Projecting food, water, energy, climate and other global changes
"Mapping out a low-carbon future" "Water scarcity, air pollution, and climate change" "Projecting the impacts of land-use change" These recent headlines reflect the breadth of the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change. They draw attention not only to climate change, a topic with which the Joint Program has been associated for more than 25 years, but also to changes in energy consumption, water availability, air quality, and land use. While the Joint Program’s overarching purpose — combining scientific research with policy analysis to provide decision-makers with independent, integrative assessments of the impacts of global change and how best to respond — has remained steadfast since its inception in 1991, its research portfolio has expanded considerably in recent years. As a result, the program has redefined its work in terms of seven research focus areas and four research tools. The seven research focus areas include food, water and forestry; infrastructure...