From Environmental Collapse and Climate Change to Dry Futures

Ecology plays a vital role in human existence, making it requisite to maintain Earth’s balance, influenced by factors like climate, vegetation, and biodiversity; however, the impact of human activities cannot be disregarded. This study examines the future dystopian novel Water Must Fall by British-South African writer Nick Wood. The study also investigates the novel’s portrayal of environmental collapse and climate change, focusing on the water crisis and its reflection on contemporary ecological concerns. Taking ecocriticism as a theoretical framework, this research highlights the symbolic implications of water as a living force and investigates how its commodification and exploitation intersect with capitalism, social inequality, and gentrification, ultimately leading to environmental collapse. This study involves close reading and thematic analysis of the text. This study illuminates the novel’s contribution to the genre of environmental literature and its potential to stimulate critical thinking in addressing contemporary planetary crises.