Welcome to KIT/IMKIFU
Scientists at IMKIFU investigate changes in the atmosphere, the water balance and the living conditions for vegetation and society in global climate change.
Investigating processes that influence the atmosphere is an essential basis for understanding climate change and developing strategies that help us to cope with the changing conditions.
The researchers on the KIT-Campus Alpin use measurements and modeling to investigate the bio-geochemical and physical processes responsible for the interaction of climate, vegetation, soils, and water availability, for example, in the emission or degradation of greenhouse gases in climate-sensitive regions such as mountain regions, arid regions, agricultural areas, and cities. For more than 65 years, research at the Institute has always focused on environmental topics of great complexity and high social relevance. Today, the Institute is concerned with the causes and effects of climate change; for example, the role of agriculture in Bavaria, the African Sahel or in Southeast Asia.
The IMKIFU is active in projects and partnerships worldwide - because the global dimension of climate change and human influence on the environment requires that local environmental issues are also addressed in a global context.
KIT-Campus Alpin
The IMK-IFU at the KIT-Campus Alpin in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is the largest Bavarian climate research institution and has been active in the region since 1954. It is the oldest environmental research institution in Germany dedicated to global issues. Since 2002, the institute has been part of the Helmholtz Association as part of today's KIT.
Interview with Prof Dr Harald Kunstmann on the postponement of the Bavarian climate target for climate neutrality by five years to 2045 and on the current state of renewable energy network. BR interview from minute 02:55. Forwarding to the BR-Mediathek.
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Higher temperatures lead to more evaporation, more water vapour in the atmosphere increases the greenhouse effect. Laser measurement of water vapour in the atmosphere at 2675m above sea level up to 24km into the earth's atmosphere. From minute 10:30. Forwarding to the ARD Mediathek.
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Workshop on quantifying GHG emissions, identifying and evaluating efficient mitigation options from rice systems at Giang University Vietnam with 30 participants from academia, ministries, national and provincial authorities.
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Prof. Dr. Klaus Butterbach-Bahl was selected by the Nobel Sustainability Trust (NST) and the Technical University of Munich for the NST Sustainability Award. He received the award in the category “Outstanding Research and Development in the Field of Agriculture” in Nov 2024 in San Francisco. Forwarding to NTS.
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PD Dr Ralf Sussmann is co-author of a factsheet of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Helmholtz Association, which reveals the gaps between scientific knowledge and the need for political action. Forwarding to LinkedIn post by KIT.
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‘The climate impact of methane - an underestimated danger’. PD Dr Ralf Sussmann was invited to give an expert lecture in the Bundestag on the topic of ‘Measurement, reduction and reporting of methane emissions in the course of national implementation of the EU Methane Regulation’. Forwarding to Helmholtz.
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The carbon dioxide uptake and conversion of forests was lower than its release in the years 2017-2022. ORF science report and interview with Prof. Dr. Almut Arneth on forest damage, forest conversion, rising temperatures and CO2 storage function. Forwarding to science.orf.at
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Prof. Dr. Almut Arneth Head of the Department “Global Land-Ecosystem Modelling” at KIT/ Campus Alpin is one of the “Highly Cited Researchers” in the Web of Science Group's ranking list.
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Further development of greenhouse gas monitoring in Germany: Scientists from a wide range of institutions meet at the second ITMS Annual General Meeting on the North Campus of KIT. Forwarding to itms-germany.de
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