The UKRI and IIASA hosted a critical dialogue on the benefits of systems thinking in biodiversity research.

According to the 2019 IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: “Biodiversity... is declining faster than at any time in human history”, as are nature’s contributions to people. Around 1 million species are threatened with extinction in the coming decades. Direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity declines are underpinned by societal values and behaviors, and it is widely recognized that systemic changes are needed to bend the curve of ongoing biodiversity loss.

The IIASA Biology Ecology and Conservation (BEC) research group constitutes the institute’s hub for applied ecology and conservation research. This webinar brings together UK and IIASA BEC researchers to exchange perspectives on biodiversity research and highlight how biodiversity-related research could benefit from systems thinking.

Watch the webinar recording: 

IIASA Connect © IIASA

This event will also launch IIASA Connect in the UK community. Join us and network with other biodiversity experts on the platform!

Join IIASA Connect

Agenda

Introductions
Introduction to IIASA by Albert van Jaarsveld, IIASA Director General 
UK National Member Organization Introduction

Perspective on IIASA biodiversity research
Piero Visconti, BEC Research Group Leader, IIASA
Gergana Daskalova, Schmidt Science Fellow, BEC Group, IIASA

Perspective on UK biodiversity research
David Edwards, University of Sheffield
Jane Hill, University of York

Meet the IIASA-NERC fellows
Laura Graham, BEC Group, IIASA
Eleanor Warren-Thomas, BEC Group/Integrated Biosphere Futures Group, IIASA
Chris Smith, Integrated Assessment and Climate Change Research Group, IIASA

IIASA Connect introduction
Q&A

Learn more about UK and IIASA activities.

Upcoming Events

Helsinki, Finland

The transformative power of education

Segovia,Spain

Climate Change and Insurance Workshop 2026 (CCI26)

Royal Belgian institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier 29, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

The Final Event of NaturaConnect: Pathways to a Trans-European Nature Network

Barcelona, Spain

Open Earth Monitor Final Workshop 2026

Barcelona, Spain

ENFORCE Annual Project Meeting

Beijing, China

Overshoot Conference 2026

IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria

GAINS Model Workshop