Professor Naho Mirumachi
Professor in Environmental Politics
Research interests
- Environment
- Security
Biography
Naho Mirumachi is Professor in Environmental Politics at the Department of Geography. Trained in political science, international studies and human geography, she has research interests in the politics and governance of the environment, particularly water and energy. Her research brings together thinking on political economy of international transboundary river basins, security and geopolitics over natural resources, particularly in developing country contexts.
With over 15 years of experience, she has published extensively and is the author of Transboundary Water Politics in the Developing World [(Routledge 2015) and co-author of Water Conflicts: Analysis for Transformation (Oxford University Press 2020).
Naho is the co-director of the King’s Water Centre that works to incubate, elevate, and empower the best science and innovation to tackle the world’s water problems.
She has extensive collaboration with international research networks, policy makers and the cultural sector. She has experience in training over 200 policy makers and professionals on water security and water cooperation. Naho recently served as lead author on freshwater policy for the 2019 UN Environment GEO-6 report and worked on the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.
Research
- Trans-boundary water conflict and cooperation
- Water governance
- Environmental security
- Framing of natural resources management
- Institutions for environmental governance
- Power and environmental discourse
- Scale and agency
Stemming from her research interests in the politics of natural resources management, Naho examines three inter-related themes: institutions of water allocation; power and environmental discourse; scale and agency.
She has fieldwork experience in the Orange-Senqu River basin in Southern Africa, Ganges River basin in South Asia, and the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia, and most recently Tanzania.
Teaching
Postgraduate
- Water and Development
- Security and the Global Natural Environment Geopolitics of Natural Resource Disputes
PhD supervision
Naho would be interested in discussing potential PhD topics such as:
- Transboundary water conflict and cooperation
- Water governance
- Water security, environmental security
- Low carbon development
Further details
Research
King's Water Centre
Researching water, environment and development. Our centre spans the humanities, social, and physical sciences to explore the challenges of water governance from global to local scales.
Contested Development research group
Exploring environmental, political and social questions in relation to contested and uneven processes of development.
King's Climate Research Hub
Studying climate change through the relationship between science, policy and culture, particularly in the developing world.
Environmental Security research group
The Environmental Security research group brings together scholars from the security community and scholars working on issues of environmental security.
Political Ecology, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services
The Political Ecology, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (PEBES) group provides a collaborative focus for work on the social (re)production of nature, environmental conservation and resource management.
Climate & sustainability researchers at King’s
King's researchers working across climate and sustainability
News
New book argues for a critical, social understanding of water to solve global challenges
The book by academics from the King’s Water Centre explores how social practices and geometries of power shape the flow of water.
Progressive water policy needs to be intrinsically linked to human rights and sustainability
King’s Water Centre has launched four policy papers that explore how we can ensure we have a just and sustainable water future.
Human rights to water of millions endangered by large-scale agriculture and industries
In an in-depth cross-country analysis considering the impacts of large-scale agriculture and industry on the human right to drinking water, Dr Naho...
Why the world needs a revised approach to water diplomacy
In the face of accelerating climate change, continued developments in hydropower and competing agricultural demands, water has the potential to become more...
Geography launches its new MA in Geopolitics, Resources and Territory
The King’s Geography Department is proud to launch the new Geopolitics, Resources and Territory masters programme.
Events
Tony Allan Memorial Lecture Series: "Supporting women in water management: The good, the bad and the ugly”
The third talk for the annual Tony Allan Memorial Lecture Series, which takes forward the intellectual legacy of our late emeritus colleague on topics of...
King's Water Centre launch
Join us in celebrating cutting-edge, interdisciplinary water research at King's.
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
Professor Tony Allan (1937 - 2021): An intellectual pioneer and an inspiration to students and colleagues
Tony was a distinguished scholar, most noted for his ground-breaking work on virtual water. His work reshaped thinking on water management and policy, with...
Research
King's Water Centre
Researching water, environment and development. Our centre spans the humanities, social, and physical sciences to explore the challenges of water governance from global to local scales.
Contested Development research group
Exploring environmental, political and social questions in relation to contested and uneven processes of development.
King's Climate Research Hub
Studying climate change through the relationship between science, policy and culture, particularly in the developing world.
Environmental Security research group
The Environmental Security research group brings together scholars from the security community and scholars working on issues of environmental security.
Political Ecology, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services
The Political Ecology, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services (PEBES) group provides a collaborative focus for work on the social (re)production of nature, environmental conservation and resource management.
Climate & sustainability researchers at King’s
King's researchers working across climate and sustainability
News
New book argues for a critical, social understanding of water to solve global challenges
The book by academics from the King’s Water Centre explores how social practices and geometries of power shape the flow of water.
Progressive water policy needs to be intrinsically linked to human rights and sustainability
King’s Water Centre has launched four policy papers that explore how we can ensure we have a just and sustainable water future.
Human rights to water of millions endangered by large-scale agriculture and industries
In an in-depth cross-country analysis considering the impacts of large-scale agriculture and industry on the human right to drinking water, Dr Naho...
Why the world needs a revised approach to water diplomacy
In the face of accelerating climate change, continued developments in hydropower and competing agricultural demands, water has the potential to become more...
Geography launches its new MA in Geopolitics, Resources and Territory
The King’s Geography Department is proud to launch the new Geopolitics, Resources and Territory masters programme.
Events
Tony Allan Memorial Lecture Series: "Supporting women in water management: The good, the bad and the ugly”
The third talk for the annual Tony Allan Memorial Lecture Series, which takes forward the intellectual legacy of our late emeritus colleague on topics of...
King's Water Centre launch
Join us in celebrating cutting-edge, interdisciplinary water research at King's.
Please note: this event has passed.
Features
Professor Tony Allan (1937 - 2021): An intellectual pioneer and an inspiration to students and colleagues
Tony was a distinguished scholar, most noted for his ground-breaking work on virtual water. His work reshaped thinking on water management and policy, with...