AIR Research Areas
Directions of such exploratory research include:
A Global Perspective on Air Pollution
AIR explores global-scale future emission scenarios for air pollutants and short-lived substances, as an input to global long-term greenhouse gas emission scenarios that are developed at a much more aggregated and stylized level. Special emphasis is put on the role of policy decisions, both on the introduction of new, more stringent emission control measures, as well as on the effective implementation of existing legislation. More
Pollution Hotspots
While pollution impacts are often most visible at the urban scale due to high population densities, physical features imply that cities alone cannot solve the problem, and effective response strategies must involve the sources in a large surrounding area. More
Clean Air For Asia
The growing pollution problem in Asia is one focus of IIASA's research since the early 1990s. IIASA research helped to identify forthcoming problems at an early point in time, and contributes to identifying practical solutions that deliver multiple benefits. More
Inequalities of Pollution
The inequality of pollution, while under-researched, can offer potentially powerful arguments for policy making, by giving more emphasis to those groups in the population that are usually hardest hit by pollution. More
Integrated Nitrogen Management
Modeling by the AIR program has shown that efforts to reduce the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) precursor emissions will not deliver the expected drop in air pollution unless a reduction of agricultural ammonia (NH3) emissions is achieved. At the same time, proper nitrogen management delivers a wide range of other development benefits. More
Short-lived Climate Pollutants
Short-lived climate pollutants - including black carbon, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and tropospheric ozone – are powerful climate forcers with global warming potentials many times that of carbon dioxide. More
Non-CO2 Gases and Ambitious Climate Targets
As pathways for near-complete decarbonization of global energy systems take increasingly concrete forms, the role of remaining non-CO2 greenhouse gases for meeting long-term climate targets becomes an increasing concern. More