Climate change has emerged as perhaps one of the defining global environmental problems of this century, requiring an unprecedented global response. Given the large uncertainties and knowledge gaps that still persist, the scientific community has a central role in this process. Towards this end, the interdisciplinary programme in Climate Studies (Climate Studies IDP) was approved by the Senate, IIT Bombay, in October, 2011. The Climate Studies IDP is aimed at undertaking inter-disciplinary, problem-driven research and teaching for end-to-end analysis of Climate Change problems. Research activities in the IDP focus on key areas within climate change, such as regional climate perturbation and impact, assessment of technologies for mitigation, and evaluation of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change. The following research focus has been identified:
- Climate science and technology Terrestrial carbon sources and sinks, Prediction of climate extremes, Aerosols and regional climate (GCM/CTM simulations, statistical approaches and scaling models), Cloud formation, Energy use and emissions modeling, Climate mitigation technologies (enhanced carbon capture systems, photoactive materials and devices, non-carbon energy technologies, biorefineries, negative net-carbon technologies).
- Technology evaluation and assessment Competitiveness and sustainability, Strategies for low-carbon development, Economics of Climate Change, Assessment of climate change policies and mechanisms.
- Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation Decision support systems for emissions and impacts, Climate change impacts on hydrology (watershed, coastal and urban scales), Climate sensitive sectors and poverty, Natural disaster and human impacts.