The GLASCA Project: “Water Availability in Central Asia – Societal Vulnerability to Changing Glacier and Snowmelt Runoff Contributions to Central Asian Rivers (GlaSCA)” aims at establishing an interdisciplinary research consortium uniting German and Central Asian scientists from different countries which will (1) address the quantification of the glacier and snowmelt contribution to river runoff in the region and (2) assess the societal vulnerability to changes in runoff amount and seasonal distribution. Focusing on a catchment of the Ala-Archa River located on the northern slopes of the Kyrgyz Range near Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) an interdisciplinary pilot study aiming at the quantification of the glacier melt, snowmelt, groundwater and rainfall contribution to river runoff and investigate their temporal and spatial variability will be carried out. This will be based on the characterization of the dependencies on water availability and its temporal variability, vulnerability of downstream communities, including different economic sectors and societal groups, to changes in water availability and in the variability of glacier and snowmelt contribution. Based on this knowledge, preliminary societal vulnerability indices will be derived, that can be applied for the assessment of global change impact on water resources in Central Asian countries.
Responsibilities:
Under the authority of the Director of UNU-EHS and the supervision and guidance of Head of the EVES Section, the successful candidate will be entrusted with the following tasks:
Contribute to the development of a research design for an indicator-based vulnerability assessment;
Conduct background literature searches in the context of vulnerability and risk assessment, critically review and compile the existing literature;
Conduct field research in the study area and in the capital (expert interviews, workshop, household interviews)
Compile and edit data (field data, household surveys etc.);
Search for secondary data from various sources, data collection and mining;
Work with spatial data and prepare maps;
Prepare project reports, publications, where needed;
Any other duties may be assigned or required.
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