The Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change (CMCC) is the Italian research centre on climate science and policy. Its activities focus on the development and applications of models of climate dynamics, impacts of climate change and adaptation and mitigation policies. CMCC produces numerical simulations of global and regional models of climate change, as well economic analysis of its impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and on economic activities. Climate policies are also evaluated, jointly with their implications on energy investments, research and development and the diffusion of climate-friendly technologies. Land use changes, deforestation and afforestation are integrated in the analysis of global impacts of climate change and of future paths of economic development in different world regions.
- Development of numerical simulations of global and regional models of climate change
- Economic analysis of its impacts on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and on economic activities.
- Valuation of climate policies, jointly with their implications on energy investments, research and development and the diffusion of climate-friendly technologies.
- Valuation of the global impact of climate change integrating the land use changes, deforestation and afforestation.
- Studies of future paths of economic development in different world regions.
The international policy framework and the leading position adopted by the EU in fighting climate change require an exceptional research effort on development of integrated assessment modes able to directly interact with policy makers. CMCC research aims at developing a fully integrated analytical framework for climate control policies coupling in-house built economic models (WITCH, ICES) with environmental ones (CC-ESM, i.e. the CMCC Carbon earth System Model, and LUC@CMCC, i.e. the CMCC Land-Use Change Model).
This will enable scientists to take into account feedbacks (e.g. regional climate impacts on the economy and energy states), the full potential of adaptation and include all information within a unique decision framework.
Carlo Carraro
CMCC has launched an efficient training programme consisting of a Doctorate School in Global Change Science and Policy (ChangeS) and a programme of summer and winter schools. The Doctorate School established in 2008, with the aim of promoting and coordinating advanced studies on climate change impacts and policy supports and organises advanced training and research activities with emphasis on the development of innovative management strategies for both physical and socio-economic climate related phenomena.
CMCC develops also networking activities with international outstanding research entities, sharing a common vision of developing measurement and modelling tools in order to support and carry out frontier climate change and earth science research activities. The strategic partnerships ensure knowledge exchange and enable a better communication between research entities having similar scientific interests: NCAR - PEI - CGMD - University of Adelaide - Tel Aviv University.
Main CMCC expectations from the LCS-RNet include the adoption of a common definition of LCS, with the establishment of reachable targets, and a common vision of the main sectoral issues to be addressed in order to reach the target, and of the necessary policies to be implemented. The common vision will encompass the social, economic and technical changes needed to respond to stricter climate change and energy policies. In CMCC’s view, a LCS must be aware of the ‘carbon-footprint’ generated by its socio-economic development path; must act within a commonly agreed GHGs stabilization targets, involving developing regions; the main efforts to achieve that target must develop an integrated assessment to address trends and changes in the socio-economic system.
