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Shifting diets could yield major improvements for climate and biodiversity. IIASA researchers found that replacing half of all main meat and milk products with plant-based alternatives by 2050 can reduce agriculture and land userelated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 31% and halt the degradation of forests and natural land.

IIASA researchers used a new method to analyze the effectiveness of the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) with regard to its  ability to minimize the short-term fiscal effects of disasters.

IIASA researchers have proposed a new method to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on life expectancy.

Social media can be a critical source of data to help explore the formation and evolution of public opinion. IIASA researchers are at the forefront of  exploring this field, leveraging platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Google combined with advanced statistics and machine learning to offer insights into the collective psyche of society.

IIASA researchers developed a tool to help address the lack of data on global migration flows and provide a visual method for exploring migration  patterns worldwide.

Researchers in the Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation (BEC) Research Group of the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program released  an R-package – a collection of code, data, and documentation in a standardized format – which allows the integration of heterogeneous biodiversity observation sources.

Various IIASA studies have highlighted the need for societal and technological transformations that could form the basis for new lifestyles to create a  more just, net-zero world through innovation.

Working with IIASA researchers, Ghana pioneered the adoption of a citizen science approach to address the problem of plastic pollution in marine  environments. Further analysis highlighted how a similar citizen science data validation and reporting process can benefit reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in other countries.

IIASA researchers played a central role in the European Commission’s recommendation for the 2040 climate target, from delivering the scientific  foundation and establishing dialogue with the community, to being among the renowned scientists selected as members of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.

Pension systems are the bedrock of financial security during retirement, especially in the face of population aging and changing socioeconomic landscapes. There are, however, differences in current pension benefits based on socioeconomic status, raising concerns about fairness and sustainability.

IIASA researchers conducted several case studies and published two policy briefs informing policymakers about policy and financing barriers limiting the uptake of nature‑based solutions (NBS) compared to conventional grey infrastructure, as well as possible ways of overcoming them.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted global health and economies, prompting governments to deploy two primary strategies – vaccines and lockdowns – to mitigate its impacts. Understanding how these two measures may complement or substitute each other is imperative to finding the best mitigation strategies for future pandemics.

The land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) sector plays a crucial role in achieving global climate targets, but there are differences between  how scientists and countries account for its emissions. An IIASA study shed light on these disparities, revealing significant implications for global climate targets.

A team of researchers investigated whether seaweed offers a sustainable alternative to land-based agricultural expansion to meet the world’s growing need for food and materials.

The achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the success of the Paris Climate Agreement depend on rapid progress towards sustainable food and land systems in all countries.

BRICS countries face common regulatory challenges posed by the increasing dominance of digital platform ecosystems. By fostering dialogue and cooperation between their competition authorities, these nations can aim to develop a unified understanding and symbiotic strategies to tackle these challenges.

Unlock the potential of digital artificial intelligence to address pressing environmental challenges! Traditional approaches to conservation are evolving as AI tools enable precise monitoring, predictive analytics, and optimized resource management. From combating climate change to preserving biodiversity, AI offers scalable solutions that benefit ecosystems and communities alike. Explore how AI is reshaping environmental stewardship for a sustainable future.

Computer games are not only entertaining but can also offer new perspectives, as demonstrated by the game "Climate Survivors". In this game, players combat the consequences of global warming while learning about scientifically grounded facts in an engaging and playful way.

Nadejda Komendantova, the Cooperation and Transformative Governance Research Group leader, and Dmitry Erokhin, a researcher at IIASA, prepared a case study on the application of science, technology and innovation solutions to increase participation in climate change adaptation. In this case study, they discuss best-practice solutions as well as their internal and external validity. The case study served as an input to the 9th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals held on May 9-10, 2024, at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York.

When it comes to practical solutions, finding causal links is one of the holy grails in all disciplines of science. Although Granger-type causality doesn’t prove actual causality, it becomes a powerful tool for analyzing any system once it’s coupled with theoretical reasoning. Recent advances in wavelet analysis as a tool to unravel the patterns and coherence among different phenomena raise the question of whether such coherence can be used to indicate causality.