The Joint Global Change Research Institute is a unique partnership formed in 2001 between the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Maryland. Approximately 25 PNNL climate change researchers based in Washington, D.C., joined the institute in 2001. This staff is renowned for its expertise in energy conservation and its understanding of the interactions between climate, energy production and use, economic activity and the environment.
By joining forces, we link the strengths of the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories and the academic community to advance the understanding of global climate change. Together we combine outstanding research and sound scholarship to deal with one of the most complex issues of our time.
The Institute focuses on understanding both the causes and effects of climate change, with particular emphasis on the following areas:
- Integrated assessment modeling, for examining the intimate interactions between the physical environment and human activities and understanding the economic effects of climate change
- Technology strategies for limiting the scope of climate change
- Natural resource modeling and assessment for understanding the effects of environmental change on water and land use
- Vulnerability and adaptation studies for examining the regional impacts of climate change and strategies for adapting to these changes
- Local and global environmental mitigation measures for developing and testing practical policies for dealing with this issue.
- Enhancement of the discussion of global change issues, across disciplines and national boundaries, and among diverse socioeconomic stakeholders.
