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
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.
12 January 2026
Trees4Adapt project to address risks from climate change and biodiversity loss through tree-based solutions
Researchers from the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program are involved in the recently launched EU-funded Trees4Adapt project. The project focuses on tree-based solutions for climate adaptation, aiming to strengthen Europe’s adaptation and resilience to climate change in a way that supports people and nature.
24 October 2025
CRAES delegation visits IIASA to explore collaboration on environmental research
In October, IIASA welcomed a high-level delegation from the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) for an in-depth exchange on advancing systems analysis and environmental solutions. The visit marked an important step toward strengthening collaboration between IIASA and CRAES on global and regional sustainability challenges.