Water injustice in a changing climate: A literature review of empirical cases across OECD river basins

This paper examines how climate change is reshaping water systems in ways that can create or reinforce water injustice, particularly across OECD river basins. Through a systematic review of existing studies, it finds that most research focuses on water scarcity, while the broader dimensions of injustice vary depending on context and are often insufficiently addressed at their root. Water injustice is typically understood through three interconnected dimensions: distributional (who gets what), procedural (who participates in decision-making), and recognitional (whose knowledge and perspectives are valued). The review identifies key issues such as unequal adaptive capacity, maladaptive outcomes, exclusion from governance processes, and the marginalization of Indigenous and local knowledge systems. 

It concludes that addressing water injustice requires more context-specific and systems-based approaches, stronger efforts to tackle underlying structural causes, and greater attention to overlooked areas such as the unintended consequences of participation and the role of social vulnerability in shaping water access and governance.