The Role of Emotions in Water-Related Decision-Making Processes: A Systematic Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental Social Science
• Water Governance Studies
• Human Geography

Background:

• Limited synthesis exists on how emotions influence water resource use and allocation decisions.
• Existing scholarship highlights the impact of emotions but lacks a comprehensive review of recent advances.
• Understanding emotional dimensions is critical for effective water governance and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize recent advances in understanding the role of emotions in water governance and management.
• To explore the emotional geography of water by examining community emotional dispositions at intra-basin and inter-basin levels.
• To investigate the spatial, temporal, and political nexuses influencing community emotional attachments to water resources.

Main Methods:

• Systematic scoping review utilizing Boolean literature searching.
• Analysis of English language scholarly records from Web of Science and Scopus databases (2000-2025).
• Examination of emotional connotations concerning water and environmental governance through spatial, temporal, and political lenses.

Main Results:

• Marginalized communities exhibit deep emotional attachments to shared water resources, experiencing distress when access is denied or landscapes are disrupted.
• Colonialism, denied historical access (temporal nexus), and landscape occupation (spatial nexus) contribute to collective emotional distress and identity loss in under-served communities.
• The study identifies a foundation for exploring the emotional geography of water, highlighting the interconnectedness of spatial, temporal, and political factors.

Conclusions:

• Emotional dynamics are integral to water governance, particularly for marginalized and Indigenous communities.
• Further research should explore diverse cultural and linguistic perspectives to deepen the understanding of the emotional geography of water.
• A nuanced view of how communities feel, experience, value, and connect to water is essential for inclusive and comprehensive water resource management.