News | IIASA

The image depicts a hand drawing on a blueprint with a detailed miniature model of a sustainable city.

26 January 2026

Citizen science and the challenge of measuring urban sustainability

Cities are expected to track sustainability progress with data that are often incomplete, outdated, or available only at national level. New research led by IIASA in collaboration with UN-Habitat finds that citizen science could address these gaps and support nearly 70% of global sustainability indicators, yet is currently used in only 4% of cases.

22 January 2026

China can meet its rapidly growing cooling demand without heating the planet

China’s rising demand for cooling doesn’t have to drive rising temperatures. A new study shows how rapid shifts to cleaner refrigerants and high-efficiency technologies could cut cooling-related climate impacts to near zero by mid-century.

20 January 2026

A beautiful transformation begins in Laxenburg – Climate & Me

In January, the Laxenburg Education Campus became a gathering place for curious minds, engaged citizens, and local forward-thinkers. In cooperation with IIASA, the Municipality of Laxenburg hosted the opening of the exhibition Climate & Me, welcoming visitors interested in sustainability.

15 January 2026

Kicking off the Transform-Labor project

IIASA’s EQU Research Group started the new year with the kick-off meeting of the Transform-Labor project led by Julia Beier and Susanne Hanger-Kopp. The project centers heat affected workers in Austria in the development of transformative climate change adaptation options.

15 January 2026

Winners of the 2025 Young Scientists Summer Program Awards Announced

IIASA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Young Scientists Summer Program (YSSP) Awards in recognition of outstanding research conducted during the program.

14 January 2026

Rethinking climate impacts through human wellbeing

A new study by IIASA researchers offers a pioneering way to understand how climate change affects people’s lives over the long term. Using a global model and the Years of Good Life (YoGL) metric, the research shows that today’s emissions shape future wellbeing, especially for younger generations.

12 January 2026

Trees4Adapt project to address risks from climate change and biodiversity loss through tree-based solutions

Researchers from the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program are involved in the recently launched EU-funded Trees4Adapt project. The project focuses on tree-based solutions for climate adaptation, aiming to strengthen Europe’s adaptation and resilience to climate change in a way that supports people and nature.

12 January 2026

Strengthening strategic cooperation with Chinese partners

In December, IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber, met in Beijing with Professor Dou Xiankang, President of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the IIASA National Member Organization for China. The meeting focused on strengthening long-term cooperation between IIASA and NSFC and exploring opportunities for deeper engagement between the two organizations.

Diabetes monitor, diet and healthy food eating nutritional concept with clean fruits and vegetables with diabetic measuring tool kit

09 January 2026

Diabetes costs the global economy trillions

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder and one of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases worldwide. On average, one in ten adults is affected. The number of people living with diabetes continues to rise, posing an increasing challenge for healthcare systems and entire economies. A new study reveals the global and national economic costs of diabetes and offers strategies to reduce them.

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