Alan Nicol
Principal Researcher
Areas of expertise
Rural development Transboundary river basins Political economy Water and developmentHead of Water Policy Programme at ODI, Research Fellow at IDS and Director, GWI East Africa at CARE.
Current projects
Latest news for Alan Nicol
Explainer: Citizen Science
Citizen science is coming of age, combining community knowledge with digital tools to address complex challenges like climate change and water security ...
Can we build groundwater stewardship through participatory games?
India’s groundwater crisis cannot be solved through technical fixes alone. Collective community leadership fostered through participatory exercises can offer a way forward ...
From principles to practice — advancing Just Water Partnerships
Launched at COP30, the Principles for Just Water Partnerships were shaped for more inclusive, just and actionable water governance ...
Mobility at a crossroads?
As we commemorate International Migrants Day, there is no doubt: Migration is a growing policy challenge, one that researchers in the Global South must help address ...
Put your principles first — the journey towards Just Water Partnerships
How climate, finance and justice must converge to secure the future of water – on which people and the planet depend ...
A water tracker brings Egyptian communities into the equation
Water accounting, when owned by water users, scientists and policymakers alike, can be a key lever for equitable and sustainable water management ...
World Water Congress 2025
In an interview on the 2025 World Water Congress in Morocco, IWMI's Youssef Brouziyne and Alan Nicol highlight the importance of collaboration for sustainable water management ...
Addis Ababa tackles rising flood risk
For Addis Ababa’s 3.5 million residents, floods regularly endanger livelihoods. IWMI and city officials have co-developed a dashboard to mitigate risks and improve emergency response ...
Science and policy work together to advance food security in Lao PDR
Lao PDR’s national Policy Think Tank partners with IWMI to strengthen officers’ research skills, empowering them to design agricultural policies that are rooted in science and evidence ...
A glass half full? Facing up to our water futures
Alan Nicol gave a TEDx Talk on collective action approaches in responding to the unprecedented series of risks and threats facing the global commons ...
Digital inequality – A challenge to climate risk responses in Pakistan?
In a flood emergency, access to the ‘digital ecosystem’ provided by mobile devices can be critical for individual safety, but not everyone has equal access ...
It’s time to reset our approach to the global water crisis
Alan Nicol explains that old assumptions about systems, markets and individuals need to give way to ideas of collective action, equality and social justice ...
Latest publications by Alan Nicol
No publications found.
