IIASA is taking a leading role in promoting science diplomacy and fostering debates about how science can help build trust between nations and support foreign policies.

IIASA was established in 1972 with the aim to use scientific cooperation to build bridges across the Cold War divide and to jointly confront growing problems on an international scale. This was the result of US President Lyndon B. Johnson initiative to create such an international research organization, which found support from Soviet Prime Minister Alexey Kosygin. Negotiations took several years and led to the signature of IIASA Charter in London in 1972 by twelve founding National Member Organizations from Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, UK, USA, USSR and West Germany. 

When the Cold War ended, IIASA broadened its mandate to achieve a greater global mandate. Today it continues to successfully provide scientific insight to policymakers worldwide by finding solutions to global problems through applied systems analysis. Building on its strengths, and within its overall research framework, IIASA delivers impact globally and to its member countries by helping them to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations through science diplomacy and through scientific input to international negotiations. 

With global problems becoming more complex and the world more divided, the concept of science diplomacy gained new traction. Science diplomacy is seen as a tool to foster relations between nations and as scientific support to foreign policies. Science diplomacy helps to ensure that foreign policies, as well as global policy efforts, remain informed by scientific evidence.

News

Eco friendly environmental technology and sustainable development concept

28 February 2024

Keywan Riahi reappointed to UN Secretary-General's Group of Ten High-level Representatives

IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program Director, Keywan Riahi, has been re-appointed to the UN Secretary-General's Group of Ten High-level Representatives for the 2024-2025 term.
IIASA Director General John Schellnhuer with Martin Polaschek, Austria's Federal Minister for Education, Science, and Research

09 February 2024

Austrian Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research visits IIASA

Martin Polaschek, Austria's Federal Minister for Education, Science, and Research recently visited IIASA to discuss current research priorities and explore potential opportunities for collaboration between the institute and the Ministry.
G20 India

06 November 2023

IIASA provides input to the G20 on multilateralism reforms

The G20 is a global platform for the discussion of cooperation, policy, and governance pathways aligned with the common interests of its member states, which include the world’s largest economies. This year, to support the G20 process, IIASA produced four policy papers providing insight into the complexities of potential multilateral institutional reforms.

Articles

27 June 2024

Improving national SDG reporting through citizen science

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.
marine litter

27 June 2024

IIASA analysis underpins the European Commission’s 2040 climate target recommendation

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.
EU

11 November 2023

The IIASA Flagship Report: Illuminating the path to sustainable wellbeing

Options Magazine, Winter 2023: Looking back and moving forward: Systems analysis for sustainable wellbeing. 50 years of IIASA research, 40 years after the Brundtland Commission, and contributing to the post‑2030 global agenda.
Options