Full video now available! Piero Visconti, IIASA Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation Research Group Leader and IIASA Economic Frontiers Program Director, Michael Kuhn in conversation with George Monbiot.
Monbiot is a British writer known for his environmental and political activism. He writes a weekly column for The Guardian and is the author of several best-selling books.
His most recent book, Regenesis Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet, took him on a journey of reviewing thousands of research articles, reports, books, and other forms of scientific evidence, which he synthesized through discussions with farmers, consumers, and other stakeholders to identify systemic problems in food systems, its social and environmental impacts, and possible transformational solutions.
News
19 October 2026
13% of Earth's land identified as biodiversity conservation hotspots
As governments prepare to gather in Yerevan, Armenia, this week for the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17), new research identifies 13% of Earth's land area as hotspots for biodiversity conservation, highlighting where conservation efforts are most urgently needed.
07 July 2026
New framework identifies freshwater conservation priorities
Freshwater ecosystems are under growing pressure worldwide, but conservation resources are limited. A framework developed by IIASA researchers and partners can help identify where conservation could prevent biodiversity loss and where restoration efforts are likely to have the greatest ecological impact across the United States and Europe.
05 May 2026
Amazon understory forests show short-term boost in CO₂ uptake – but this comes at a cost
Tropical forests are one of the planet's most important carbon sinks – often also called "the lungs of the Earth". But their future in a high-CO₂ world remains uncertain. IIASA researchers contributed to a new study, which suggests even small understory trees in the Amazon may initially buffer climate change more strongly. Their long-term capacity to store carbon could, however, be restricted by nutrient availability, highlighting the vulnerability of these ecosystems under future climate conditions.