My Projects
Mapping a sustainable water future: Private sector opportunities for global water security and resilience
WHERE CAN PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS IN WATER SOLUTIONS DELIVER THE HIGHEST ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BENEFITS?
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Identifying regions where water solutions can be most effectively deployed is essential for guiding private sector investments towards addressing regional to global water security challenges. This paper introduces a pioneering framework for identifying strategic opportunities for private sector investments in the water sector. The research pinpoints areas where private sector engagement can effectively address water challenges, particularly in rapidly developing nations with supportive governance and policy strategies. This research aims to guide impactful investments and foster private sector engagement to bridge the water investment gap and foster a resilient and sustainable water future for communities. I was lead researcher and author on this paper spearheading the design of the water investment needs and private sector opportunity spatial assessment.
CONTRIBUTIONS:
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Developed research concept, design, and workflow execution.
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Developed framework with global spatial indices mapping Water Solution Needs and Private Sector Opportunities to guide private sector engagement in water solutions.
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Quantified and mapped populations benefitted by private sector sustainable water solution opportunities.
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Authored and executed Python code for robust spatial analysis, spatial statistics, and managing complex global datasets.
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Managed research work flow and manuscript development coordinating co-authors to work collaboratively across disciplines.
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Provided primary writing, manuscript organization, and submission.
PUBLICATION:
Green, Pamela A., Charles J. Vörösmarty, Dinah A. Koehler, Casey Brown, William Rex, Vanesa Rodriguez Osuna, and Zachary Tessler. (2024) “Mapping a Sustainable Water Future: Private Sector Opportunities for Global Water Security and Resilience.” Global Environmental Change 88 (September 1, 2024): 102906. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102906.
PRODUCTS:
Code and Data available at links below:
Green, Pamela A. (2024) Data and Code for manuscript “Mapping a Sustainable Water Future: Private Sector Opportunities for Global Water Security and Resilience,” August 26, 2024. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24512143.v1.
GitHub Jupyter Notebook, August 26, 2024. https://github.com/PamelaAGreen/MappingSustainableWaterFuture_PrivateSectorOpportunities_Green_etal_GEC2024.
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Defining freshwater boundaries for safe and just Earth system limits
CONTRIBUTIONS
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Developed altered and environmental flow global spatial indicators to define Earth System Boundaries for surface water.
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Quantified populations living with surface water deficits, declining groundwater recharge, and outside the surface water ESB.
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Employed water balance models and multi-year TerraClimate time series datasets for river network analysis.
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Authored and executed Python code for robust spatial analysis, spatial statistics, and managing complex global datasets.
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Engaged with Working Group 3 of the Earth Commission, demonstrating the ability to work collaboratively across disciplines for impactful research.
PRODUCTS:
Code and Data available at links below:
Green, P. A. (2023). Living within the safe and just Earth system boundaries for blue water – Surface Water Hydrology. In Nature Sustainability (v1.0.1). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8343035
Green, P. A. (2023). Safe and Just Earth Systems Boundaries for Surface Water: Hydrologic Alteration of Environmental Flows (v0.2.0) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7674802
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WHAT ARE THE EARTH SYSTEM BOUNDARIES FOR FRESHWATER?
The Earth system boundaries (ESB) for freshwater focus on maintaining the stability and resilience of freshwater systems within safe and just limits. They involve quantifying the maximum allowable human alterations to surface water and groundwater (blue water) to ensure sustainable management and equitable access, while protecting aquatic ecosystems and ensuring that basic human water needs are met globally.
My role in this project was to develop the planetary freshwater boundaries for surface water and identify populations living outside the freshwater ESBs. Outcomes have been publish in Nature and Nature Sustainability, and the Lancet.
PUBLICATIONS:
Stewart-Koster, Ben, Stuart E. Bunn, Pamela Green, et al. “Living within the Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries for Blue Water.” Nature Sustainability, November 16, 2023, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-023-01247-w.
Rockström, J., Gupta, J., Qin, D. et al. Safe and just Earth system boundaries. Nature 619, 102–111 (2023). https://doi-org.ezproxy.gc.cuny.edu/10.1038/s41586-023-06083-8
Climate impacts on gray and green infrastructure
CONTRIBUTIONS
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Developed research concept, design, and workflow execution.
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Developed global spatial indicators mapping Climate Variability and Climate impacts on river threats for years 2010, 2030, 2050, 2080.
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Built global indicators mapping climate impacts on threat reduction capacity from engineered infrastructure and nature-based solutions from 2010 to 2080.
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Quantified and mapped populations impacted by impaired rivers and threat reduction capacity due to climate change.
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Authored and executed Python code including robust spatial analysis, spatial statistics, and managing complex global datasets.
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Coordinated and managed team members, project timelines, and deliverables.
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Provided primary writing, report organization, and submission of all project reports.
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Organized, designed, and presented final products to clients at the United Nations.
HOW MAY CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT THE CAPACITY OF GRAY AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SAFEGUARD WATER SECURITY?
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This project investigates the impacts of climate change on water resources, assessing the effectiveness of both engineered and nature-based solutions to mitigate water security challenges. Leveraging global datasets of river threats and multi-year climate forecasts, it provides a comprehensive analysis of how variability in climate and hydrologic flow affects the potential of both green and gray infrastructure to reduce water threats. The findings aim to guide development policies and inform global dialogue on water security and climate resilience.
As principal scientist on the project, I designed the research concept and framework, performing all underlying geospatial and statistical analysis. I coordinated and organized the project, managed project team and client communication, provided primary writing for project report, managed all project deliverables and timelines to successful completion, presented final findings to client, and provided detailed guidance for next phases of work.
PUBLICATIONS:
Vörösmarty, Charles J., Ben Stewart-Koster, Pamela A. Green, .. et al. A Green-Gray Path to Global Water Security and Sustainable Infrastructure. Global Environmental Change 70 (September 1, 2021): 102344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102344.
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PRODUCTS:
Code and Data:
Python code on GitHub: Climate Impacts on Water Security Threats and Green/Gray Infrastructure Threat Reduction Capacity
Freshwater ecosystem services supporting humans
CONTRIBUTIONS
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Developed research concept, design and workflow execution.
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Developed Freshwater Provision Index global indicator mapping source freshwater supporting downstream populations.
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Quantified populations living downstream of upstream freshwater provisions under water security threat.
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Authored and executed ArcGIS code including robust spatial analysis, spatial statistics, and managing complex global datasets.
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Coordinated co-authors and team members in manuscript development.
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Providing primary writing, manuscript organization, and submission.
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Designed and developed project website.
WHY ARE ECOSYSTEMS IMPORTANT FOR FRESHWATER?
This study represented a first global-scale functional framework to assess opportunities for blending nature-based solutions with traditional engineering infrastructure, to secure and safeguard freshwater provisions for downstream populations. The analysis maps the state of threatened freshwater resources and spatially defines the level of service these resources convey to downstream users throughout the world. The framework provides a critical tool for prioritizing national investments to better manage valuable water resources at their source areas.
As lead author of this publication, I designed the research, coordinating co-authors and team members, performed the underlying geospatial analysis, and provided primary writing and manuscript organization. This work was expanded in a subsequent publication to explore the role of protected areas in providing freshwater ecosystem services to downstream populations.
PUBLICATIONS:
Green, P.A., Vörösmarty, C.J., Harrison, I., Farrell, T., Saenz, L., Fekete, B.M. (2015). Freshwater Ecosystem Services Supporting Humans: Pivoting from Water Crisis to Water Solutions. Global Environmental Change. Volume 34, September 2015, p108-118.
I. J. Harrison, P. A. Green, T. A. Farrell, D. Juffe-Bignoli, L. Saenz And C. J. Vörösmarty (2016). Protected areas and freshwater provisioning: a global assessment of freshwater provision, threats and management strategies to support human water security. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst. 26 (Suppl. 1). DOI: 10.1002/aqc.2652.
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Freshwater provisions supporting downstream populations under water security threat states (Source: Green et al., 2015)
Planning for sustainable water futures in Sub-Saharan Africa in the context of the SDGs
CONTRIBUTIONS
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Developed research concept, design, and workflow execution.
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Developed scenarios and organized spatial information to define landscape and human development inputs.
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Developed river network analysis to determine downstream impacts of upstream trade-off scenarios.
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Developed and executed model code for robust river network flow model, scenario spatial analysis, and results for publication.
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Engaged with SESYNC pursuit Working Group, demonstrating ability to work collaboratively across disciplines for impactful research.
HOW CAN WE PLAN FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS?
As part of the SESYNC pursuit “Planning for sustainable water futures in sub-Saharan Africa in the context of the SDGs”, I built a rapid progress tool to enable scenario testing for tradeoffs between water supply, impairment, natural capital, and traditional engineering. The model included upland, mid-river and river mouth landscapes with unique characteristic for river flow and human development, including population, water demand, wastewater treatment, and water threats. The model included a green ‘cleaning’ process to treat and offset impaired water via ecosystem and in-stream processing in wetlands, rivers, and lakes.
The following four scenarios were run to illustrate the impacts and trade-offs of preserving or degrading natural capital and investing in gray infrastructure to improve water quality:
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Intact natural capital and low investments in water treatment.
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Intact natural capital and high investments in water treatment.
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Degraded natural capital and low investments in water treatment.
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Degraded natural capital and high investments in water treatment.
Proposal and Research Project:
SESYNC Research Project: Sustainable Water Futures, Full Title: Planning for sustainable water futures in sub-saharan Africa in the context of the SDGs
Synthesis studies of the interaction of humans in the water cycle
CONTRIBUTIONS
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Built spatial tools optimizing water security trade-offs advancing SDG 6 sustainable targets.
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Developed innovative global-scale spatial models for blending nature-based solutions with engineering infrastructure.
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Designed web-based tools to generate water resource indicators across spatial scales.
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Built water risk information systems and indicators for development agencies to support funding and policy guidance (UN agencies, World Bank, Asian Development Bank).
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Lead and collaborated with cross-cultural, inter-disciplinary, and international research projects engaging academia, federal government, NGOs, and industry clients.
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Co-designed project websites.
PRODUCTS
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Project Websites:
A Green-Gray Path to Global Water Security and Sustainable Infrastructure
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Rivers in Crisis: Mapping dual threats to water security for biodiversity and humans
WHY ARE GLOBAL WATER ASSESSMENTS IMPORTANT?
Providing for the water needs of humans while balancing preservation of upstream freshwater resources is a key challenge of the 21st century. Pressure on future water resources will play out in the context of expanding human development, social and political uncertainties and shifting climate dynamics. Global assessments and indicators of water resources provide useful tools to define the current state of the resource, delineate the scope and regional complexity of stressors, identify populations and stakeholders affected, and forecast impacts into the future.
My analyses of global hydrological models and development of global indicators of human pressures on freshwater systems underpin these assessments and highlight where specific management interventions are likely to be successful. This work provides functional tools for policy makers and managers to prioritize location-based and stressor-targeted water security investments and solutions
PUBLICATIONS:
Vörösmarty, Charles J., Ben Stewart-Koster, Pamela A. Green,, et al. A Green-Gray Path to Global Water Security and Sustainable Infrastructure. Global Environmental Change 70 (September 1, 2021): 102344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102344.
Vörösmarty, C. J., McIntyre, P. B., Gessner, M. O., Dudgeon, D., Prusevich, A., Green, P., … & Davies, P. M. (2010). Global threats to human water security and river biodiversity. Nature, 467(7315), 555-561.
Vörösmarty, Charles J., P. Green, B. Fekete. A metrics-based approach mapping precursors of water conflict. Hidrológiai Közlöny, 2021. 101. évf. különszám, pages 112-119.
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Other Projects
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Global model forecasting population growth and climate change impacts on water availability in large urban centers for developing nations from 2000 to 2050 (PNAS, GEC)
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Human water stress indicators for inclusion in the Transboundary Water Assessment Programme (TWAP) baseline assessment of the planet’s transboundary water resources
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Mapping global water conflict potential hotspots and humans served by water source areas under potential water conflict
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Participation in working group to assess the impacts of river flow alteration on freshwater biodiversity (SWFP)
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National and catchment-level water stress and water threat indicators for the World Bank, Asian Water Development Bank (AWDO 2020, KD4), UN Development Programmme (UNDP), and UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) publications and reports.