In 1986, the Institute was renamed as 'Institute of Meteorology and Physics of the Atmospheric Environment' (IMPAE), incorporating in its main activities physics of the atmospheric environment and solar and wind energy, in addition to meteorology and climatology. In parallel, it extended its laboratory and instrumentation facilities, intensified its research efforts with collaboration with numerous Greek and foreign universities and research centers, and continued to provide services to ministries, local authorities and the private sector.
In 1999 the Institute was renamed as Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development (IERSD), in response to the modern environmental challenges for a sustainable future. Its activities expanded further towards the study of impacts of development on the environment, climate change, hydrology & natural resources management, air quality and energy saving.
Currently, IERSD with its research and consultancy activities has managed to become the national "focal point" for environmental issues and further aims at increasing its competitiveness and added value services in the national economy, environment and society.
Institute Activities
In this frame, the following activities were gradually initiated: operational weather forecasting based on state-of-the-art numerical weather prediction models and a – still expanding – network of automated meteorological stations, application of regional climate models (RCMs) for the study of the effect of anthropogenic activities on climate, development of GHG emission inventories for national energy policy planning.
Infrastructure
Its infrastructure was further expanded among others with a fully equipped atmospheric chemistry laboratory, the laboratory for meteorological instruments calibration, a mobile air pollution monitoring station, a mobile dual polarization weather radar, a long-range lightning detection network.