GLOWA's integrated research on natural and socio-econimic sciences on the hydrological cycle under global change conditions is a successful pioneer work within environmental research. It is a new approach and therefore of essential importance for research on water management. The projects work in close cooperation with the stakeholders on site and their work is broadly accepted by the local residents and decision makers. It smoothes the way for political decissions and interantional cooperations.

All five cluster projects, located in Germany, the Middle East and Africa, are in their second or third funding period. First prototypes of the decision support systems (DSS) are already being tested together with the potential stakeholders.

Main activities of the three phases

• Phase I: Data collection and preparation
• Phase II: Integrated modelling and scenario-development, stakeholder-dialogue, capacity building
• Phase III: Finalization of the DSS in close collaboration with the stakeholders, transfer of ownerships, stakeholder-dialogue, capacity building, knowledge-transfer

• Scientific goals
• Research policy objectives