Building on the research previously undertaken in the Ecosystems Services and Management and Water programs, the BNR Program fully exploits the potential for biodiversity research within integrated system analysis. 

The program brings together different elements of land and aquatic ecosystems including agriculture, forests, and fisheries with water and the marine environment to inform global and regional policy assessments and provide robust science-based knowledge and foresight. The program aims to establish IIASA as an international community hub for biosphere research through innovative tool development; to lead the integration of biophysical-economic modeling with governance; to engage with stakeholders; and to facilitate community driven efforts. It provides policymaking support through core program and group research undertaken in the four BNR research groups.

BNR further engages in bilateral collaborations with other research programs and groups at the institute on key cross-cutting themes such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, the green economy, resilient food systems, transboundary governance, resource depletion and migration, and digital transformation. 

Models, tools, datasets

Forestry and logging

Global Forest Model (G4M)

Projects

Chamois picture taken near the Rax

Designing a resilient and coherent Trans-European Network for Nature and People (NaturaConnect)

Staff

Congrui Yi profile picture

Congrui Yi

Research Assistant (WAT)

No image available

Philipp Piribauer

Guest Research Scholar (IBF)

Ellen Tan profile picture

Ellen Tan

Program and Project Officer (IBF)

Florian Hofhansl profile picture

Florian Hofhansl

Research Scholar (NODES, BEC)

News

Indonesia FAO

23 July 2024

Fostering transformation of agrifood systems in Indonesia

IIASA researchers contributed to a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), working in partnership with scientists from other renowned institutions, to help the government of Indonesia advance actionable agrifood systems policies based on rigorous scientific assessment.
Airplane flying low over a biofuel tank

22 July 2024

Are sustainable aviation fuels truly sustainable?

A new IIASA-led study offers the first detailed estimates of land use change emissions for six sustainable aviation fuel production pathways. The authors focused on both food and non-food raw materials used to produce biofuels, using trusted global data sources to provide fine-scale emissions data.
AI generated aerial view of a vast boreal forest

17 July 2024

Forests endure as carbon sink despite regional pressures

Despite facing regional threats like deforestation and wildfires, the world's forests continue to be a powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. A new study reveals these vital ecosystems have consistently absorbed carbon dioxide for the past three decades, even as disruptions chip away at their capacity.

Focus

Butterfly on a pink flower

17 July 2024

Biodiversity lessons from nature

IIASA researchers Silvia Artuso and Juliette Martin reflect on a recent workshop presented at the Institute as part of the IIASA School Engagement Initiative, during which they introduced students to systems analysis and took them on an adventure to explore the amazing biodiversity of Laxenburg park.

Local people working in their field, near Lamin village, Gambia, West Africa

08 July 2024

Future food demand in The Gambia: can increased crop productivity and climate adaptation close the supply–demand gap?

The Gambia faces significant food availability issues due to low agricultural productivity. IIASA researchers and colleagues used the FABLE Calculator to explore actions to reduce the food supply-demand gap by 2050. The results, published in Food Security, reveal that current cropland will not meet food demand by 2050.

Publications