Download neutral bridge between east and west

International Institute for
Applied Systems Analysis
A–2361 Laxenburg, Austria
www.iiasa.ac.at
IIASA in 2006
Professor Leen Hordijk
February 2006 – 1
History
 1967 initiative of US President Johnson and
Prime Minister Kosygin, Soviet Union
 Create research center as a
“neutral bridge between east and west”
 Original Charter signed in 1972 by 12 countries
 1994 Ministerial Conference: renewed mandate
as independent, scientific institution
 In addition to East–West also North–South,
meaning Global
February 2006 – 2
Identity
A renowned research institute that is
 international
 interdisciplinary
 independent
 non-governmental
 sponsored by a consortium of National Member
Organizations from 16 (18 in 2007) countries
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And has an international scientific staff (currently 184
persons, 85 person years from 27 nations)
February 2006 – 3
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Current 18 Members
Austria
China
Czech Republic
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Hungary
INDIA (2007)
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Japan
Netherlands
Norway
PAKISTAN (2007)
Poland
Russian Federation
Sweden
Ukraine
United States of
America
February 2006 – 4
IIASA Networking
Relationships crucial to IIASA
 3,600 IIASA alumni from 60 countries
 1,400 Young Summer Scientists from 70 countries
 Partnerships with leading authorities in wide range
of scientific fields
 Potential new members in South Africa, Chile, Brazil,
Mexico, South Korea, United Kingdom
February 2006 – 5
Past Accomplishments
 Put climate change on agenda mid-1970s
 Global energy assessment, 1981
 European acid rain policy model, 1989
 Greenhouse gas projections
 Genetic changes in fish
 The end of population growth
 Russian forests study
 Food security and climate change
 Assess socioeconomic consequences of extreme
events
February 2006 – 6
IIASA Research Themes
2006-2010
I. Environment and Natural Resources
II. Energy and Technology
III. Population and Society
February 2006 – 7
Environment and Natural Resources Theme
Atmospheric Pollution and Economic Development Program
• Interdisciplinary research to develop modeling tools for supporting strategies in order to
protect local, regional and global atmosphere with least burden on economic development
RAINS and GAINS models; simulation and optimization
Evolution and Ecology Program
• Interdisciplinary research on human-induced evolutionary changes in exploited fish
stocks and on impact of environmental disturbances on the structure and functioning of food
webs
Adaptive dynamics models
Forestry Program
• Interdisciplinary research on three major areas of the management of the forest sector
- greenhouse gas cycling and terrestrial ecosystems
- global impacts of forest sector development in emerging economies
- international governance of forests
Biophysical models
Land Use Change and Agriculture Program
• Interdisciplinary research on agro-ecosystem services as food, fiber, carbon, bioenergy
and with special emphasis on food security and rural livelihoods, sustainable soil and water
resources and impacts of climate change
GIS based models
February 2006 – 8
Energy and Technology Theme
Energy Program
• Interdisciplinary research on three major areas
- global energy assessment
- energy modeling
- investments and financing in energy
MESSAGE optimization model
Transitions to New Technologies Program
• Interdisciplinary research on
- describing the diffusion of new technologies in time and space
- assessing economic, social and environmental implications of technology diffusion
- assisting policy making on technological innovation and diffusion
Agent Based Modeling
Dynamic Systems Program
• Interdisciplinary research on large scale dynamic systems with emphasis on
- methodology development
- technology and energy development
- environmental dynamics
Optimal control; game theory; dynamic growth models
February 2006 – 9
Population and Society Theme
World Population Program
• Interdisciplinary research on population dynamics and population-environment
interactions focusing on three issues
- population forecasting
- population characteristics and human capital
- population and environment
Probabilistic forecasting
Population and Climate Change Program
• Interdisciplinary research on integrated assessments of climate change with respect to
- influence demographic change on emissions
- the role of uncertainty and learning
- medium-term response strategies
Modeling uncertainty and learning
Risk and Vulnerability Program
• Interdisciplinary research to contribute to decrease the risk and vulnerability of societies
and ecosystems (vulnerability consider multiple stress and system resilience) by addressing
four goals
- methodological development of risk and vulnerability models
- case studies on risk and vulnerability assessments
- integrative stakeholder led case studies
- develop interactive tools for training on vulnerability and adaptation
Time dependent risk modeling; agent based models linked to biogeophysical models
Processes of International Negotiation Network Program
• Interdisciplinary research in order to facilitate or support international negotiations on
disputes, conflicts and international regimes
Game theory
February 2006 – 10
Crosscutting activities
Greenhouse Gas Initiative
• The objective is to bridge temporal and spatial scales of climate change, from shorter-term
national and place-specific policies and measures directed at mitigating and adapting to climate
change, to the longer-term global objective of stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of
greenhouse gases at a
“non-dangerous” level
Downscaling; scenario modeling
Water
• Projects in modeling, forestry, agriculture, vulnerability, population and negotiations
Methodology Forum
• Its goal is to facilitate cross-program sharing of experiences and problems in methodological
issues
Scaling; uncertainty analysis
February 2006 – 11
Special Projects
Health and Global Change Project
• Interdisciplinary research on pandemic influenza by studying
- international governance issues in epidemiological surveillance and control
- response strategies as vaccination
- socioeconomic impacts
- demographic aspects of influenza
Integrated Modeling Environment Project
• Interdisciplinary research to build capacity to meet the Institute’s needs for
integrated model support with three objectives
- integrate and extend modeling methods and tools developed into advanced
web-based modeling environment
- develop tools for policy analyses to cope with inherent endogenous
uncertainties and risks
- develop tools for integrated model analysis combining capabilities of different
methods
Environmentally Compatible Energy Strategies Project
• Clearing house activities (models, data bases, scenarios, publications) in 2006
February 2006 – 12
Important Current Science
Issues
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Uncertainty, robustness
Spatial specificity
Renewal of systems analysis
methods
Problem interdependencies
Stakeholder involvement
Bridge science-policy divide
February 2006 – 13
Thank you
For further information see
www.iiasa.ac.at
February 2006 – 14