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WP2 will assess trends in historical climate and downscaled CC scenarios from multiple regional climate models (RCMs) driven by multiple global climate models (GCMs) for use in impact analysis (WP3-4). The poor data of the case study basins will be supplemented with global satellite climate products. WP2 will evaluate and compare performances of multiple satellite climate products (e.g. TRMM) in reproducing the climate of the basins, especially precipitation. Multiple climate scenarios from the most recent IPCC scenarios will be analyzed to determine projected changes in climate over the basins. A multi-model ensemble approach will be used in the scenario analysis to allow for quantification of uncertainties in projections. Bias corrections will be performed prior to use of scenario data in WP3 and WP4. A PhD student will support WP2.

WP3 will involve LUCC modelling in the basins, driving multiple hydrological (e.g. SWAT) and groundwater (e.g. MODFLOW) models with downscaled climate data (WP2) to assess the impacts of CC, LUCC and other future development scenarios on water quantity, quality and sediment yield in the basins. WP3 will also involve mapping of water-related ecosystems in the basins and conduct economic valuation of the benefits provided by those ecosystems for integration into the innovative framework to be developed in WP4. In addition, hydro-meteorological monitoring networks will be established in the two basins to collect data to supplement existing data. Two PhD students will support WP3.

Dynamically changing hydrology under CC makes it difficult for policy makers, managers and stakeholders to obtain information on water resources that will reliably inform decisions and consensus on water investment needs. WP4 will develop a decision support framework that couples a system modelling tool (e.g. WEAP) to an optimization algorithm and with inputs from WP2-4 generate optimal trade-offs between different uses of water resources in the basins to inform stakeholder-based WRM decision-making. Benefit functions (BFs) relating water flows/storages to levels of ecosystem benefits and performance metrics describing the benefits will be established and included in the system modelling, optimization and trade-offs analysis. A PhD student will support WP4.

WP5 will analyze the governance of WRM and CC adaptation in the basins and the dynamics of decision making on WRM. A scoping study will review political, economic and social aspects of water governance and the history of institutions to construct a picture of applicable socio-cultural and political norms. Key constraints of WRM in the basins will be identified and analyzed in depth, incorporating political and social dynamics at basin and national levels. WP5 will also identify the ‘room for maneuver’ to more effectively introduce innovation to policy and decision making for climate-resilient basins.

WP6 is dedicated to building capacities of researchers and stakeholders. The capacity of Ghanaian researchers will be enhanced by the Danish researchers through short training courses and joint working sessions to be alternated between Ghana and Denmark. The project will produce 4 PhDs to be enrolled in Ghanaian universities and co-supervised by project partners. The PhD students will spend about 3 months per year in Denmark, working with the Danish partners. Additionally, the project stakeholders will be trained in the use of tools and data from the project. The project outputs will be disseminated jointly via publications in peer reviewed scientific journals, policy briefs and conferences.