IIASA | International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

News

Tree frog Hypsiboas geograficus peeping over green leaf

19 October 2026

13% of Earth's land identified as biodiversity conservation hotspots

As governments prepare to gather in Yerevan, Armenia, this week for the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17), new research identifies 13% of Earth's land area as hotspots for biodiversity conservation, highlighting where conservation efforts are most urgently needed.

16 October 2026

Getting back on track to reduce methane emissions

A new study, led by IIASA researchers and coauthored by UNEP colleagues, finds that if governments fully implement their methane reduction plans, they could reduce global emissions by 11% between 2020 and 2030. This would reverse the current trend of increasing methane emissions, but would not be sufficient to achieve the goal of the Global Methane Pledge.

United Nations General Assembly Hall inNew York City

15 October 2026

IIASA strengthens science diplomacy ties at UNGA in New York

IIASA Science Diplomacy Director and Head of Communications and External Relations Susie Kitchens represented the Institute at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Week and Science Summit in New York in September, contributing to discussions on how science and international cooperation can help address shared global challenges.

IIASA at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference

IIASA researchers will contribute to multiple side-events at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity – an international meeting bringing together governments, researchers, and policymakers from around the world.

IIASA at the Beijing Science Dialogue 2026: Science in a complex world – Science for a better future

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber will participate in a high-level discussion on science as a global public good during an international gathering organized by the International Science Council (ISC) in Beijing, China.

Fisherman throwing his net during sunset

Uganda-Austria water partnership leaves scientific legacy for water management

IIASA Journalist in Residence Lisa Palmer's latest article in the Science Diplomat highlights an IIASA-led partnership which found about 60% of Uganda’s rivers in good condition while building national capacity to track pollution and manage growing risks.

Education © Svetlana Diacenco | Dreamstime

Training workshop: Demographic analysis with applications to aging, health, and education

IIASA, together with the College of Population Studies, Chulalongkorn University, will host an intensive and internationally recognized training in advanced demographic analysis with applications to aging, health, and education, taking place in Thailand from 2–25 November 2026.

Winter scene taken in the farming community of Chilliwack, British Columbia

Arms, food, and nuclear winter: An IIASA modeling story spanning 40 years

In the 1980s, IIASA researchers asked what cutting military budgets and redirecting these funds to agriculture could do for the world's food supply. Today, researchers at the Institute are asking the reverse question: what would happen to the world’s food if nuclear weapons were used? A folder of working papers from 40 years ago highlights some striking connections between these two questions.

Events

20 October 2026 Barcelona, Spain

ENFORCE Annual Project Meeting

21 October 2026 Online

Tipping points webinar series: Socioeconomic transitions

26 October 2026 Shanghai University

Workshop: Rethinking Urbanization in Asia

Vision and Members

The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is an independent international research institute with National and Regional Member Organisations in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Learn more about IIASA

Vision

The IIASA vision for 2021 to 2030 is to be the primary destination for integrated systems solutions and policy insights to current, emerging and novel global sustainability challenges, threats, and opportunities.

Members

Each IIASA member is represented by a National or Regional Member Organization that governs and funds the institute and acts as a bridge to link the country’s research and policy communities to IIASA.