IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber is featured in the new documentary Hirschhausen will zum Papst (Hirschhausen wants to meet the Pope), produced by Germany’s public broadcaster ARD.

The documentary explores the intersection of climate change, ethics, and global responsibility through conversations surrounding the legacy of Pope Francis and his environmental advocacy.

The film follows German physician and science communicator Eckart von Hirschhausen as he examines the growing moral and societal dimensions of the climate crisis. Schellnhuber appears as one of the featured scientific voices (at minute 8:55), contributing perspectives on climate science, sustainability, and the urgent need for transformative action.

The documentary highlights the increasing importance of dialogue between science, society, and global institutions in addressing planetary challenges.

Watch the full documentary (in German).

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IIASA researcher joins Austrian Academy of Sciences working group on integrated carbon neutrality

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New citizen science campaign on mowing events launching in 2026

Starting this Friday, 31st of July, the Mowing Quest citizen science campaign invites people across Europe to help improve grassland monitoring. By using the free Geo-Quest app, participants can report mowing events directly from the field and support scientific research with their own observations. The campaign will be open during August and September to test the system capabilities in preparation for a larger 2027 campaign.