The big data revolution is here, but what does it mean for creating a life-supporting sustainable food system? Can technological innovation help us feed the world and protect against biodiversity loss? IIASA hosts this special episode of the Prophets, Wizards & The Quest to Value Nature podcast.
IIASA Strategic Initiatives Program Director Steffen Fritz, Juan Carlos Laso Bayas, researcher with the IIASA Novel Data Ecosystems for Sustainability Research Group, and Tamme van der Wal, Information Management expert with a special interest in the data revolution from Wageningen University and a commercial manager at Akkerweb, take part in this roundtable discussion looking at issues touching on global agri-food systems and how technology can help feed the growing population of the world without harming Earth systems.
This special episode is part of the Prophets, Wizards & The Quest to Value Nature podcast series sponsored by the FRAMEwork research project which enables research and empowerment initiatives for farmers and local communities to tackle biodiversity loss.
News
28 May 2026
Nexus of Sustainability: Springer monograph devoted to joint IIASA and Ukraine NMO project
Nexus of Sustainability: Understanding of FEWSE Systems II is a 2026 Springer monograph detailing the interdependencies between food, energy, water, society, and the environment (FEWSE). It focuses on risk management, robust modeling, and sustainable development, featuring recent research of the joint research project between IIASA and National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU, Ukraine NMO at IIASA) on “Integrated modeling for robust management of food-energy-water-land use nexus for sustainable development”.
28 May 2026
CAT contributes to Expert Round Table on Climate Misinformation under MIP4Adapt
Researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) contributed to the Expert Round Table on Climate Misinformation, organized within the framework of the MIP4Adapt initiative. MIP4Adapt (Mission Implementation Platform) is the central support mechanism for the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, aiding regions and local authorities in planning and implementing climate resilience strategies. It provides technical assistance, community building, and funding guidance to Charter signatories.
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.