– by Marthe Wens
Climate-induced extreme events like droughts are known to contribute to biodiversity loss, which further threatens ecosystems and the livelihoods of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in the Global South. Moreover, the biodiversity loss hampers ecosystems’ mitigation potential with respect to climate change and their adaptation potential with respect to drought disaster risk.
Are you interested in drought risk and governance of biodiverse ecosystems such as wetlands, forests, rangelands? Do you want to contribute to methodological developments in this field and advance knowledge on multiscale governance of ecological drought risk? Please apply on our vacant PhD position at the Institute for Environmental Studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam via this link: PhD position on global drought risk and governance of biodiverse ecosystems – 4. Working at VU
By adopting a multi-level governance perspective and interdisciplinary approach, this research seeks to analyse the feedbacks between ecological drought risks, climate change and biodiversity loss. The project aims to examine key global policies for protecting ecosystems from droughts, construct a vulnerability index for biodiverse ecosystems, identify hotspots of drought risk, and explore the impact of drought events on the usability of traditional ecological knowledge among IPLCs. Ultimately, the research aims to inform the development of more robust policies and holistic management strategies that can effectively promote drought disaster risk reduction, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
REQUIREMENTS
- A master’s degree in interdisciplinary environmental science, environmental governance or sociology, water management, ecology, (human / physical) geography, or a related field – or a master’s degree in a different field but equivalent experience in this field through work or other activities.
- Background and interest in climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem governance, (drought) risk assessment, and different ecological knowledges.
- Experience in qualitative data collection and analysis methods in diverse cultural contexts.
- Experience in quantitative data analysis, statistical modelling, and machine learning approaches.
- Ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary and diverse teams.
- Fluency in English is required; knowledge of an Indigenous language is a plus.
Note: we encourage you to apply even if you do not feel that you have all of the requirements listed above. We welcome applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds, which we acknowledge enhances the quality of our education and research. Beyond culture, we invite individuals of all genders, abilities, and minority identities. We are always looking for people who can enrich our institute with unique perspectives and experiences.
Hydrological extremes @ Amsterdam 