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
Gidden, M.J. , Brutschin, E. , Ganti, G., Ünlü, G. , Zakeri, B. , Fricko, O. , Mitterrutzner, B., Lovat, F. , & Riahi, K. (2023). Fairness and feasibility in deep mitigation pathways with novel carbon dioxide removal considering institutional capacity to mitigate. Environmental Research Letters 18 e074006. 10.1088/1748-9326/acd8d5.
Byers, E. , Brutschin, E. , Sferra, F., Luderer, G., Huppmann, D. , Kikstra, J. , Pietzcker, R., Rodrigues, R., & Riahi, K. (2023). Scenarios processing, vetting and feasibility assessment for the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change. IIASA Report. Laxenburg, Austria: IIASA
European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (2023). Emissions scenario database of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, hosted by IIASA. 10.5281/zenodo.8035686.
Pianta, S. & Brutschin, E. (2023). Increased ambition is needed after Glasgow. Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-023-01676-7.
Gidden, M. , Brutschin, E. , Ganti, G., Ünlü, G. , Zakeri, B. , Fricko, O. , Mitterrutzner, B., Lovat, F. , & Riahi, K. (2023). Dataset for Gidden, Brutschin et. al. 2023. 10.5281/zenodo.7986555.