Press releases

Rising seas are irreversible on human time scales and among the most severe consequences of climate change. Emissions released in the coming decades will determine how much coastlines are reshaped for centuries to come. New research shows that near-term mitigation could spare future generations around 0.6 meters of sea-level rise that would be caused by emissions between 2020 and 2090 following current policies, making today’s decisions critical not only for limiting warming but also for coastal impacts.

A new international study co-led by IIASA researchers and Japanese partners aims to democratize the way global climate scenarios are developed. The authors propose a transparent, inclusive research platform that invites participation from scientists worldwide – especially from emerging and developing regions – to ensure that the foundations of climate policy analysis are globally representative and equitable.

Severe flooding in Pakistan contributes to hundreds of deaths, destruction of infrastructure, and the displacement of millions of people. In a new study, an international team of researchers used open data and tools to help understand differences in vulnerability to floods and better predict displacement in the future.

As countries around the world work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a new study by researchers from IIASA and Peking University highlights an overlooked but powerful solution hiding in plain sight: fluorocarbon banks.

Climate-related wildfires are once again making headlines as they rage across the northern hemisphere this summer. New IIASA research shows that addressing social and economic vulnerability across countries will be a key factor in mitigating the scale of resulting financial damage and emphasize sustainable development as essential to reducing climate-related impacts.

Mining in Brazil does not deliver the sustained economic benefits often claimed, while informal mining is a major driver of deforestation, especially in the Amazon. A new study offers one of the most comprehensive assessments to date, combining satellite imagery and economic data to analyze the environmental and economic impacts of mining at the municipal scale across Brazil.

In a new joint paper, IIASA researchers introduce five Priority Action Areas to guide the EU’s path beyond 2027, highlighting the vital role of a sustainable agricultural sector in ensuring the EU’s long-term economic resilience, prosperity, competitiveness, and environmental health.

A new policy brief, produced as part of the LAMASUS project, highlights that strategic agricultural de-intensification in the EU could help reduce agricultural carbon emissions by nearly a third and considerably improve biodiversity recovery.

Earth’s carbon-climate system may be more fragile than widely thought, according to a new IIASA-led study that looks at the planet’s response to human pressures from a planetary perspective.