"This multidisciplinary project covers the research areas of climate change, geology and hydrology, and is of direct relevance for global biodiversity and the socio-economy. Aim: To advance the state-of-the-art in climate research by improving projections of climate change induced hydrological responses in the S Balkans, using a novel multi-proxy methodology combining hydro-climate modelling and palaeo-hydrological techniques. Study area: research will focus on the unique landform-sediment archive of the Prespa Lakes and Aliakmonas River that allows high-resolution reconstruction of palaeo-hydrological changes over the past 1500yrs. These records provide the exceptional opportunity to validate/calibrate hydrological models on 102-103yr timescales, and analogues of hydrological responses to past climate change. Future projections of hydrological responses will focus on the Prespa, Aliakmonas and Ohrid catchments (S Balkans). Timeliness: The project is highly timely as the S Balkans suffer growing water stress, revealed by falling lake/river levels, the causes of which are not properly known. The dramatic, unexplained, fall in water level of Prespa threatens the globally significant ecosystems of Lakes Prespa / Ohrid. There is an urgent need to understand climate change induced hydrological responses, as future climate scenarios predict an increase in excessive drought events and declining rainfall. Host: NOA is the foremost Greek research centre on climate change, but lacks the palaeo-hydrological expertise of the researcher. This hampers improving projections of hydrological responses by using the latest integrated modelling and palaeo-hydrological methodologies. The transfer of knowledge offered by this project will improve the national research capacity while facilitating the long-term integration of the researcher through leading a major project and gaining expertise in the growing field of climate impact research."