Real world problems rarely fall within the bounds of a single discipline. The climate change problem spans an extraordinarily large number of disciplines from earth sciences to social and political sciences. The interaction of processes described by these different fields is why climate change is such a complex issue. Keeping track of these interactions and bringing coherence to the assumptions underlying each disciplinary insight on the climate problem is a massive undertaking. A systematic approach is needed to bring about this coherence. For the past 20 years the team at Carnegie Mellon University have been developing such an approach to analysis of environmental change challenges facing humanity. Integrated Assessment (IA), as an interdisciplinary approach designed to provide systematic evaluations of technically complex problems. IA is not specific to the climate problem. It was first employed at CMU in 1980 to analyze the issue of Acid Rain. Some think of IA as simply systems modeling under a new label. There are three reasons why we resist this characterization of IA: Systems modeling received a, well deserved, bloody nose from the Club of Rome systems approach to modeling energy futures. In their effort the human dimensions of the problem were critically under appreciated. Systems modeling are limited to mathematical models alone, while IA can be qualitative and informal. A primary goal of IA is to provide a bridge among disciplinary scientists and among the scientists, policy decision makers and the general public. The IA effort at Carnegie Mellon can be further characterized in attempting to meet four goals: Characterization of the uncertainties (parametric and structural) in our understanding of the various processes leading to climate change, its impacts, and policy responses that could be undertaken. Characterization of the human dimensions of the climate change issue, namely cognitive aspects of detection and attribution of climate change (as opposed to variability), policy choice, formation and implementation. Development of new techniques for integrated assessment where climate change issues highlighted inadequacy of previous approaches. Explorations in disciplinary sciences were completion of the IA demanded spanning the interstices of existing disciplinary knowledge. The core funding provided by the Department of Energy in their support for our program has led to numerous publications and completed Ph.D theses.
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