Energy
The way society uses energy gives rise to major environmental, social, and economic challenges. The Energy Program identifies viable solutions to these challenges, analyzes whether current policies are on track, and employs a systems perspective to examine interactions between different sectors and objectives. A central focus of the research is on energy strategies that help maximize synergies and minimize trade-offs between different societal objectives.
Selected highlights
Contributing to science based climate targets
IIASA researchers contributed significantly to the 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C (SR1.5). Researchers from the institute also developed a new scenario explorer on behalf of the IPCC Working Group III and the scientific community.
The finance risks and opportunities of decarbonization
If financial markets become more long-term oriented, they could potentially become a catalyst for action on sustainability. In 2018, IIASA scientists collaborated with international banks and researchers from other institutions to assess the financial implications of deep decarbonization strategies.
Translating energy and climate research into policy
Part of the IIASA mission is to provide scientific guidance to policymakers. In 2018, IIASA scientists continued to engage in international and national policy processes by translating cutting-edge science into policy relevant insights for energy and climate policymakers and negotiators.
National energy modeling and capacity development
In 2018, IIASA researchers organized several capacity development activities. These comprised workshops on best practices in energy and integrated assessment modeling as well as hosting researchers from IIASA member countries to jointly develop and apply methods to address energy-related challenges.