In the 1980s, IIASA researchers asked what cutting military budgets and redirecting these funds to agriculture could do for the world's food supply. Today, researchers at the Institute are asking the reverse question: what would happen to the world’s food if nuclear weapons were used? A folder of working papers from 40 years ago highlights some striking connections between these two questions.
On 4 October the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg quietly turns 54. The date matters less as an anniversary than as a reminder of an experiment begun in the Cold War: whether science can preserve dialogue when politics fails to. More than half a century later, that experiment has new urgency.
What does integration mean for a refugee child? Manya Oriel Kagan reflects on the research behind her new book, Schooling Experiences of Refugee Children in Uganda: Rethinking Integration Policies. Drawing on months of research in schools and communities in Kampala, Uganda, she explores how children's everyday experiences reveal both the possibilities and the limits of one of the world's most progressive refugee policies.
In a new Expert Voices article published in Science, IIASA Population and Just Societies Program Director, Anne Goujon examines the concept of “dejuvenation” – the declining demographic, economic, cultural, and political weight of younger generations – and asks how aging societies can ensure that young people and future generations have a meaningful voice in shaping the decisions that will affect them most.
As artificial intelligence drives a surge in demand for electricity, concerns are growing about its impact on power systems and climate goals. IIASA researcher Behnam Zakeri argues that the challenge is not simply how to power AI, but how to harness the AI boom to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more flexible energy systems. Drawing on new research, he explores how energy storage can help ease pressure on electricity grids while creating opportunities that benefit both digital infrastructure and the wider energy transition.
How we measure sustainability matters. In a new World View article published in Nature Sustainability, IIASA researcher Dilek Fraisl explores why citizen science and other participatory approaches should play a greater role in developing the indicators and methodologies that guide international action on climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development.
What happens when an El Niño forecast reaches social media? Drawing on two recent studies, IIASA researchers Dmitry Erokhin and Nadejda Komendantova explore how the same climate information is discussed differently across online platforms and why those differences matter for climate communication and resilience.
Citizen science is changing how research is done, but fragmented platforms and tools continue to limit its potential. Through the Horizon Europe-funded RIECS-Concept project, IIASA is helping to lay the foundations for a pan-European research infrastructure that will connect citizen science efforts across Europe and strengthen their scientific and societal impact.
Climate change does not affect everyone equally. Vulnerability to extreme heat is shaped by a combination of conditions in which people live and work. If climate adaptation is to reduce vulnerability rather than simply manage its consequences, it must address the underlying conditions that create vulnerability. This is particularly relevant for workers, whose experiences remain a major blind spot in climate adaptation despite their essential role in providing the goods and services society depends on.
Following his recent Science Parliament Lecture at IIASA, Prof. Subra Suresh sat down with us to discuss the future of innovation, science diplomacy, and international collaboration. Drawing on a career spanning academia, government, and global research leadership, he reflects on the importance of building trust across borders, communicating science effectively, and ensuring that emerging technologies benefit society.
What can millions of online conversations tell us about climate action? A new dashboard developed at IIASA uses AI to analyze social media discussions on food, mobility, and home energy choices, helping researchers track the social norms, barriers, and motivations that shape low-carbon lifestyles. By complementing traditional surveys with large-scale social media data, the LOW-AI project offers a new perspective on how climate-relevant behaviors are discussed and adopted in everyday life.