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IIASA researchers have proposed a new method to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on life expectancy.

Social media can be a critical source of data to help explore the formation and evolution of public opinion. IIASA researchers are at the forefront of  exploring this field, leveraging platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Google combined with advanced statistics and machine learning to offer insights into the collective psyche of society.

IIASA researchers developed a tool to help address the lack of data on global migration flows and provide a visual method for exploring migration  patterns worldwide.

Researchers in the Biodiversity, Ecology, and Conservation (BEC) Research Group of the IIASA Biodiversity and Natural Resources Program released  an R-package – a collection of code, data, and documentation in a standardized format – which allows the integration of heterogeneous biodiversity observation sources.

Various IIASA studies have highlighted the need for societal and technological transformations that could form the basis for new lifestyles to create a  more just, net-zero world through innovation.

Working with IIASA researchers, Ghana pioneered the adoption of a citizen science approach to address the problem of plastic pollution in marine  environments. Further analysis highlighted how a similar citizen science data validation and reporting process can benefit reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in other countries.

IIASA researchers played a central role in the European Commission’s recommendation for the 2040 climate target, from delivering the scientific  foundation and establishing dialogue with the community, to being among the renowned scientists selected as members of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change.

Pension systems are the bedrock of financial security during retirement, especially in the face of population aging and changing socioeconomic landscapes. There are, however, differences in current pension benefits based on socioeconomic status, raising concerns about fairness and sustainability.

IIASA researchers conducted several case studies and published two policy briefs informing policymakers about policy and financing barriers limiting the uptake of nature‑based solutions (NBS) compared to conventional grey infrastructure, as well as possible ways of overcoming them.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted global health and economies, prompting governments to deploy two primary strategies – vaccines and lockdowns – to mitigate its impacts. Understanding how these two measures may complement or substitute each other is imperative to finding the best mitigation strategies for future pandemics.

The land use, land-use change, and forestry (LULUCF) sector plays a crucial role in achieving global climate targets, but there are differences between  how scientists and countries account for its emissions. An IIASA study shed light on these disparities, revealing significant implications for global climate targets.

A team of researchers investigated whether seaweed offers a sustainable alternative to land-based agricultural expansion to meet the world’s growing need for food and materials.

The achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the success of the Paris Climate Agreement depend on rapid progress towards sustainable food and land systems in all countries.

A year in the making, the IIASA Flagship Report titled “Systems Analysis for Sustainable Wellbeing. 50 Years of IIASA Research, 40 Years After the Brundtland Commission, Contributing to the Post-2030 Global Agenda” was launched in September 2023 at an official UN event in the  framework of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.

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.

Options Magazine, Winter 2023: As cities draw in more and more people, the challenges and opportunities posed by urbanization are ever-increasing. How can we make sure that the cities of tomorrow will serve both people and the planet?

Options Magazine, Winter 2023: IIASA and Norway have enjoyed fruitful collaboration spanning multiple sectors for over two decades, helping to shape the political discourse at national, regional, and global levels. Represented by the Research Council of Norway, the country has been among the most active contributors to the work of IIASA.

Options Magazine, Winter 2023: Looking back and moving forward: Systems analysis for sustainable wellbeing. 50 years of IIASA research, 40 years after the Brundtland Commission, and contributing to the post‑2030 global agenda.

Options Magazine, Winter 2023: IIASA Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions Research Group Leader, Shonali Pachauri, explores policy pathways for achieving universal access to basic services and technologies. She was a lead author of the Working Group III contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), and a member of the Extended Writing Team for the Synthesis Report.

Options Magazine, Winter 2023: IIASA has a long history of being home to some of the most exceptional systems thinkers of our time. In the last year, several IIASA researchers were again honored with various awards and appointments.