Science into Policy

The institute's latest research in a concise format for policymakers.

09 April 2024

Forest science and education in Ukraine: Priorities for action

Ukraine’s forest sector is suffering unprecedented challenges. War has impacted both forests and forestry – devastating forest areas, infrastructure and industry, as well as causing ‘brain drain’ and capacity loss due to the disruption of research institutions and the displacement of students and scientists. These impacts are compounded by factors including climate change, unstable forest health dynamics, landscape fires, and an overall decrease in forest productivity.

04 October 2023

ENGAGE Summary for Policymakers

As the world faces the risks of dangerous climate change, policymakers, industry and civil society leaders are counting on Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) to inform and guide strategies to deliver on the objectives of the Paris Agreement (PA) and subsequent agreements.

03 October 2023

Stakeholder engagement in climate change solutions

Policy Brief #42, October 2023. Workshops bringing scientists together with stakeholders from various backgrounds have shown the importance of dialogue for co-designing climate pathways and highlighted the need for physical meetings and capacity building.

02 October 2023

Feasible futures

Policy Brief #41, October 2023. Embracing the notion of feasibility, this research shows that the world will probably overshoot 1.5°C, largely owing to low institutional capacity. Energy demand reduction and electrification are two options to turn down the heat, and addressing weak institutions is crucial.

01 October 2023

The cost of inaction: tackling air pollution in the ASEAN region

Policy Brief #40, October 2023. Quantifying the cost of inaction can help promote action on air pollution in the ASEAN region with benefits for health, climate change, and sustainable development.

06 September 2023

Tackling policy barriers to nature-based solutions

Policy Brief #39, September 2023. The strong support for nature-based solutions voiced by the European Commission will require urgent policy reforms if Member States are to fulfil the United Nation’s ambition of tripling investments in nature by 2030 to meet climate and biodiversity targets.

05 September 2023

Policy and finance innovation for nature-based solutions

Policy Brief #38, September 2023. The European Commission is investing considerably in nature-based solutions to position Europe as a leader for ‘innovation with nature’. While ambition is growing, implementation remains problematic.

11 May 2023

Human development, sustainability, and agency

Science for Society Brief #1, May 2023. This brief presents insights from an event co-organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) to mark the Austrian launch of the Human Development Report 2021-2022, Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World.