— Ch. 1 · Founding And Leadership History —
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research opened its doors in 1992 under the direction of Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. This German government-funded institute began as a single entity on Potsdam's historic Telegrafenberg. About 400 people now work at the facility, analyzing Earth systems and developing policies for a manageable climate future. In 2018, Schellnhuber stepped down to be succeeded by two joint directors. Ottmar Edenhofer joined as a climate economist while Johan Rockström arrived from his role as director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre. The current board also includes Bettina Hörstrup, who serves as the administrative director. These leaders guide an organization that is part of the Leibniz Association, whose institutions perform research on subjects of high relevance to society.
Earth System Analysis Frameworks
Research Department One provides the physical foundation for all PIK studies. It focuses on understanding the biogeochemical processes that govern oceans, atmospheres, and biospheres. Scientists here examine how these systems respond to human interference through four major themes. They investigate tipping points where non-linear Earth system processes trigger threshold behavior. Another theme defines planetary boundaries and quantifies their interactions with global change. Researchers study Earth trajectories including circulation changes and feedback systems under natural and human forcing. A fourth focus area develops understanding of extreme weather events on a warming planet. This department analyzes changing statistics of dynamical mechanisms behind severe storms and heatwaves.