Historical-sociological study on the perception and handling of water-related risks since the 18^th century in the Berlin-Brandenburg region

The Einstein Research Unit Climate and Water under Change (CliWaC) is a transdisciplinary research initiative of the Berlin University Alliance to address water-related risks under climate change. CliWaC will bring together social and natural science as well as practical expertise from stakeholders to support the governance of mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change.

In an innovative methodological way, CliWaC will bring together social and natural science as well as practical expertise from stakeholders in an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary project to support the governance of mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change.

The Berlin-Brandenburg region is one of the driest areas in Germany. Both in terms of the availability and quality of water, climate change is altering the risks for the six million people in this region, e.g. in the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as droughts and floods. As a transdisciplinary research initiative of the Berlin University Alliance, the Einstein Research Unit Climate and Water under Change (CliWaC) is dedicated to investigating these water-related risks of climate change in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

The consortium consists of 28 project leaders affiliated to the BUA members Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, Humboldt-Universität (HU) zu Berlin, Technische Universität (TU) Berlin, and Charité, including two professorships to be appointed at FU (Environmental Policy) and TU (Environmental Governance). External institutions are incorporated by joint appointments with Berlin University Alliance (BUA) members (Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research ZALF) or as external partners (Institute for Ecological Economy Research IÖW).

The contribution of the DRU consists of a historical-sociological analysis of the perception and reaction structures of rural and urban population groups and institutional actors in Berlin-Brandenburg to water-related risks since the 18th century. An environmental history of water in Berlin-Brandenburg reveals social vulnerabilities as well as phenomena of resilience and agency.