Jackie King

Jackie King has revolutionized global river management through her groundbreaking work in environmental flows and integrated water resource management. After spending nearly four decades at the University of Cape Town's Freshwater Research Unit as co-founder and Principal Researcher, she established her consultancy Water Matters in 2009. Her innovative research developed ecosystem models demonstrating the ecological and social implications of damming and de-watering rivers, providing decision-makers with tools to assess the full costs and benefits of water resource developments. Her methods, initially developed at the University of Cape Town with funding from South Africa's Water Research Commission, significantly influenced South Africa's 1998 National Water Act and now guide governments across the globe. As a consultant, she has worked in over 20 countries and with major river basin organizations including the Mekong, Zambezi, Indus, and Okavango. Her exceptional contributions earned her the 2019 Stockholm Water Prize, which she leveraged to launch Africa's Living Rivers initiative. Currently serving as Extraordinary Professor at the University of Western Cape's Institute for Water Studies, she continues to advocate for sustainable river management while helping governments understand that healthy river ecosystems are fundamental to sustainable development. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the Gold and Silver Medals from the Southern African Society of Aquatic Scientists, South Africa's "Women in Water" Award, and WWF-South Africa's "Living Planet Award" in 2016.