2026 Joachim Herz Award: These Researchers are on the Shortlist

Through their projects, these three researchers demonstrate how interdisciplinary and application-oriented research can help develop solutions to one of the most pressing challenges of our time: the smart management of water under the conditions of climate change.

The 2026 Joachim Herz Award honors scientists who combine innovative research with societal relevance,providing new impetus for its transfer into practice, policy, and the economy. This year, the focus is on the smart use of water as a resource, a source of conflict, and an issue for the future.

The nominated projects range from sustainable agriculture and socially acceptable water policies to smart technologies for more efficient water consumption. Together, they highlight the diversity of modern water research today—and how important it is to integrate technological, economic, and societal perspectives.

What are the research projects about?

Dr. Charlotte Gerling: „SPLASH-CC: Smart Policies for Land Use: Agricultural Production, Society’s Preferences, and Hydrological Conditions under Climate Change“

Dry periods and water scarcity are altering water availability and impacting agriculture and biodiversity. The resulting conflicts over water use are putting pressure on both ecosystems and farms. The SPLASH-CC project is investigating how changes in water availability affect agricultural land use, crop yields, and biodiversity. To this end, the research team is developing an interdisciplinary model that links hydrological trends with farmers’ decisions. This will generate projections of how water availability, agriculture, and ecosystems might change in the future. The goal is to establish a solid foundation for sustainable, biodiversity-friendly agriculture.

Dr. Christian Klassert: „WaterVision – Revealing the Economic Value of Water“

Growing water scarcity is also exacerbating conflicts in Germany between the competing economic, societal, and environmental demands. At the same time, there is a lack of policy solutions that are both effective and socially acceptable. The WaterVision project examines how water availability and water demand as well as conflicts over water use might develop in Germany by the year 2100. Models and surveys are used to identify regional differences and future trends and to analyze public perceptions of various alternative solutions. In collaboration with stakeholders from the water sector, politics, and society, the research team is developing strategies for the sustainable and equitable management of water resources.

Prof. Dr. Sebastian Tonke: „WETTER – Water Efficiency through Technology, Targeting, and Experimental Research“

Water consumption in everyday life often goes unnoticed, which makes it difficult to use this resource consciously and sustainably. The WETTER project connects digital water meters to an app that shows households their water usage in real time. In a large-scale study involving 4,000 households, the research team is investigating how people respond to different incentives and which measures actually lead to water savings. The aim is to develop scientifically robust strategies that will reduce water consumption and strengthen the resilience of drinking water supply in the long term.

The nominated projects demonstrate that the challenges surrounding water can no longer be solved by technical means alone. What is needed are new forms of collaboration between science, politics, business, and society. This is precisely where the Joachim Herz Award comes in: it supports research that thinks across disciplines, aims to have a societal impact, and develops scalable solutions for the future.