors:	Chowdhury, Koushik and Thapa, Pramila and Topp, Emmeline and Nagendra, Harini and Pereira, Paulo and Plieninger, Tobias
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Urban waterscapes, plural values, urban sustainability, Global South, India
Subjects:	Social sciences > Sociology & anthropology > Factors affecting social behavior > Human ecology Social sciences > Economics > Production > Sustainable development
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > School of Climate Change and Sustainability
Full Text Status:	Public
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/7936
Publisher URL:	https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2026.2725011

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