coupled a global hydrological modelfor identifying regions likely to be exposed to drought, witha biophysical/socio-economic model determining the adaptivecapacity of such regions to climate change. This allowed them toidentify vulnerability hotspots. Central Asia was not among thehotspots that were designated likely to be both exposed to worsedroughts and a reduced capacity to adapt. Only some parts of west-ern Kazakhstan (approximately Aktobe province, north of the AralSea) were highlighted to have a reduction in adaptive capacity>25%.