BLUEGEM

The BLUEGEM project is funded by the Belmont Forum under the Collaborative Research Action (CRA) Soils 2020.

Our overarching goal is to explore the evolutions of groundwater, irrigation, and climate throughout the Anthropocene (1900-2100), to better understand their coupling, foresee their potential changes, and identify possible social consequences. These assessments are of paramount importance for identifying sustainable pathways with respect to water resources, food security, biodiversity, notwithstanding human well-being and socio-economic activities.

To this end, our international and transdisciplinary consortium combines advanced numerical modelling and participatory methods at two spatial scales:

• Global scale, with factorial simulations by two Earth system models (ESMs) to compare the influence of anthropogenic warming, land-use and irrigation management, and groundwater-related feedbacks, on past and future pathways;
• Regional scale in two "focal areas", metropolitan France and the Mekong River basin, to provide contrasting examples of the studied processes and enable anchored transdisciplinary work with stakeholders, social and natural scientists.