IIASA at the Dresden Nexus Conference 2025: Advancing sustainability through science and collaboration

A highlight of IIASA’s participation will be the keynote by IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber on 8 April, during which he will address the topic of Land Use and Construction in the Anthropocene. This session will examine the urgent need for sustainable urbanization and land-use strategies, offering insights into balancing human development with planetary boundaries.

Prof. Schellnhuber's address, will be followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIASA and the United Nations University (UNU). This agreement, to be signed by Schellnhuber and H.E. Prof. Dr. Tshilidzi Marwala from UNU, signifies a commitment to joint research, capacity building, and policy engagement in climate resilience and sustainability. The MoU underscores the necessity of integrated systems analysis in addressing global challenges and strengthening partnerships between leading institutions.

IIASA researchers will also contribute to several other discussions. One such area of focus is citizen science, where IIASA Strategic Initiatives Program Director, Steffen Fritz and Inian Moorthy, a researcher in IIASA's Novel Data Ecosystems for Sustainability Research Group, will demonstrate how public participation in data collection is shaping evidence-based policies for sustainability. Their presentations will explore how urban resilience can be enhanced through community engagement, providing real-world examples of participatory research driving tangible environmental improvements. The discussions will be followed by breakout sessions where the most critical themes in relation to adopting and upscaling citizen science in terms of the potential role of the United Nations and its University, scaling up citizen science initiatives, as well as a role-play simulation game to tackle the issue of sustainable finance in citizen science projects will be further explored.

Another essential topic IIASA experts will join the discussion on is water governance and its role within the Resource Nexus. IIASA Water Security Research Group Leader Taher Kahil, together with senior research scholars, Bárbara Willaarts and Amanda Palazzo, will present cutting-edge research on sustainable water management, emphasizing its socioeconomic impacts and the need for innovative modeling approaches. These discussions will highlight the importance of interdisciplinary strategies in ensuring water security amid climate change and increasing global demands.

The event presents an opportunity for scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge and drive actionable solutions in sustainability and resource management. IIASA’s presence highlights its ongoing dedication to interdisciplinary research and evidence-based policy development.

Visit the Dresden Nexus Conference website for further information.