| The overall aim of this project is to improve - in a collaborative Chinese-Dutch effort - our understanding of seasonal dynamics of hydrological extreme events under climate change, and to identify response strategies by studying the complex feedback mechanisms between climate extremes and the integrated socio-hydrological system. The project will focus on the Pearl river in China in comparison to the river Rhine in the Netherlands. The main activities are: 1. Identification of trends and main driving forces and mechanisms underlying land use change (including urbanization and industrialisation) in the Pearl river basin from long-term remote sensing observations, socio-economic data sets and trend studies; 2. Developing a state-of-the art coupled land use and hydrological model driven by a regional climate model to simulate hydrological processes in the river basin, and evaluate spatio-temporal variations of hydrological extremes (floods, droughts and monsoon patterns) in relation to sea level rise, land use change and climate projections; 3. Development of innovative, agent based risk mapping techniques and analysis of present and future socio-hydrological risks as induced by decisions of different stakeholders; 4. Participatory appraisal of adaptive strategies for mitigating risks and coping with hydrological extremes in the Pearl River delta; 5. Assessment of innovative water management practices in the Rhine and Pearl river basins though joint workshops and field visits and evaluation of the applicability of new water management approaches for each basin (including ?space for the river? and ?climate proofing? approaches). The proposed project will be carried out by one Ph.D and a part time post-doc (supported by Dutch PI and project team) and one post-doc and two Ph.Ds (supported by Chinese PI and project team). Supervision will be realized in a coordinated effort of Chinese and Dutch PIs. |
