News | IIASA

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber with the team at the office of the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean,

12 June 2026

The physics of good vibrations: IIASA and Barbados explore a new model for resilient and thriving societies

IIASA Director General Hans Joachim (John) Schellnhuber visited Barbados at the end of May to deepen engagement with government, academic, diplomatic, and international partners and explore new opportunities for collaboration on resilience, innovation, and sustainable development for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Illustrative representation of the diversity of different people colored silhouettes

10 June 2026

Annual global migration has nearly tripled since 2000

Global migration has risen sharply from approximately 13 million people per year in 2000 to around 35 million people per year in 2023. This is according to a new dataset on human migration published in Nature by researchers from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), IIASA, and the University of Hong Kong.

Group of senior retired friends. Happiness concept

09 June 2026

Life after work: Why social connections matter

Social networks may help protect cognitive functioning in later life, particularly among older adults who are no longer working, according to a new IIASA-led study. Drawing on data from 27 European countries, the researchers found that social connections can help compensate for the loss of mentally stimulating interactions linked to work, with different types of relationships benefiting women and men.

05 June 2026

Tsinghua University and IIASA to Host Second Overshoot Conference in Beijing

As global temperatures continue to rise beyond the 1.5°C threshold, understanding the implications of climate overshoot has become one of the defining scientific and policy challenges of our time. Following the success of the inaugural Overshoot Conference in Laxenburg, Austria, the second Overshoot Conference will take place from 24–25 November 2026 in Beijing, China, bringing together leading researchers, policymakers, innovators, and communicators to advance the global dialogue on overshoot pathways and responses.

Panoramic view of the Academy of Athens in Greece

05 June 2026

IIASA welcomes Greece as its newest member

IIASA is excited to announce that Greece has joined the Institute effective from 1 June 2026 through the Academy of Athens, Greece’s national academy and the highest research establishment in the country.

African kids carrying water in a dry landscape

02 June 2026

Climate-driven drought linked to rising violence among adolescents in Southern Africa

New research from IIASA and the University of Oxford provides the first quantitative evidence that drought exposure over the last 12 months is associated with increased risk of sexual, emotional, and physical violence among adolescents in Southern Africa. This risk rises substantially during cumulative droughts over two years.

Group photo of the CHinese delegation and IIASA representatives

29 May 2026

IIASA and Chinese partners explore future collaboration in science diplomacy

A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MoST) and representatives of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Austria visited IIASA at Schloss Laxenburg on 13 May 2026 for discussions on scientific cooperation, science diplomacy, and future collaboration.

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”.

Mountain of vintage televisions burning intensely, creating a large column of smoke, symbolizing outdated technology and information overload

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.