Project Group: Prof. Dr. P.M. Schmitz, Prof. Dr. H.G. Frede, Dr. Katrin Schneider, Mirza Nomman Ahmed M.Sc.

CliNCA consists of a core team that includes the ZEU, The Central Asian Institute of Applies Geosciences (CAIAG), The Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC), the German-Kazakh University (DKU) and the Institute of Plant Physiology and Microbiology, Samarkand State University.

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Goals

• Cover key issues of current climate change in Central Asia and its impact on agriculture
• Describe and measure ecological and economical indicators of water shortage
• Address the issue of efficient and effective water pricing systems
• Resolve water affordability problems
• Identify the region-specific essential measures through which the water services can be provided to all citizens
• Investigate the role of governance in mitigating the effects of water shortage etc.

Field of Research

The interaction of environmental factors and human action is of critical importance in Central Asia. In particular, the availability of water has a great impact on both agriculture and economic development. Due to climate change Central Asia and its water resources have been identified to be especially vulnerable. There is a need in the development of adaptation strategies to face predicted climate change effects on water resources. In this case higher education and training are essential to develop and improve adaptive capacity.

Participants

CliNCA will be designed around several teaching and training instruments, covering MSc scholarships, PhD programs and scientific exchange for Post-Doc and Senior Scientists. The program is set up for both German as well as Central Asian applicants. The promotion of CliNCA is further supported by networking measures such as joint summer schools and conferences. CliNCA will be embedded in a larger research and teaching framework. Apart from regular teaching courses at JLU, SSU and DKU, teaching especially includes the MSc course in Transition Studies (ZEU), the MSc in Environmental Management (JLU Giessen) and the MSc in Regional Studies: Central Asia (DKU). Furthermore, CliNCA will be linked to research initiatives like GCO (Global Change Observatory Central Asia by the GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam) and CAWA (Water in Central Asia Project).