For societies to effectively cope with anthropogenic climate change, ambitious policies for long-term climate stabilization are needed. Reaching that goal requires the transition from carbon-intensive to low-carbon economies be achieved as quickly as possible. Extensive research is needed to identify good “mitigation pathways” for that transition.
The AMPERE project used state-of-the-art energy-economy and integrated assessment models to explore possible pathways to cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and to calculate the costs of following those paths. Combining the results from a sizable ensemble of models, the project focused on four areas:
Using IIASA's MESSAGE and GAINS models, researchers analyzed the effects of different low-carbon technologies on mitigation pathways. Researchers also looked at the effects of climate feedbacks such as a warming-induced increase in methane released from permafrost, which in turn causes more warming. They also used MESSAGE to conduct a comparative analysis of the economic costs of the various mitigation scenarios developed as part of the project.
CONTACT DETAILS
Program Director and Principal Research Scholar Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
Principal Research Scholar Integrated Assessment and Climate Change Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
Principal Research Scholar Pollution Management Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
Principal Research Scholar Sustainable Service Systems Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
Principal Research Scholar Pollution Management Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
Principal Research Scholar Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group - Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
CDAT Dean and Principal Research Scholar Capacity Development and Academic Training Unit
2011 - 2014
Further Information
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria
Phone: (+43 2236) 807 0 Fax:(+43 2236) 71 313