Elina Brutschin
Senior Research Scholar
Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group
Energy, Climate, and Environment Program
Biography
Elina Brutschin joined the Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group of the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program as a research scholar in 2019. Her research integrates political economy insights with global integrated assessment models (IAMs) to address climate and energy transition challenges. She is particularly focused on fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and engaging stakeholders to develop comprehensive climate solutions.Before joining IIASA, Brutschin was an assistant professor of International Relations at Webster Vienna Private University. She holds a PhD in political science from Konstanz University, Germany (2013/2014), where she researched the liberalization of the European gas market. Additionally, she completed a postgraduate degree in EU Multi-Level Governance at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna, Austria.
Recently, Brutschin has focused on developing tools to evaluate the feasibility of ambitious climate scenarios, considering both technical and political dimensions. She has contributed to several high-profile projects, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, where she supported the scenario database and served as a contributing author. Her recent publications examine public support for climate technologies, the feasibility of temperature targets, and justice considerations in climate research, with articles published in Nature Climate Change, Global Environmental Change and Environmental Research Letters.
Through her work, Brutschin seeks to bridge the gap between science and policy, ensuring that her contributions remain both relevant and impactful in addressing global climate challenges. She is actively involved in the organization and delivery of high-level, interactive presentations at key international climate negotiation and science-policy exchange events, such as the UN Conference of the Parties (COP) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). As part of this work, she presents latest scientific findings and facilitates dialogue with stakeholders to ensure that research is aligned with real-world policy needs.
Last update: 07 MAY 2025
Publications
Schenuit, F., Gidden, M.J. , Boettcher, M., Brutschin, E. , Fyson, C., Gasser, T. , Geden, O., Lamb, W.F., Mace, M. J., Minx, J., & Riahi, K. (2023). Secure robust carbon dioxide removal policy through credible certification. Communications Earth & Environment 4 (1) art.no. 349. 10.1038/s43247-023-01014-x.
van Ruijven, B. , Jäger, J., Riahi, K. , Battersby, S., Bertram, C., Bosetti, V., Brutschin, E. , Byers, E. , Cherp, A., Drouet, L., Fujimori, S. , Krey, V. , Schaeffer, R., Schmidt Tagomori, I., van Vuuren, D., Vrontisi, Z., & ENGAGE Consortium (2023). ENGAGE Summary for Policymakers. IIASA Policy Brief. Laxenburg, Austria
Bertram, C., Brutschin, E. , Riahi, K. , van Ruijven, B. , & Battersby, S. (2023). Feasible futures. IIASA Policy Brief. Laxenburg, Austria: PB-41
Achakulwisut, P., Erickson, P., Guivarch, C., Schaeffer, R., Brutschin, E. , & Pye, S. (2023). Global fossil fuel reduction pathways under different climate mitigation strategies and ambitions. Nature Communications 14 e5425. 10.1038/s41467-023-41105-z.
Lutz, W. & Pachauri, S. (2023). Systems Analysis for Sustainable Wellbeing. 50 years of IIASA research, 40 years after the Brundtland Commission, contributing to the post-2030 Global Agenda. IIASA Report. Laxenburg, Austria: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) 10.5281/zenodo.8214208.