Reframing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Debate
This is the case not only for developing countries, but also for highly industrialized nations where public opinion shows a great deal of concern over Earth’s climate in the long run, but little willingness to make near-term sacrifices.
If national climate change policy discussions and international negotiations are to be successful, a policy framework is needed that accommodates the views of all parties involved. A variety of alternative paradigms, such as green growth, sustainable development, and resource-efficient economies are often mentioned as concepts where climate change measures align with other policy priorities.
There is a need for a policy framework and associated analyses that connect climate change policy objectives with other national and global policy objectives so that the ways in which climate mitigation and adaptation measures interact with other policies can be quantified. In other words, a systems framework is required that would permit the integrated assessment of multiple policy priorities and thus help to identify tradeoffs and synergies.
This line of research will explore inter alia a broad range of climate-related co-benefits of policies to put in place economically beneficial, resource-efficient production systems, increase energy security and access, integrate policies for energy, food, water, biodiversity, and air pollution, and improve approaches to coping with extreme events. It will draw on the expertise of all of the IIASA research programs.
The following activites contribute to this theme:
Effects of Climate Change on Air Pollution and Response Strategies for European Ecosystems (ECLAIRE)
39 research partner institutions study the effects of climate change on ecosystems impacts in Europe and develop next generation European air pollution mitigation and adaptation strategies under climate change. More
Ground-level ozone in Asia
Current and future economic growth will cause serious air quality problems in Asia, negatively impacting human health and crop production, unless further air pollution control policies are implemented. More
Cutting Greenhouse Gases in Europe
IIASA researchers are using the GAINS climate model to support the European Commission’s effort to reduce greenhouse gases by 20 percent and significantly increase renewable energy use in Europe by 2020. More
Impacts of Short-Lived Air Pollutants (ECLIPSE)
ECLIPSE is conducting research to increase knowledge about emissions of ozone and aerosols, which act as short-lived climate forcers, and identify concrete, cost-effective abatement measures. More
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