Call for Application SAGE Research School

Call for Applications SAGE Research School 2026-2030

Open Call for PhD Fellows in Climate Change and Natural Resource Management

The Regional Centre for Sustainable Adaptation to Global Change in the Middle East (SAGE) invites applications for 18 PhD fellowships within their Research School on Climate Change Studies.

SAGE is one of four Global Centres for Climate and Environment funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the German Federal Foreign Office. It is coordinated by the University of Tübingen (Germany) and An-Najah National University (Nablus, Palestine). The aim of the SAGE Centre is to empower societies in the Middle East to find science-based solutions to adaptive and sustainable management of natural resources in an era of global change. Based in the Jordan River region, SAGE will collect, assess and make available data about the current and future situation with regard to regional climate and natural resources. Furthermore, SAGE aims to contribute to capacity building and conduct multilateral and interdisciplinary research on areas of concern.

SAGE hosts a Research School on Climate Change Studies, delivered by a regional and international consortium of eminent scientists. Within this frame, we have designed several PhD research projects that address local stakeholder’s interests, novel scientific problems and a transdisciplinary perspective that enables the PhD students to receive an integral training.

The SAGE PhD fellows will be associated to a German University and conduct their research in Jordan and/or Palestine. All fellows will be co-supervised by researchers from the study region and Germany.

The Fellowships shall start in May 2026 and run for at least three years. An extension may be granted based on clear criteria related to the quality of the work. In addition to the fellowship, SAGE provides funds for the research and the annual stays abroad, as well as skills training within the SAGE Research School.

General requirements:

Master degree or equivalent scientific university degree in a field related to the topic (see individual project descriptions)
Excellent communication skills in English and Arabic
High level of creativity, motivation, and organization
Critical and analytical mindset
Experience/keen interest in working within an international and interdisciplinary team

We expect the candidates to formulate their motivation letter and the application on their own, i.e. without the use of AI. If AI has been used (e.g. for spelling check), this must be clearly indicated by the candidate.

Application instructions:

A successful application requires the submission of a motivation letter, a complete CV, a transcript of records (Bachelor and Master degrees) and two letters of reference.

Applications should be submitted to as a single PDF document until 25. January 2026.

Please make sure that the letters of reference are sent directly by the reference contact to the address above. Candidates may apply to up to three different projects, given that their particular qualifications for each project are indicated separately.

We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity and therefore encourage female scientists and other underrepresented groups to apply. The positions are also open to candidates that come with their own funds. If this is the case, it should be indicated in the motivation letters.

The SAGE Projects

Global change – including climate-, land use-, and socio-economic change – is taking place rapidly and will have serious impacts on the world as a whole. The Jordan River Basin is a region where climate change impacts on society and the environment are likely to be highly severe. Thus, efficient mitigation and adaptation to climate change are urgently needed. This requires sound scientific knowledge and mechanisms to translate scientific findings into application. Furthermore, in order to plan effectively, the countries of the region need to share their knowledge, and look together at ways in which limited resources can be used most efficiently and fairly under conditions of global change. In order to help achieve these aims, we have established several PhD projects that belong to four research areas: A) Climate and Hydrology, B) Biodiversity and Land Use, C) Ecosystem Services and Socio-Economy, and D) Governance and Ethics.

Climate and Hydrology

A1. Water harvesting in rangelands: Nature-based solutions to enhance green water availability and mitigate effects of extreme events (overarching topic with Team B).

While rainwater harvesting for agriculture has a long tradition and has extensively been studied, rural rainwater harvesting methods for rangelands are understudied. This topic aims at applying traditional rainwater harvesting techniques to a rangeland experimental site and studying impacts on the water balance (including groundwater recharge) and on water retention during high magnitude events. Different techniques will be adapted to the prevailing slope gradient: on steep slopes contour bench terraces will be built, while on flatter terrain bunds or microcatchments will be constructed. Measurements of rainfall, soil moisture and slope runoff will yield field data on the water balance which will be used in a soil water balance model. In close cooperation with ecologists, ecological impacts will be evaluated by studying vegetation development.

Deliverables: This topic will deliver basic knowledge how efficient traditional water harvesting techniques are to improve water availability and ecological conditions in rangelands and at the same time serve as a measure of flood and erosion control. We foresee implications for sustainable rangeland management that can also be transferred to open areas in urban centers.

Requirements: We expect the candidate to hold an above-average MSc (Master of Science) degree in hydrology, climatology, geo-ecology, agricultural- or environmental sciences / environmental engineering. Proven expertise in hydrological modelling, statistical data analysis and GIS are an advantage. Knowledge of an advanced programming language (e.g., Matlab/R, Python, Fortran) is an asset. We are seeking for an autonomous researcher with skills of independent and goal-oriented working, both in the field and on the computer. At the same time he/she should be a team player. Knowledge of the English language (written and oral) is a necessity for working and communicating in an international team.

A2. Efficiency of green roofs and water harvesting to reduce urban flood hazards (overarching topic with Team B).

While the water balance of green roofs and the efficiency of urban rainwater harvesting have been extensively studied in the first phase of SAGE, the impacts of both techniques to mitigate urban flash floods is largely unknown. This study addresses this knowledge gap by installing rainfall and roof runoff gauges on different roof types in an urban setting and by applying hydrological models (e.g. SWMM) using real storm events with different return periods and spatial extents. Model applications will cover different scales, from single urban districts up to entire cities. Including experiences from experimental green roofs of the first project phase, the ecology and sustainability of vegetation on green roofs will also be investigated. Additionally, the seasonal effectiveness of flood mitigation will be studied.

Deliverables: This project will assess the efficiency and ecological sustainability of green roof development for urban flood control and draft a guideline document for optimized green roof planning.

A3. Floating Photovoltaics (FPV) on surface water reservoirs: reducing evaporative water loss and providing green energy for sustainable irrigation.

Floating Photovoltaics (FPV) is a new technique with a documented dual benefit just in arid regions: While evaporative losses from open water surfaces can be reduced by at least 50%, the produced green energy can be used for agricultural projects, i.e. irrigation, groundwater pumping or desalination. A recent study has shown this for the Aswan High Dam Reservoir (Ilgen et al., 2024). This study aims to apply a set of models (e.g. ZENIT, General Lake Model, etc.) to showcase this potential for the case of Jordan. Thereby, different FPV-layouts and spatial coverages will be compared. We expect proposals for sustainable development projects in irrigated agriculture just aside the ten dams of Jordan which loose considerable water volumes by evaporation. The effect of reduced solar radiation on water quality (e.g. oxygen content) and aquatic ecosystems (e.g. algae growth) will also be evaluated.

Deliverables: This topic studies FPV as a promising technique in mitigating challenges in the framework of the water-energy-food nexus in Jordan. Study outcomes will provide individual and accurate information on potentials of FPV deployments for all surface reservoirs in Jordan. The information will be site specific and include data on (1) water conservation by reduced evaporation losses, (2) yields of green electricity and (3) optimized scenarios for water and energy use in an agricultural context.

Requirements: We expect the candidate to hold an above-average MSc (Master of Science) degree in hydrology, climatology, geo-ecology, agricultural- or environmental sciences / environmental engineering. Proven expertise in hydrological modelling, statistical data analysis and GIS are an advantage. Knowledge of an advanced programming language (e.g., Matlab/R, Python, Fortran) is an asset. We are seeking for an autonomous researcher with skills of independent and goal-oriented working. At the same time he/she should be a team player. Knowledge of the English language (written and oral) is a necessity for working and communicating in an international team.

A4. Vulnerability of Water Resources in the West Bank

Drinking water of the West Bank totally relies on groundwater of the karstic Mountain Aquifer. Here both springs and wells are used for drinking water supply but partly also for agricultural irrigation. Water needs for irrigation are supplemented by treated or untreated waste water. In all aspects of water use, risks due to water quality deterioration, particularly by emerging contaminants (PFAS, heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics) are largely unknown. A historical risk assessment will first use existing data of nitrate and chloride concentrations (USGS, 1998) to judge the vulnerability of groundwater wells and springs. In a second phase, new samples will be collected and analysed for major ions in local laboratories and for selected emerging contaminants in Germany and compared with historical vulnerability. A GIS-analysis will address land use impacts. This will facilitate statements which water sources should be reserved for drinking water use and which are more suitable for irrigation.

Deliverables: This project will assess the vulnerability of individual springs and groundwater wells in the West Bank and will use this information to produce strategies for optimized water management.

Requirements: We expect the candidate to hold an above-average MSc (Master of Science) degree in chemistry, hydrology, climatology, geo-ecology, agricultural- or environmental sciences / environmental engineering. Proven expertise in laboratory analysis, statistical data analysis and GIS are an advantage. We are seeking for an autonomous researcher with skills of independent and goal-oriented working. At the same time he/she should be a team player. Knowledge of the English language (written and oral) is a necessity for working and communicating in an international team.

A5. Irrigation water quality in Jordan

Agriculture in Jordan is largely characterized by waste water re-use and by collection of wadi runoff in surface reservoirs. Thereby, risks due to water quality deterioration, particularly by emerging contaminants (PFAS, heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics) are largely unknown. This study assesses the seasonal variation of water quality parameters in all 10 surface reservoirs and along the King Abdullah Canal to highlight water quality hazards. Samples will be analyzed for traditional water quality components in local laboratories and for selected emerging contaminants in Germany. Existing historic data will be compared with newly collected samples. Sources of surface water contamination will be assessed and potential mitigation strategies discussed.

Deliverables: This project will assess the quality of surface water resources in Jordan and determine health hazards when using this water for irrigation. A particular focus will be put on emerging contaminants.

A6. Wastewater irrigation and effects on soil

Under water-scarce conditions, surface water or wastewater are promising resources offering water (and nutrients) for cultivation. However, irrigation water pollutants have the potential to accumulate in the topsoil during irrigation and, in the long run, leach into groundwater, contaminating this precious resource. This project will investigate agricultural soils in Jordan and the West Bank, where wastewater and surface water are already used for irrigation, regarding accumulation of pollutants (e.g. PFAS, heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics) at different soil depths. Transport parameters of these substances will be determined by additional soil column experiments in the lab. The leaching towards groundwater will be simulated using models for solute transport in soil water (e.g. HYDRUS). Scenarios including climate change and different irrigation water qualities will be assessed for their potential for groundwater contamination in the next decades.

Deliverables: This project will provide knowledge on the current state of soil pollution by wastewater irrigation in the region and will assess potential future hazards. This information is essential for a sustainable management of water resources and soils.

Requirements: We expect the candidate to hold an above-average MSc (Master of Science) degree in hydrology, soil sciences, geo-ecology, agricultural- or environmental sciences / environmental engineering or similar. Proven expertise in laboratory analysis, field work, statistical data analysis and (soil) hydrological modelling are an advantage. We are seeking an autonomous researcher with skills of independent and goal-oriented working. At the same time he/she should be a team player. Knowledge of the English language (written and oral) is a necessity for working and communicating in an international team.

Biodiversity and Land Use

B1. Developing indicators for tipping points of rangelands in the Jordan River region under climate and land use change

Pre-emptive management requires that we have indicators for the functioning of rangelands that tell us whether a system is irreversibly degraded, whether it is in a ‘healthy’ state, or whether it is approaching a tipping point. Initial evidence suggests that the combination of more extreme droughts and a concurrent grazing regime may drive the system across a tipping point, where feed quantity and quality, soil, and biodiversity is lost and cannot be restored. However, we do not know what are the thresholds of drought severity and grazing regime that may cause an irreversible regime shift, and whether early warning indicators exist that could inform about the need for intervention. Here, we will make use of a region-wide experimental platform where rainfall, biodiversity, and grazing regimes have been manipulated for four years, and the response of the ecosystem has been observed. Specifically, we will look at aspects of productivity, feed quality, biodiversity (soil biota, plants, animals), and soil properties, and determine whether some of these characteristics may serve as indicators for a looming crash in rangeland functioning. This PhD theme will ideally be addressed by two PhD students, one in Jordan, and one in Palestine.

Deliverables: This project will deliver early warning indicators related to soil, hydrology (jointly with Team A), biodiversity, and ecosystem function that serve to inform stakeholders about possible tipping points. This shall support management recommendations for a safe operating space of rangeland utilization in an era of climate change. These will be linked to an evaluation of ecosystem services (jointly with Team C) and a decision-support tool for prioritizing conservation action.

Requirements: The students should possess an MSc. degree in plant or animal ecology or a closely related field, ability and willingness to work in teams, spend extended periods in the field, excellent knowledge of statistics and experimental design, as well as very good knowledge of Middle Eastern flora (and possibly also fauna).

B2. Community-based monitoring of rangeland quality

Rangeland quality in the Middle East is deteriorating rapidly due to population growth and increasing grazing pressure, combined with an increasing frequency of droughts. However, the status of the rangelands is not known on a regional level, which hampers targeted action for adaptive management. Also, a gap exists between decisions taken at a local level and nation-wide legislation on a governmental level. Therefore, assessments of rangeland quality are needed that are both consistent across a large spatial scale, can be adopted in governmental agencies, and have ownership with local herders. This project will adopt a citizen-science approach to monitor rangeland quality in Palestine and/or Jordan. Jointly with Project B1, this project will develop and test indicators of rangeland quality and vulnerability, which can be easily monitored and are informative. Additionally, available digital tools for species identification and mapping, as well as for rangeland quality will be tested for their suitability to be adopted in Jordan and Palestine. To understand the effects of grazing pressure on rangeland status, this project will adopt an observational approach by comparing areas of moderate grazing with those of heavy grazing and compare the insights with the experimental findings in Project B1. This project is also highly interdisciplinary: next to the ecological assessments, it involves semi-structured interviews with herders, the development of monitoring schemes, citizen-science approaches (including quality control, automated monitoring tools) and the development of a science-stakeholder interface.

Deliverables: Identification of multi-criteria indicators for rangeland status, development of a standardized monitoring protocol for rangeland quality indicators, selection and/or adaptation of digital monitoring tools, scientific analyses of usefulness of alternative indicators and monitoring tools, development of science-stakeholder interface.

Requirements: The candidate must possess an M.Sc. degree in ecology, social sciences, or geography. S/he must be able and willing to work in teams and across disciplines. A good knowledge of community-based approaches and/or citizen science, of monitoring tools (on-site and remote sensing) and of citizen-science approaches is highly beneficial.

B3. Ecosystem red-listing in Jordan and Palestine: developing monitoring and assessment schemes for biodiversity

Jordan and Palestine are located in a global biodiversity hotspot – they host a globally outstanding richness of both plant and animal species. At the same time, this regional biodiversity is highly threatened by human pressure associated with population growth and intensified land use. Assessment and mitigation of these threats, however, remains a challenge, because even basic knowledge on species distributions and abundance as well as threats and conservation approaches are highly limited for Jordan and Palestine. We therefore aim to implement for this region the so-called ecosystem red-listing approach of the IUCN. This approach integrates beyond simple species monitoring to provide assessments of current state, threats and conservation measures for defined regional ecosystems. The project includes field surveys to complement biotic data, spatial GIS analyses to derive temporal trends for the state of biodiversity and its threats, and conceptual work to define appropriate red list criteria from a local to a regional and global scale. These data are a crucial element for the national biodiversity strategy and an initiation of action planning, as well as for reporting of Jordan and Palestine to the NABS and CBD.

Deliverables: The project will provide a comprehensive description, classification and assessment of the current health status and threat levels faced by the major ecosystems in Jordan and Palestine. Based on this assessment, the project will identify effective management pathways to reduce ecosystem stress and regional loss of biodiversity. The results will feed into a decision-support tool for prioritizing conservation actions.

Requirements: The ideal candidate holds an MSc in environmental sciences, ecology, taxonomy, or a related field and have an excellent knowledge of fauna and/or Flora in the Middle East. Deep knowledge of ecological concepts and ecosystem functions, remote sensing tools and spatial analyses (GIS), and familiarity with red list concepts is beneficial.

B4. Managing plant-pollinator interactions in a changing climate – shifts in crop plant phenology and agriculture-nature interactions

Many crop plant species depend on pollination services by wild insects. These pollinate both wild as well as agricultural plants but mostly depend on semi-natural habitats for their reproduction. However, both increasing use of pesticides as well as potential mismatches in plant and insect phenology with climate change may put pollination services at stake. For example, if phenology of crop plants is advanced with increasing temperatures, phenology of insects may lag behind. Wild plants have a larger phenological diversity and their phenology is, on average, faster than that of crops, enabling an extension of the pollination season and a buffering of declines in pollinator populations. Yet, the degree to which such a rescue is possible, and how much natural habitat is required for supporting pollination services for crops is largely unknown. Also, a coherent list of agro-environmental schemes (such as e.g. in the EU) is missing and inconsistent between the regional countries, and some classical management schemes (e.g. wildflower strips) have not been tested for their feasibility. This project will assess, by means of historical records, farmer interviews, and field observations, whether and to which extent phenology shifts have occurred and whether and how this affects pollination services. The use of specific wild species and ecotypes for maintaining pollination services will be assessed, and wise land use schemes developed which benefit biodiversity and crop yield at the same time.

Deliverables: Data base about phenological shifts of major crop plants in Jordan and/or Palestine, decision-support for agro-environmental schemes incl. their spatio-temporal arrangement that benefit pollination services, a map of useful species and genotypes for maximizing pollination services under climate change.

Requirements: M.Sc. in crop sciences, breeding, agro-ecology or plant/animal ecology, excellent knowledge of insects and methods and concepts in pollination ecology, basic knowledge in GIS applications, very good statistical knowledge and knowledge in experimental design.

B5. Diversifying agriculture – feasibility, efficiency, and stability of intercropping systems in semi-arid agroecosystems

Semi-arid regions such as in the Middle East face severe constraints on agricultural productivity and yield stability due to water scarcity, land degradation, and increasing climate variability. Traditional monocropping systems often result in low water productivity, poor soil fertility, and high vulnerability to climatic extremes. Therefore, modern agriculture should thrive for sustainability (i.e. maximize long-term yield) rather than for maximizing short-term yield. Scientific evidence suggests that diversification is key to stabilizing and maximizing long-term yields, enhancing water-use efficiency, reducing externalities, and buffering extreme events. This project aims at optimizing intercropping systems in semi-arid agro-ecosystems with a special focus on legume-cereal intercropping. Additionally, such between-species diversification will be compared to within-species diversification schemes (i.e. genotypic diversity) in terms of their ability to stabilize yields and maximize income. Specifically, this project will address region-specific knowledge gaps regarding water-use efficiency, productivity, and resistance of selected intercropping patterns.

Deliverables: Decision-support model based on crop physiology, water-use patterns, and economics (jointly with Team C), comparative assessment of interspecific vs. intraspecific diversification.

Requirements: The ideal candidate holds an MSc in crop science, agronomy, agro-ecology, ecology, soil sciences, or evolutionary sciences. S/he should have a good knowledge of agro-ecological concepts as well as of classical agricultural practices. Furthermore, excellent knowledge of experimental design, statistics, and methods of plant physiological, hydrological, and yield assessments are welcome.

Ecosystem Services and Socio-Economy

C1. (Agricultural) Water Management through Positive Incentives

Freshwater is an extremely scarce resource in the Jordan River region, where competition among households and different economic sectors is steadily intensifying. A way to address this challenge, is to reduce the dependence of crop production on freshwater for irrigation. This can be achieved either by shifting to less water-intensive cropping systems (e.g., cultivating less water-demanding crops, adopting adapted varieties, using drip irrigation systems) or by using alternative water sources such as brackish groundwater or reclaimed wastewater.

This project explores the potential of positive incentives—notably subsidies for adopting alternative water sources or water-saving technologies—as an alternative to raising water tariffs. Such strategies, however, require funding and have wide-ranging implications for farm profitability and for the broader economy, including food security, trade balances, employment, and household welfare.

To assess these impacts, the project will employ an economy-wide simulation model, building on a model version developed in Phase I. The model will be extended to incorporate water-related aspects and policy instruments (e.g., subsidies for switching to treated wastewater). A Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for Jordan, developed in Phase I (with an earlier SAM available for the West Bank), will be updated and expanded to capture the cropping sector in greater detail. Water-related satellite accounts will be added to distinguish between different water qualities (potable, reclaimed, brackish) and their supply and use across sectors.

Policy-relevant scenarios will be designed in close cooperation with stakeholders to ensure practical applicability.

Deliverables: A simulation model enabling policymakers to analyse and compare the economy-wide implications of changes in cropping systems. The model will support the evaluation of a wide range of policy measures aimed at promoting more water-efficient and sustainable crop production, including funding options.

Requirements: MSc in economics, agricultural economics, environmental economics, or a related field. Strong background in quantitative economic methods. Experience with simulation modelling and/or programming in GAMS is an asset.

C2. Modelling the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus in the Jordan River Region

The Jordan River region faces acute water scarcity, intensified by climate change and growing competition among households, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems. Agriculture is a major water consumer, often relying on freshwater supplied at low cost, though in reality it is increasingly contested. At the same time, renewable energy—particularly solar power—offers opportunities for cost-effective desalination and pumping.

At the same time, water-related ecosystems such as the Jordan River, wetlands, aquifers, and springs provide critical services beyond resource supply. They sustain biodiversity, support tourism and recreation, regulate water quality, and maintain cultural and ecological heritage. Sustainable management of these interlinked systems requires analysing the trade-offs and synergies between water, energy, food production, and ecosystem integrity within the WEFE Nexus.

Against this background, this project aims to analyse the WEFE Nexus in the Jordan River region, by applying and further developing an economy-wide simulation model, developed in Phase I. The model will be extended to incorporate water related ecosystem services and other aspects of the WEFE nexus. It will be calibrated to an existing Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) for Jordan or the West Bank which will be expanded to capture WEFE linkages, including detailed cropping systems, energy inputs, and ecosystem service accounts (e.g. biodiversity conservation, tourism, regulating services). The model will be used to evaluate trade-offs between competing objectives (e.g., food security vs. biodiversity conservation, agricultural productivity vs. tourism potential) and identify synergies across the WEFE Nexus applying a multi-objective optimization approach. Thereby the precise research questions to be analysed within this project will be co-developed with stakeholders and policy makers.

Deliverables: A simulation and optimization framework for analysing the WEFE Nexus. Policy-relevant scenarios demonstrating economy-wide implications of strategies such as solar-powered water pumping, water-efficient cropping, and ecosystem conservation measures. Recommendations for integrated resource management strategies tailored to the Jordan River region.

C3. Analysing the Use of Non-Renewable Groundwater Aquifers and Estimating Environmental Consequences

Groundwater aquifers are a vital water source in the Jordan River Region, yet many are non-renewable and increasingly stressed by agricultural, industrial, and household demand. While extraction offers short-term relief from water scarcity, it also generates long-term challenges: rising costs of water supply, depletion of reserves, and environmental degradation.

Water is not only an economic input but also fundamental for sustaining ecosystems. Rivers, wetlands, and aquifers provide essential services such as biodiversity conservation, soil fertility, and tourism. Recognising nature as a water consumer is therefore critical to fully capture the implications of groundwater use.

This project will analyse the trade-off between short-term economic benefits of groundwater extraction and the long-term costs of depletion using a dynamic economy-wide simulation model. The model will be developed to incorporate environmental dimensions and calibrated to an extended Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) that integrates water allocations reserved for ecosystem functioning. Thereby the most relevant environmental impacts will be identified in collaboration with stakeholders. The model will then be applied to estimate the environmental consequences of groundwater overuse and to generate policy-relevant insights for sustainable groundwater management.

Deliverables: A dynamic simulation model enabling policymakers to design and evaluate sustainable groundwater management strategies from an economy-wide perspective. The model can be used as a decision-support tool to develop optimal groundwater extraction schedules over time.

C4. Evaluation of Land Degradation and its Economy-wide Consequences

Land degradation is a major challenge in the Jordan River Region, particularly in rangelands and croplands that provide essential ecosystem services such as grazing, soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation. Unsustainable land use practices reduce productivity, threaten ecosystem integrity, and undermine both food security and rural livelihoods.

Understanding the economy-wide consequences of land degradation requires integrating ecological processes into economic modelling frameworks. This project builds on a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model and Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) developed in Phase I, extending them to capture the links between land use, ecosystem services, and economic outcomes on a national level.

The project aims to evaluate the economy-wide impacts of land degradation, focusing on rangelands and croplands. To this end, land productivity will be endogenized in the model, making it a function of land use practices and degradation processes. Further, satellite accounts for land will be integrated into the SAM, distinguishing between different land types and uses. Finally, ecosystem services such as carbon storage, biodiversity, and soil fertility. will be integrated into the modelling framework. The specific ecosystem services to be considered and land use practices to be analysed will be determined in collaboration with stakeholders.

Deliverables: A CGE model capturing the economy-wide consequences of land degradation.. Policy-relevant scenarios assessing the impacts of different land management strategies on productivity, food security, rural livelihoods, and ecosystem services. A methodological framework for integrating land-related satellite accounts and ecosystem services into economy-wide models. Recommendations for sustainable land management strategies tailored to the Jordan River Region.

C5: Economic valuation of nature-based rainwater harvesting measures in rangelands

Rangelands are important for Jordan and many other countries in the world as they provide many ecosystem services including fodder for livestock. However, they are increasingly under threat due to climatic change and human pressure which makes the developments of nature-based rainwater harvesting measures an urgent and important topic to prevent further rangeland degradation. A key objective of this PhD-project is to assess spatially differentiated costs and benefits of different nature-based rainwater harvesting measures in rangelands, against the cost of inaction regarding land degradation. Benefits and costs will be assessed using a Total Economic Value (TEV) framework. This includes productivity gains (provisioning services like fodder) as well as critical regulating services (soil erosion control, water infiltration, carbon sequestration) and cultural values, aligning with IPBES Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP) approach. Further objectives are the development of an optimisation procedure to prioritise measures and their spatial location considering financial constraints, biophysical suitability, and socio-economic acceptance among local communities, and the development of a prioritisation map for Jordan to support policy makers. This project will collaborate with other economic projects and projects working on rangelands.

Deliverables: This project will deliver cost and benefit assessments of nature-based rainwater harvesting measures. It will develop a spatial optimisation approach to prioritise measures and their spatial location and, based on this research, will develop a prioritisation map for Jordan to provide a better basis for political decision making with respect to rangeland management.

Requirements: A MSc. in general economics, agricultural economics, environmental economics with a strong mathematical background or in bioinformatics, computer science with a focus on mathematical optimisation methods and a strong understanding of environmental and/or economic applications. Proficiency in spatial optimisation methods and GIS is highly desirable. Good knowledge of rangelands is an advantage.

C6: Institutions and institutional change for innovative and traditional land use measures in rangelands and rangeland reserves

Rangelands are experiencing rapid ecological and socio-economic change driven by climate variability, land-use pressures, and evolving governance systems. Although innovative interventions—such as nature-based solutions, restoration activities, and improved grazing management—are increasingly promoted, their long-term success depends on the institutions that shape how communities access, use, and manage rangeland resources. These institutions include the formal rules, informal norms, and organisational structures that govern collective action, authority, and land-use decisions. Understanding how such institutions interact, adapt, and transform is essential for sustainable rangeland management and directly complements the ecological and economic components of the wider research programme.

This project aims to examine the structure, function, and dynamics of institutions in pastoral and agro-pastoral communities, with specific attention to how institutional change influences the adoption of both innovative and traditional land-use measures. Rangeland reserves—where government regulations and community norms intersect—will serve as key governance arenas shaping access rights, compliance, and stewardship responsibilities.

Deliverables: This project will deliver an analytical study detailing how formal and informal institutions influence rangeland management decisions and outcomes. Evidence-based assessment of the institutional factors that enable or hinder the adoption of innovative versus traditional land-use measures. Governance guidance study providing practical, policy-oriented recommendations for designing socially legitimate and effective rangeland reserve management systems, and institutional frameworks and diagnostic tools that support integrated rangeland planning and aligns with ecological and economic research outputs within the broader programme.

Requirements: MSc. in general with a focus on socio-economics, rural sociology, environmental governance, anthropology, or related fields, and interest in community-based resource management and institutional theory.

Governance and Ethics

D1. The Mashriq region: Climate-related Governance and Ethics in Conflict-Affected Contexts

This study will analyse how ethical principles and governance frameworks for addressing climate change evolve in conflict-affected contexts across the Mashriq. It will compare how countries such as Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, or Syria conceptualise climate justice, environmental responsibility, and fair adaptation in situations marked by war, displacement, institutional fragility, and deepening climate risks.

The project will foreground philosophical and ethical inquiry: How do conflict, insecurity, and structural violence reshape moral claims about responsibility for environmental harm, obligations to vulnerable communities, rights to resources, or the legitimacy of governance authorities? How do local ethical discourses interact with global climate justice debates? The study will analyse how normative commitments—about fairness, harm, agency, or sovereignty—inform or impede climate governance in times of crisis.

Deliverables: The study will deliver a comparative, conceptually rigorous assessment of the ethical and governance dimensions of climate change in conflict-affected contexts. It will identify key actors and ethical arguments, trace narrative and policy developments, and evaluate how conflict reshapes moral and political claims concerning adaptation and responsibility.

By integrating insights from peace and conflict studies, environmental ethics, and climate governance theory, the project will develop new conceptual and methodological approaches for understanding climate governance under conditions of chronic crisis and contested authority.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will hold a Master’s degree and possess a strong background in political science, philosophy (especially ethics/political philosophy), environmental governance, or peace and conflict studies. They should be familiar with normative analysis and comparative methods, and be prepared to work across diverse, politically sensitive national contexts.

D2. Climate extremes and strategic state violence in the Mashriq region

The study will examine how climate extremes—such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms—interact with and potentially shape patterns of strategic state violence. It will explore how governments interpret climate-induced crises as threats, opportunities, or catalysts for coercive action, and how climate shocks influence state decisions to employ repression, securitisation, or selective violence. By analysing these dynamics across conflict-affected and authoritarian contexts, the project will contribute to an emerging body of research that connects climate change dimensions with security governance. The study aims to develop new conceptual and methodological approaches for understanding how climate extremes can both exacerbate and be instrumentalised within systems of state violence.

Deliverables: The study will provide a critical, empirically grounded analysis of when, how, and why states respond to climate extremes with coercive or strategic forms of violence. It will map key state actors, discursive framings, and institutional mechanisms through which environmental shocks are securitised or politicised and assess the consequences for affected communities. By tracing the interplay between climate events and state strategies, the project will generate theoretical insights into the conditions under which environmental crises become linked to repression, and will contribute to broader debates in political violence, climate security, and crisis governance.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will hold a Master’s degree and have a strong background in political science, international relations, peace and conflict studies, or environmental security and ethics. They should be familiar with qualitative research approaches and open to integrating political violence theory with environmental and climate-related analysis. The candidate should be willing to work with sensitive topics and potentially fragile contexts, engaging with policy documents, expert interviews, and case-based evidence. Experience with climate data interpretation or willingness to develop basic literacy in climate science will be considered an asset.

D3. Transboundary water agreements and the role of transnational environmental advocacy

This doctoral project investigates how transnational environmental advocacy networks (TEANs) influence the formation, evolution, and implementation of transboundary water governance agreements. Although international relations scholarship has long recognized the significance of non-state actors in environmental politics, their mechanisms of influence on hydropolitics remain understudied. The candidate will examine how advocacy networks shape negotiating agendas, introduce scientific knowledge and basic ethical assumptions/frameworks, mobilize public opinion, and pressure both authoritarian and democratic regimes toward cooperative water governance. Through a comparative, multi-case research design, the project seeks to identify the specific causal pathways by which TEANs affect treaty content, compliance, and dispute resolution processes.

Ultimately, the dissertation aims to contribute to IR theory—particularly within constructivist and institutionalist traditions—while offering policy-relevant insights for regions facing increasing water stress under climate change.

Deliverables: The study will provide a critical, empirically grounded analysis of how transnational environmental advocacy networks engage with, shape, and contest the negotiation and implementation of transboundary water agreements. It will identify when, how, and why advocacy actors introduce knowledge and their basic ethical frameworks, mobilise pressure, or influence agenda-setting across different river basins, and assess their impact on cooperation, compliance, and dispute mitigation. By revealing the strategic interactions between state and non-state actors, the project will deepen our understanding of environmental governance dynamics and their implications for conflict escalation and de-escalation around shared waters.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will hold a Master’s degree and have a strong background in political science, international relations, environmental governance, or a related field. They should ideally be familiar with qualitative research methods—such as process tracing, interviews, or document analysis—and be open to studying advocacy networks operating across multiple transboundary basins. Experience with fieldwork, social network analysis, or regional expertise in water-stressed areas will be considered an asset.

D4. RoN-Palestine: Rights of Nature, Environmental Ethics, and Global Change Challenges
This study will examine how the international Rights of Nature (RoN) discourse is emerging, interpreted and mobilised within the Palestinian context, where climate vulnerability intersects with political occupation, territorial fragmentation and environmental degradation. Beyond documenting institutional or advocacy pathways, the project will explore the ethical and philosophical dimensions of RoN as it is locally articulated: How do Palestinian activists, legal practitioners, environmental organisations and community actors conceptualise the moral and legal standing of nature under conditions of systemic injustice? How do RoN principles function as expressions of ecological protection, decolonial resistance, or assertions of sovereignty?

The project will further investigate how RoN resonates with, challenges or transforms long-standing cultural–religious and philosophical traditions concerning the value of nature and human–nature relations in Palestine. It will critically assess the feasibility, legitimacy and ethical implications of deploying RoN frameworks in a landscape marked by asymmetric power, restricted governance capacity and contested authority.

Deliverables: The study will offer a philosophically grounded assessment of when, how, and why RoN concepts are invoked in Palestinian environmental and political debates. It will integrate environmental ethics, critical philosophy of law and decolonial theory to analyse how RoN interacts with local understandings of moral responsibility, stewardship and ecological justice. Key actors and positions will be mapped, discursive and institutional pathways traced, and the normative potentials and limitations of RoN-based strategies evaluated.

By situating RoN within the broader ethical and political struggle over land, resources, and sovereignty, the project will clarify both the conceptual opportunities and the moral–political barriers to institutionalising RoN in a highly contested environment.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will hold a Master’s degree and have a strong background in philosophy, environmental ethics, political theory, legal studies, Middle Eastern studies or political science. Knowledge of rights-based frameworks, decolonial ethics, or environmental justice theory is desirable. The candidate should be comfortable engaging with Palestinian civil society actors and analysing ethical–political constraints under occupation

D5. RoN-Jordan: Rights of Nature, Environmental Ethics, and Climate Governance

This study will explore how Rights of Nature (RoN) concepts enter, disrupt, or complement Jordanian environmental governance in the context of climate change. It will focus not only on institutional and policy dynamics but also on the ethical reasoning and philosophical commitments that underpin debates about RoN in Jordan. How do state institutions, NGOs, legal actors, and policy entrepreneurs evaluate the moral significance of non-human nature? What ethical frameworks—Islamic environmental ethics, stewardship ideals, human security paradigms, or utilitarian resource management—shape acceptance or resistance to RoN ideas?

The project will analyse how climate pressures such as water scarcity, land degradation, and heat stress prompt ethical re-evaluations of human–nature relations and how RoN is interpreted within broader tensions between technocratic governance, public participation, and ecological justice.

Deliverables: The study will provide a critical, philosophically informed analysis of the ethical, legal institutional, and political conditions under which RoN discourse emerges—or fails to gain traction—within Jordan. It will identify key actors and ethical arguments, trace legal and policy trajectories, and assess the normative feasibility of integrating RoN principles into Jordan’s environmental law.

By examining how RoN interacts with state priorities, environmental security narratives, and ethical visions for climate adaptation, the project will contribute to a deeper understanding of how innovative environmental norms take root (or encounter resistance) in the Jordanian context.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will hold a Master’s degree and possess a strong background in philosophy, environmental ethics, environmental governance, political theory, legal studies, or Middle Eastern politics. Familiarity with ethical analysis, qualitative methods, and Jordan’s governance landscape will be an advantage. The candidate should be prepared to work with governmental and non-governmental actors and engage in normative evaluation of policy narratives.

D6. RoN-Mashriq region: Comparative Ethical Perspectives on Rights of Nature Under Climate Stress

This study will comparatively investigate how Rights of Nature (RoN) discourse is interpreted, promoted, or contested across selected Mashriq countries facing escalating climate and biodiversity risks. More than mapping institutional uptake, the project will analyse the ethical and philosophical frameworks that shape regional responses to RoN. It will explore how actors in Palestine, Jordan, and potentially Lebanon, Syria, or Iraq reason about the moral standing of nature, ecological responsibility, and environmental justice within their respective political economies and cultural-religious traditions.

The study will examine the extent to which regional understandings of climate justice, biodiversity ethics, distributive fairness, sovereignty, and intergenerational ethics support or constrain the diffusion of RoN principles. It will consider whether RoN could function as a normative framework for addressing shared ecological vulnerabilities, or whether differing governance structures, conflict dynamics, and legal–ethical traditions limit its regional relevance.

Deliverables: The project will provide a comparative, philosophically informed analysis of RoN discourse across the Mashriq, identifying common ethical justifications, divergent normative commitments, and context-specific constraints. It will map regional networks and ideas, trace cross-border norm diffusion, and evaluate how RoN-based approaches could contribute to ecological justice, biodiversity protection and climate resilience.

By contrasting multiple governance settings and ethical traditions, the project will generate a nuanced evaluation of whether RoN holds potential as a regional normative framework or remains a locally bounded advocacy tool.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will have a Master’s degree and a strong background in philosophy, political theory, environmental ethics, political science or Middle Eastern studies. Familiarity with comparative methods and normative political analysis is expected. The candidate should be able to engage across multiple national contexts and integrate philosophical reasoning with empirical inquiry.

D7. Dealing with Food Waste in the Mashriq region: Governance, Behavioral Change, and the Role of Nudging [in coop. with Team C]

This PhD project examines how food waste is produced, governed, and contested in the Mashriq region (e.g., Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine), with a particular focus on interventions directed behavioural patterns (“nudges”) aimed at reducing household, retail, and institutional waste. While food waste is increasingly framed as a technical and behavioural problem, the project asks how such framings intersect with the region’s political economies, social inequalities, and infrastructural constraints as well as ethical and cultural underlying frameworks. It investigates who designs nudges, which behaviours they target, whose values they reflect, and how they are received or resisted by different social groups.

Combining environmental governance research with behavioural public policy, the dissertation will analyse selected campaigns and interventions—from supermarket and restaurant initiatives to state-led or NGO-led awareness programs—and assess their effectiveness and legitimacy. By comparing cases within the Mashriq, the project will show under which conditions nudging can meaningfully contribute to reducing food waste, and where it risks depoliticising deeper structural drivers such as poverty, insecurity, and fragile food systems. The aim is to develop a nuanced framework for context-sensitive, socially just food-waste governance in the region.

Deliverables: The study will offer a critical, context-sensitive analysis of how food-waste practices and behavioural interventions are framed, implemented, and contested across the Mashriq region. It will examine how nudging strategies are deployed by governmental, private, and civil-society actors, and assess under which social, cultural, ethical and political conditions such interventions succeed or fail. By unpacking the interplay between behavioural governance and structural drivers of food waste, the project will contribute to a deeper understanding of policy effectiveness, public responsiveness, and the socio-political implications of nudging in fragile food systems.

Requirements: The PhD candidate will hold a Master’s degree and have a strong background in environmental governance, public policy, behavioural science, or Middle Eastern studies. They should ideally be familiar with qualitative and mixed-methods research, including interviews, surveys, or behavioural experiments, and be open to working across the diverse socio-political contexts of Mashriq countries.