ECE’s overarching vision is to provide evidence-based, scientific roadmaps for feasible systems transformations that simultaneously meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ambitious climate change mitigation targets.
Emphasis is placed specifically on local policy decisions and actions required in the short term to put the world on track to achieve long-term targets while assuring human health, wellbeing, and the reduction of social inequalities in a socially and economically sustainable manner. The program’s systems analytical tools enable it to act as an objective scientific broker in support of sustainable transformational processes. ECE combines the research portfolios of the former Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases, Energy, and Transitions to New Technologies programs.
The ECE program is organized in five Research Groups which encompass different thematic areas of research:
ECE Research Groups
Integrated Assessment and Climate Change (IACC)
The IACC Group leads the development of tools for a new generation of “coupled” global transformation pathways that are able to represent bottom-up local constraints and opportunities at the national and sub-national scale, which is a major focus of the ECE Program.
Pollution Management (PM)
The PM Group focusses on solving immediate and near-term environmental (health and ecosystems impacts from pollution), climate (non-CO2 greenhouse gases), and social (widening inequality gaps) problems in a cost-effective way, providing support to policymaking at local and regional scales.
Sustainable Service Systems (S3)
The S3 Group focuses on demand-side systems as entry points for sustainable transformations. The group analyses demand for energy and materials through the lens of service provision of mobility, shelter, and consumer goods, as well as how lifestyle changes can contribute to consumption reduction.
Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions (TISS)
The TISS Group explores innovative solutions to environmental issues that integrate social, institutional, and governance drivers with technological and economic considerations, with an emphasis on improving conditions for the most deprived and marginalized in society.
Themes
Nutrient cycling
Non-CO2 greenhouse gas sources
ECE Nexus
Just and Feasible Transitions
Scenario Services and Scientific Software
Access to Energy Services
Heterogeneities and Inequalities
Finance
Modeling for National Transformations
Materials
Extreme Weather and Climate Dynamics
Sustainable buildings
Models, tools, datasets
Model for Energy Supply Strategy Alternatives and their General Environmental Impact (MESSAGEix)
The NExus Solutions Tool (NEST)
AR6 Scenario Explorer and Database
Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies (GAINS)
Projects
Response of the Earth System to overshoot, Climate neUtrality and negative Emissions (RESCUE)
Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS)
Staff
Leila Niamir
Research Scholar (S3, TISS)
Sreyam Sengupta
Researcher (ECE)
Sibel Eker
Senior Research Scholar (S3)
Joeri Rogelj
Senior Research Scholar (IACC, TISS)
News
21 March 2025
Strengthening policy for clean air and climate solutions in the ASEAN region
A new report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), highlights the urgent need for integrated policies to address air pollution and climate change across Southeast Asia. IIASA researchers contributed as authors of the first chapter, laying the foundation for science-based policy action.
20 March 2025
Solutions to urgent environmental protection challenges in Vietnam
Zbigniew Klimont, who leads the Pollution Management Research Group in the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program, was invited to share the group's expertise in assisting cities to mitigate air pollution at a recent conference co-organized by the Hanoi People's Committee and the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) - the IIASA National Member Organization for Vietnam and its scholarly community.
17 March 2025
SPARCCLE Researcher Marina Andrijevic Leads the Organization of the ‘Adaptation Pathways and Scenarios for Climate Change Research’ Workshop
Adaptation to climate change is becoming increasingly urgent, yet global assessments still struggle to answer pressing questions: Where will adaptation be most needed? Which actors must adapt, and what barriers stand in the way? These challenges were at the heart of the ‘Adaptation Pathways and Scenarios for Climate Change Research’ workshop, held from 17th to 21st February at the Lorentz Center in Leiden, Netherlands.
Events
Focus
11 December 2024
Advancing climate insights with social media data
IIASA recently hosted an interdisciplinary research workshop under the LowAI project to explore how social media and digital platforms can advance climate and sustainability research. The participants tackled the challenges of leveraging digital data to shape effective climate actions and foster social change. IIASA researcher Sandeep Chowdhary shares his insights and experiences from the event.
07 November 2024
COP29 in Baku is a Climate Finance COP: It’s about justice
At the COP in Baku, Azerbaijan, nation states must decide on a new climate finance regime, that will take effect from 2025. Studies show that by 2030, a sixfold increase in international financing is needed globally, for the needed mitigation investments alone. As tensions rise over who should pay, it will be difficult to achieve new and fair targets. Success is crucial to keep the Paris Agreement within reach.
Publications
Wang, J., Wang, Y., Zhang, S. , & Yi, B. (2025). Drivers of environmental externality reduction in China's electric power industry: A spatial-temporal analysis. Journal of Environmental Management 373 e123612. 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123612. Hunt, J. , Nascimento, A., Zakeri, B. , Ilyas, A., Ramos, D.S., Kuriqi, A., Tolmasquim, M.T., de Freitas, M.A.V., Brandão, R., & Wada, Y. (2025). Optimizing hydropower generation with reservoir level management in humid regions. Energy Reports 13 856-864. 10.1016/j.egyr.2024.12.064. Niamir, L. & Creutzig, F. (2025). Closing the gap: Integrating behavioral and social dynamics through a modular modelling framework for low-energy demand pathways. Energy Research & Social Science 122 e103988. 10.1016/j.erss.2025.103988. Ren, K., Tang, X., Huang, C. , Willerström, J., & Höök, M. (2025). Prospective metal requirements assessment of China's wind-power and photovoltaics: Implications for emerging anthropogenic mines. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 215 e108088. 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.108088. Ren, M., Zhu, B., Huang, C. , Wang, J., & Dai, H. (2025). Multidimensional sustainability implications of alternative iron and steel industry decarbonization strategies in China. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 215 e108136. 10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108136.