Tamara Zambiasi

Department of Geography

Tamara Zambiasi's research investigates the 2014–2015 São Paulo water crisis, focusing on how financial decisions and power dynamics shaped water distribution. It examines the Cantareira system, which supplies water from inland regions to São Paulo city. During the crisis, Sabesp, the state utility, redirected water to benefit wealthier areas, prioritizing profit over long-term water security. This caused severe shortages in both inland regions and vulnerable city neighbourhoods. The findings, presented in public hearings and discussed in media, provide evidence for advocating equitable resource distribution and sustainability, influencing policy reforms and ensuring more equitable access to water in Brazil.

Other 2025 award winners

Tanushree Agarwal

Soura Chakraborty

Felicity Crawshay-Williams

Simon Deltadahl

Parth Deshpande

Lucia Luengo Gutierrez

Pranathi Prasad

Adam Rochussen

Anoop Tripathi

Callum White

Qiuchen Zhao

Previous award winners

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