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
![ID 14056366 © Mikhail Dudarev | Dreamstime.com](/sites/default/files/styles/cards/public/2023-01/image832.png?h=289976fd&itok=PHLkJLOE)
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.
![Photo 202479727 / Climate © Yana Bardichevska | Dreamstime.com](/sites/default/files/styles/cards/public/2023-01/dreamstime_s_202479727.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=NaMoRPEt)
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.
![© Jon Anders Wiken | Dreamstime.com](/sites/default/files/styles/cards/public/2023-01/dreamstime_xxl_172532325.jpg?h=b3660f0d&itok=Agfax3V8)
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.
![Photo 22027252 © Deniscristo | Dreamstime.com](/sites/default/files/styles/cards/public/2023-01/dreamstime_s_22027252.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=jcjfoqyz)
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.
Models, tools, datasets
Projects
Staff
News
![Nitrogen](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2024-08/dreamstime_l_2264624.jpg?itok=bJVQol9h)
16 August 2024
Nitrogen interventions as a key to better health and robust ecosystems
![Phosphorus_Fertilizer](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2024-08/dreamstime_l_130579799.jpg?itok=ecK6IFHX)
14 August 2024
Exploring options for the sustainable management of phosphorus
![Technology and sustainable energy concept showing windmills and graphs on a computer screen](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2024-08/dreamstime_m_320149376.jpg?itok=Ea19BIlc)
12 August 2024
Balancing technology and governance are key to achieving climate goals
Events
Vienna and Laxenburg, Austria
CCICED Special Policy Study on Digitalization and Green Technology - Experts Convene in Vienna
Groningen, The Netherlands
‘Towards Net-Zero through a Circular Economy: the consumer and business perspectives’ Stakeholder Workshop
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) & Online
German IIASA Networking Event: "Systems analysis for a sustainable and peaceful future"
Focus
![CircEUlar Project at the Vienna Climate Summit](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2024-07/Klimagipfel-scaled.jpg?itok=FUaKPzNq)
25 July 2024
Exploring circularity through science and art: CircEUlar project at the Vienna Climate Summit
The first Vienna Climate Biennale took place from April to July. CircEUlar was one of the scientific partners of the Biennale, contributing insights on the potential of circular economy strategies to combat climate change. Project coordinators Marina Jovanovic and Volker Krey reflect on the 100-day festival and the unique collaboration between science and art.
27 June 2024
RESIST
![earth](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail/public/2024-06/dreamstime_xxl_314138112.jpg?itok=uStzOAa1)
Publications
Hirata, A., Ohashi, H., Hasegawa, T., Fujimori, S. , Takahashi, K., Tsuchiya, K., & Matsui, T. (2024). The choice of land-based climate change mitigation measures influences future global biodiversity loss. Communications Earth & Environment 5 (1) e259. 10.1038/s43247-024-01433-4. Oshiro, K. & Fujimori, S. (2024). Mid-century net-zero emissions pathways for Japan: Potential roles of global mitigation scenarios in informing national decarbonization strategies. Energy and Climate Change 5 e100128. 10.1016/j.egycc.2024.100128. Roichman, R., Sprecher, B., Blass, V., Meshulam, T., & Makov, T. (2024). The convenience economy: Product flows and GHG emissions of returned apparel in the EU. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 210 e107811. 10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107811. Hunt, J.D. , Elborolosy, Y., Aliyu, M.D., & Wada, Y. (2024). Gravity refrigeration cycle: An efficient approach for refrigeration in mountainous regions. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 69 e103919. 10.1016/j.seta.2024.103919. Makowski, M. , Granat, J., Shekhovtsov, A., Nahorski, Z., & Zhao, J. (2024). pyMCMA: Uniformly distributed Pareto-front representation. SoftwareX 27 e101801. 10.1016/j.softx.2024.101801.