IMPAC²T aims to advance understanding of the impacts of air pollution on human health and vegetation under a changing climate, with particular attention to the energy transition in the transport sector. To this end, DLR’s expertise in numerical climate and air quality modelling will be combined with Helmholtz Munich’s epidemiological expertise within an interdisciplinary team. In addition, there is close cooperation with authorities.
Research in IMPAC²T focuses on these study areas: Europe (with a focus on Germany) and West Africa.
The main objectives of IMPAC²T are:
- Develop a comprehensive scientific understanding of the trends and drivers of ambient air pollution
and their effects on human health and vegetation under a changing climate, by integrating methods
from multiple scientific disciplines. - Translate scientific results for policymakers to enable evidence-based discussion and investigation of
potential mitigation options. Scientific findings will also be communicated to the public.
Scientific Questions
Some of the scientific questions of IMPAC²T are:
- How large is the contribution of transport emissions to values of policy-relevant atmospheric
metrics associated with health and vegetation for present-day conditions? How large is this
contribution compared to other emission sectors? - How do values of policy-relevant atmospheric metrics associated with health and vegetation
and air temperature change under changing climate and associated emission pathways?
How large are the uncertainties? - How do (a) changed atmospheric dynamics and increasing temperature, (b) changed natural emissions, and (c) changed anthropogenic emissions influence trends in the values of policy-relevant atmospheric metrics?
- How do trends and drivers of ambient air pollution compare between Europe and West Africa?
- What are possible mitigation options in the transport sector and other emission sectors to reduce ambient air pollution in a changing climate? How can these options help to reduce ambient air pollution and associated effects on health and vegetation?
- Are there synergies and (or) trade-offs of specific mitigation options between effects on health
and vegetation?
For Germany, the following more specific questions will be analysed in addition:
- What are the health effects of ambient air pollution considering interactions with air temperature in Germany for present-day conditions? What is the role of transport emissions?
- How do ambient air pollution effects on health in Germany change in a future climate considering interactions of air temperature and ambient air pollution?