Work

The urban water–energy nexus in Cape Town, Los Angeles and Maputo: The ambivalent role of cross-sector coordination for urban sustainability

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cities are increasingly encouraged to adopt cross-sector coordination mechanisms and visions as a response to complex urban sustainability challenges. However, infrastructure governance remains highly fragmented, with limited understanding of how and why coordination emerges, what issues it prioritises and whether these selective forms effectively address or obscure deeper structural challenges. This article investigates the dynamics of cross-sector coordination by examining water and energy governance in Cape Town, Los Angeles and Maputo – three cities with distinct governance structures and capacities yet facing similar socio-ecological pressures. It argues that rather than an absence of coordination, cities experience a proliferation of diverse, often selective and sometimes conflicting coordination efforts, each shaped by specific institutional, political and strategic imperatives.

Source: Urban Studies

DOI: 10.1177/00420980251328292

Author: Shaun Smith

Institution: Utrecht University

Language: English

Topic: Water-Energy-Food Nexus Studies

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Clean water and sanitation, Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900