M. Jabs MSc (Maren)

As part of the department of Civil Engineering and the chairs of Multidisciplinary Water Management and Climate-resilient infrastructure systems at the University of Twente, my PhD research focuses on integrated drought resilience assessments and pathways towards more drought-resilient socio-ecological-technical systems. For a more detailed summary of my research, please visit the project website:[https://www.utwente.nl/en/et/cem/research/wem/research/projects/jabs.pdf].

My academic journey began with a degree in Biosciences from the University of Heidelberg, where my interest in socio-ecological systems was sparked. This curiosity led me to the European Alps, where I completed a Master of Science at the Universities of Innsbruck and Bolzano. My master’s thesis on the drought resilience of mountain meadows laid the foundation for my current work on integrated drought resilience assessments.

Organisations

As a result of climate change and direct human interference with hydrological systems, drought events are predicted to increase in both frequency and intensity. These events pose significant threats to socio-ecological systems, aVecting sectors such as agriculture, ecosystem health and public water supply. Drought furthermore aVects both transboundary and national river catchments, making it necessary for management approaches to cross sectoral and federal borders. To prepare for a future shaped by climate change, regions must build up their resilience. A first step towards more drought-resilient socio-ecological systems is the integrated assessment of their current resilience status. However, there is currently no comprehensive and intuitive framework available to assess drought resilience at the regional scale. This research aims to fill this gap with the creation of an assessment framework that enables decision-makers to evaluate the status quo of drought resilience and prioritise measures to increase it. The framework will be applied in a case study focused on the Dutch-German border region, where it will be also used to evaluate the eVectiveness and eViciency of a set of pilot measures. While expert feedback will be incorporated during the framework's development through interviews, the case study will focus on close interaction with regional stakeholders. Based on the case-study results, this research will also explore shared and conflicting visions for a drought-influenced future.

Publications

Research profiles

Interreg project DIWA (Drought Strategies in Water Management 

https://deutschland-nederland.eu/en/projects/diwa/

Drought is increasingly becoming a threat to both Germany and the Netherlands. The dry summers of recent years clearly demonstrate that cross-border cooperation is urgently needed. Just like water, drought does not stop at the border. The need is recognized on both sides of the border. However, drought has only recently made its way onto the cooperation agenda between Germany and the Netherlands after several dry years. This is partly due to the absence of national and European drought policies and limited monitoring and exchange of drought data. Additionally, different data, models, and assessment methods are used in Germany and the Netherlands. The Interreg-VI project DIWA, short for Drought Strategies in Water Management, aims to develop a cross-border drought management approach that will allow stakeholders in the DIWA area, as well as parties in other border regions of the Netherlands and Germany, to face the climate developments related to drought in the coming years. The project partners are working together within DIWA to achieve better alignment between governments and area managers in both the Netherlands and Germany. The DIWA project partners are implementing several measures to achieve this goal. A governance model for drought management is being developed. Additionally, the goal is to expand and automate the network of precipitation and groundwater monitoring stations, contributing to better predictions and sustainable groundwater management. The partners are also developing scenarios and strategies, evaluating drought risks, and assessing the effectiveness of the measures taken. Furthermore, anti-drought measures are being implemented through area pilot projects. The knowledge gained from these measures will ultimately be compiled into a digital guide for stakeholders in the border regions.

Address

University of Twente

Horst Complex (building no. 20), room W220
De Horst 2
7522 LW Enschede
Netherlands

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